Shortbread Cookie Bars
Buttery Shortbread Cookie Bars will be one of your favorite things to make this holiday season. This delicious and simple recipe is extra easy to make in one bowl with ingredients you most likely already have. These bars are extra buttery, flakey, and oh so tender!
Servings: 24 bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups salted butter softened at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg white slightly beaten
- sprinkles of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy and light.
- Add vanilla extract, and continue mixing until combined.
- Add flour and cornstarch and mix until combined and a cookie dough has formed. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Spread the dough in an even layer onto the prepared baking pan. Press the dough down with your hands or with a rubber spatula. Prick the shortbread with a fork all around.
- Brush the egg white on to the shortbread until evenly coated, then add sprinkles. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the shortbread has turned a light golden brown. Place the pan on a cooling rack and wait until the shortbread has significantly cooled before removing from baking pan. Cut into 24 bars and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Notes:
- To Make Jam Shortbread Bars: Swirl in your favorite jam to the bars before baking with a toothpick or knife. This will add a jammy flavor and add small pockets of fruit filling. The bare also look pretty too!
- To Add Chocolate: Add mini chocolate chips to the cookie dough for a chocolate flavor. You could also top the cooled bars with drizzled dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, or a combination.
- To Add Crunch: Add a handful. of your favorite chopped nuts to the cookie dough or to the top of the bars. Great nut options for these cookie bars are chopped almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pecans.
- Small or Large Bars: I cut these cookies into 24 squares but you can make them mini by cutting them into smaller squares or larger. You can even cut them into triangle shapes if you prefer.
- Bake cookie bars for about 35 minutes for crunchy bars and 25 minutes for softer bars.
- To store leftovers, place cookie bars in an airtight container or ziplock bag and store for up to 7 days. You can also cover a dish with plastic wrap and store in a cool area.