These easy Easter shortbread cookies require just three ingredients to make sweet, buttery bliss.
With a few tips and tricks along the way, these butter bunny cookies are a not-too-sweet little treat to wish a few friends a Happy Easter.
These three ingredient shortbread cookies (four if you’re feeling fancy!) are a classic recipe. They’re so easy to make and you likely have everything you need right there in your pantry and refrigerator.
Butter, flour and brown sugar. And in the spirit of the holidays, I couldn’t resist making some butter bunnies for friends this week.
I was in a hurry whipping these little guys up, so they’re not perfect, but they’re perfectly delicious. I even cheated and used store bought decorative icing.
It’s easy to get caught up in making everything perfect, but I find more joy in perfectly imperfect.
Why You’ll Love these Easter Shortbread Cookies
- So Simple – With just 3 or 4 ingredients, you won’t believe how easy they are!
- Perfect for Gifts – Package them up for a sweet little Easter gift for neighbors.
- Wonderful with Coffee or Tea – Shortbread is sweet, but not too sweet, and perfectly complements coffee or tea.
Ingredients
- Salted Butter – I specify salted butter to truly keep this at a 3 ingredient butter shortbread cookie. Salt adds such balance to the brown sugar, it will have your friends going back for more!
- Brown Sugar – Rather than white, granulated sugar, the added molasses in brown sugar gives these butter shortbread cookies a nice twist. You can use either light or dark brown sugar, whichever you have on hand.
- Flour – Unbleached, all-purpose flour works perfectly. My favorite brands are Gold Medal and Pillsbury.
Optional: Vanilla Extract – You can add vanilla to these butter shortbread cookies, if you’d like. I add vanilla to just about everything!
How to Make
- Make Dough – In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand held mixer, whip butter until light and fluffy. Add brown sugar and whip until combined. Slowly add in flour until dough begins to form and no longer sticky. You may need to add up to an additional 1/2 cup flour.
- Chill – Wrap dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Bake – Preheat oven and roll out dough to 1/2 inch thick. Cut with bunny cookie cutters (or whatever shape you prefer) and place on baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around the edges. Be careful not to overbake the butter shortbread cookies.
How to Keep Shortbread Cookies from Spreading
Many times, butter shortbread cookies spread too much. But to get them just right and have them come out similar to those Famous Walkers Pure butter cookies, here are a few tips:
- Don’t Over-beat the Batter – Have you ever noticed that as you whip butter, it not only gets creamier, but lighter in color? These butter shortbread cookies start with whipped butter, combined with brown sugar. You can whip as long as you like at this stage, but once you start adding flour, keep the mixing to a minimum.
- Use Un-greased Baking Sheets – Too much fat will make the cookies greasy.
- Properly Measure Ingredients – I use the scoop and swipe method for flour. Simply scoop the flour by the spoonful into your cup measure and swipe the top edge flat with a knife.
- Chill dough – Chill dough for 30 minutes for best results.
- Bake at a Low Temperature – This will ensure the butter shortbread cookies are cooked evenly.
Tip
How Do You Know When Butter Shortbread Cookies Are Done?
The edges should be slightly brown with no color in the center. If the edges are dark, you have baked too long. If the edges are still white, bake another minute or two more.
How to Store
Room Temperature – Store these shortbread cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.
More Easter Inspiration
Butter Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups salted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 3½ cups all purpose flour + up to ½ cup flour as needed
Optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring including almond, lemon or orange
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat butter until smooth and light in color. Add brown sugar until dissolved.
- Gradually add in flour until dough begins to form. Add up to an additional ½ cup flour as needed so that the dough forms and the ball isn't sticky.
- Wrap dough ball in plastic wrap for 30 minutes (no longer). Optional, chill dough.
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- On a floured surface, roll dough to ½" thick. Use cookie cutters to cut and place on a baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes (depending on size of your cutters), watching carefully as to not over bake.
Julie’s Tips
- Chill dough during the 30 minute rest to prevent the cookies from spreading.
- Nutrition based on cookies made with 4 cups flour.
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Thank you for sharing these cute cookies.Anything that tastes great and has only three ingredients is always going to be at the top of my list. Hugs,
Thank you! I hope you had a great Easter!
Adorable! Are the eyes frosting dabs or mini chocolate chips or tiny currants? Thanks.
Little dabs of icing – I just used the icing tubes sold in the bakery aisle since so little is needed.
Planning on these real soon!! How’d you know I needed quick and easy even for my sweet tooth! But so cute to boot! Loving these bunnies shorts!! Thank you so much! Great pics too btw!! Yours always are!
Thank you Maria, you are too kind! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Have a beautiful weekend!
I can’t stop cooing over these easy and ADORABLE treats!
Yum, so cute…I will make these with my kids…thanks for sharing!!
Thanks, Vicky! Have fun!