Buttery and sweet with warm gingerbread spices, these Gingerbread Shortbread Cookies are so delicious and incredibly easy to make! They come together in minutes and make simple melt-in-your-mouth cookies. The dough can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator, so you can easily offer freshly baked cookies to unexpected guests this holiday season.

Round Gingerbread shortbread cookies on a white ceramic plate with christmas greenery in the background

round gingerbread shortbread cookies dusted with powedered sugar

Why I love these cookies

-This dough takes literally just a few minutes to throw together, so that I can have cookies in the oven in no time.

-Last year, these were the only Christmas cookies we made and our kids were able to make them all by themselves.

-I love the organic, rustic look that you get when the dough is sliced, so you don’t need to roll the dough out and use cookie forms unless you want to.

-You can use this dough to make shortbread fingers, squares, or rounds, or even gingerbread men or any shape you like.

If you’re looking for Christmas recipes to try, be sure to check out some of our favorites!
Swedish Christmas Toffee Recipe, Swedish Saffron And Pistachio Cookies, Nordic Spiced Saffron Hot Chocolate, and this for a quick and easy showstopper – Saffron Basque Cheesecake!

chocolate dipped gingerbread shotybread cookies on a silver tray

Ingredients

Yields 30 – 40 cookies

1/2 cup (110g) White sugar (granulated sugar) – you can also use light brown sugar for a slightly deeper flavor
1 cup (2 sticks / 250g) Unsalted butter – softened at room temperature. Shortbread has a delicious butter flavor that you can only get from using premium quality butter.
2 2/3 cups (340g) All-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Optional: Powdered sugar for dusting.

Equipment

A handheld beater is useful when creaming butter and sugar together. I like to make small batches, and a wooden spoon is otherwise sufficient.
2 baking sheets
Parchment paper
Plastic wrap
If using a stand mixer, use a dough attachment and low speed.

Instructions

Quick note

The cookie dough needs to be chilled for 20 minutes to ensure the butter in the dough is cold when it goes into the oven. I usually preheat my oven during this time.

Preparing the cookie dough:

1. Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl using a handheld mixer or by stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. The aim is to dissolve the sugar in the butter so that it is evenly dispersed throughout the cookie dough.

a wooden spoon creaming butter and sugar together in a white ceramic bowl

2. In a small bowl, measure out the spices.

A small fork mixing Gingerbread spices in a blue ceramic bowl

3. In a separate bowl, measure out the flour and sift it into the creamed butter. Add the spices to the flour mixture and mix gently until combined. Add a teaspoon or two of water if the dough is too dry to come together.

Avoid overworking the dough or adding too much flour. The less you work shortbread dough, the more crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth your shortbread cookies will be.

A wooden spoon mixing gingerbread shortbread dough

4. Use your hands to form 2 long, sausage-like shapes about 2 inches/ 4cm in diameter, and wrap them in plastic wrap or parchment paper. If making shortbread fingers, form a disk with the dough. Chill the dough in the refridgerator for 20 minutes ( you can preheat your oven while you’re waiting!)

gingerbread shortbread dough rolled to a sausage shape in parchment paper

-If making shortbread fingers, form a disk with the dough before wrapping and resting in the refrigerator. You can later roll out the dough and slice it into rectangles.

a disc of gingerbread shortbread dough on parchment paper

Baking the cookies:

1. Preheat the oven to 370°F / 190°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cut the dough into 1/4-inch rounds and place them on the prepared baking sheetswith plenty of space between the cookies.

a sharp knife beside gingerbread shortbread cookie dough that is sliced into rounds on a wooden chopping board

round slices of gingerbread shortbread dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

If you want to make shortbread fingers:

On a lightly floured surface, gently roll out the dough to 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) thick and cut cookies using a sharp knife. Score the surface with a fork for even baking and a classic shortbread appearance. If the dough becomes soft while you’re working with it, you can place it in the refrigerator for a second chill before baking.

A rolling pin rolling a disc of gingerbread short bread on a ightly floued surface

shortbread dough cut into finger shaped and placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

3. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are turning golden brown and cool on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to set completely. Decorate with icing or simply a shake of powdered sugar.

golden briwn gingerbread shortbread rounds on a baking tray

gingerbread shortbread removed from the oven

Some extra tips for baking these cookies

-Shortbread cookies usually turn a pale golden brown when they are done, but it can be difficult to gauge the color with the added gingerbread spices.
-Look for a gentle, golden hue along the edges and a firm, set texture on top. But be careful not to overbake, as it affects the buttery flavor of the shortbread.
-The cookies will firm up as they cool! Perfect shortbread should have a soft and tender texture but be slightly crisp when you bite into it. dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aenean diam dolor, accumsan sed rutrum vel, dapibus et leo.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in a cool place for 7 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Variations

I love these buttery gingerbread shortbread cookies as they are. They can also be dipped in melted dark chocolate or white chocolate. Chill the cookies in the freezer for 20 minutes before dipping them in the melted chocolate.