When Christmas rolls around, baking cookies becomes a beloved tradition in our home. The kitchen fills with the warmth of the oven, the sound of holiday music, and the laughter of loved ones. All blending into memories we cherish year after year. There’s nothing quite like the magic of gathering around the counter, rolling dough, and decorating cookies while the scent of butter and spice drifts through the house.
Every year, we go all out with an array of cookies, but the true star of our holiday baking is always our sugar & spice shortbread cookies. These little bites of heaven have graced our Christmas table since my husband and I got married, and they’ve become a symbol of the festive season for our family.
But these cookies aren’t just for us—they’re made to be shared! A jar filled with these beautiful, spiced shortbread cookies makes for a heartwarming homemade gift that’s sure to put a smile on anyone’s face.
Sugar & Spice Shortbread Cookies – The Best Holiday Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
500 g butter, softened
4 ½ cups (675 g) plain white flour
½ cup (75 g) rice flour
1 cup (220 g) caster sugar
5 ml ground cinnamon
½ ml ground ginger
1 ml finely ground nutmeg
½ ml all spice mix
Directions
Preheat your oven to 150°C (medium heat). Line a baking tray with parchment or lightly grease it.
- Cream Butter & Sugar:
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and caster sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. - Mix Dry Ingredients:
In a separate bowl, sift together the plain flour, rice flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and all spice. - Form the Dough:
Gradually add the flour and spice mixture to the butter, mixing gently. Use your hands to press the mixture together until a firm dough forms. Knead until smooth. - Chill:
Divide the dough in half, wrap each portion in cling wrap, and chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes. - Roll & Cut:
Working with one half at a time, roll the dough out to about 1 cm thickness (tip: place a sheet of baking paper over the dough to prevent sticking). Cut out your favorite holiday shapes using cookie cutters. Gather the scraps, re-roll, and cut more cookies. - Top & Bake:
Sprinkle each cookie with cinnamon sugar (mix 5 ml ground cinnamon with 250 ml sugar) before baking. - Bake:
Place the cookies on the prepared baking tray and bake at 150°C until they’re lightly golden brown—watch closely, as baking times may vary!
These festive sugar & spice shortbread cookies will fill your home with holiday cheer and quickly become a tradition your friends and family look forward to year after year.
Wrap them up for sweet homemade gifts—or simply enjoy them by the fire with a mug of hot cocoa. Merry Christmas and happy baking!