These cinnamon shortbread cookies are a buttery, crisp shortbread cookie filled with spice and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. They're a delicious twist on a classic.
Cinnamon shortbread cookies are going to be your new favorite version of the buttery cookie we all know and love. They're a sweeter dough with the added brown sugar and then have cinnamon and nutmeg in the dough, and then a generous sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar on top too.
For more cinnamon treats try my churro cake, my puff pastry cinnamon twists or my cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling.
Jump to:
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- BUTTERY & FLAKY- These cookies main ingredient is butter, so the taste cannot be beat. And without a bunch of sugar they are left so flaky and crisp.
- STAY FRESH- One of my favorite things about shortbread cookies is their shelf life. They won't start to taste stale after a day or so. If you store them in a cookie tin they can last weeks on your counter!
- CINNAMON & SUGAR: Who wouldn't want a cookie that's got a nice coating of cinnamon and sugar. It's like a churro in cookie form.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Butter: I always use salted butter in my baking, but unsalted is fine too.
- Sugars: These have a mix of brown and granulated for a bit of a richer dough.
- Cinnamon & Nutmeg: These add such a nice flavor to the cookies.
Recipe Instructions
Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes on medium until pale and fluffy.
Step 2: Add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour and mix until completely incorporated. The dough may seem a bit crumbly, but it will come together.
Step 3: Roll out to be about ½ inch thick or however you like your cookies. Use a cookie cutter and cut dough, placing on a parchment lined baking sheet as you go. The cookies do not spread, so you can place them close together. Once all dough has been cut, place cookie sheet in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow dough to chill. They can refrigerate longer if you want, just make sure to cover them well so they don't dry out.
Step 4: Preheat oven to 325 F. Sprinkle chilled cookie dough with cinnamon/sugar mixture and bake for 15-17 minutes. You want just the edges to start to turn a light brown. I like to sprinkle extra cinnamon/sugar after baking also.
Expert Baking Tips
- If you don't have a cookie cutter you want to use, you can roll the dough into a log in parchment or wax paper, chill and then just cut the log to make circles.
- These are also great drizzled with some white chocolate once cooled.
- If you find your cookie dough is too crumbly to stay together, just add a tablespoon or two of water.
FAQ
This helps the dough to solidify, therefore the cookies hold their shape and don't spread.
Yes, you can make the dough and either roll it out and shape it ahead of time, or you can place the ball of dough into the fridge, removing and allowing to come to room temperature before rolling and shaping.
Storing & Freezing
These cinnamon shortbread cookies will stay fresh for a few weeks. If you have a tin to store them in that is best. But any airtight container will do. They'll just soften more.
These cookies are also great to freeze. Just store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment if you make them and love them as much as I do!
Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) butter room temp
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) nutmeg
- 2¼ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar for sprinkling on cookies
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon for sprinkling on cookies
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes on medium until pale and fluffy.
- Add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour and mix until completely incorporated. The dough may seem a bit crumbly, but it will come together.
- Roll out to be about ½ inch thick or however you like your cookies. Use a cookie cutter and cut dough, placing on a parchment lined baking sheet as you go. The cookies do not spread, so you can place them close together. Once all dough has been cut, place cookie sheet in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow dough to chill. They can refrigerate longer if you want, just make sure to cover them well so they don't dry out.
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Sprinkle chilled cookie dough with cinnamon/sugar mixture and bake for 15-17 minutes. You want just the edges to start to turn a light brown. I like to sprinkle extra cinnamon/sugar after baking also.
Tiffany Bloxham
If you like snickerdoodles and shortbread cookies this is the perfect holiday cookie for you!
ZZ
This recipe was so simple and your directions are so helpful. You always give great tips and know exactly what misconceptions your followers will find. This is 5e second cookie I made for teacher holiday cookie plate for my kids. Thank you.
Kelly
Made these gluten free. My kids loved them.
Brooke Homec
Thank you so much, and grateful to know the worked GF as well!
Jaimie
Mmm tastes like Cinnamon Toast Crunch in a cookie. Very cute for taking anywhere too.
Laikin
These cookies were so easy & simple to make! And delicious on top of it! I'll definitely be making them again!
Treasure
So simple and easy to make! Love the added touch of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Allison Wiley
I really like shortbread cookies and these didn’t disappoint. Is used the caramel javamelt sugar off your IG post. Delicious!
Maribeth Reimer
Loved making these and they turned out just precious and perfect for a sweet board I am putting together! I did have to add a little bit of extra liquid to make the dough easier to work with and rollout!
Erica Crunkleton
Another amazing recipe. I didn’t roll it out thin enough but these are delicious even if chewy.
Keiko Hatakeda
These are my all time favorites, I love making the smaller stars to use as a fill in for boxes or plates to give it an extra touch. Love that it’s so easy to make and keeps well for awhile. I will be making some larger cut outs for New Year’s Eve Party, can’t wait to see how they turn out!!
Denise Knight
Wonderful and easy shortbread cookie! Love them!!
Bailey
My go-to, no-fail, shortbread recipe! I love these so much!