Recipes

Easy 5-Ingredient Shortbread Cookie Recipe for Kids

By: Highlights Editorial
Valentine’s heart-shaped shortbread cookies
Ages 3+
Creativity
Critical Thinking
Curiosity
Fine Motor Skills
Math

What’s a tea party without these classic shortbread cookies? They’re a snap to make and so buttery they practically melt in your mouth. And remember: The freshest ingredients make the best-tasting cookies.

These cookies are so easy to make that your kids can make them with little supervision. Here are two tips: 1) Take the butter out of the refrigerator about an hour ahead of time—it will be easier to cream the butter and sugar together. 2) Dip your cookie cutter in a shallow dish of flour so the dough falls right out of the cookie cutter onto the baking sheet.

What You'll Need

What to Do

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and lightly grease a cookie sheet.

  2. Use a mixer to beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix.

  3. Knead the dough until smooth.

  4. Divide the dough in half. Sprinkle just a little extra flour on the table and use a rolling pin or a bottle to roll the dough to ¼ inch thick.

  5. Cut out the cookies using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, or trace around a cutout paper heart. Place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The cookies will look almost white when done.

  6. Let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely. Cookies can be stored for up to a week in an airtight container.

Author Photo
By: Highlights Editorial