Easy Whole Wheat Shortbread Cookies Recipe (Tender & Buttery)

Have you ever bitten into a “healthier” cookie, only to be met with a dry, heavy, or cardboard-like texture? It’s a common belief that baking with whole wheat flour means sacrificing that tender, melt-in-your-mouth quality we all crave. What if I told you that you could have the best of both worlds?

This Whole Wheat Shortbread Cookies recipe is that perfect balance. It pairs the nutty, rustic flavor of whole wheat flour with the rich, decadent flavor of high-fat butter. The result is a sophisticated, deeply flavorful butter cookie with an incredibly tender crumb. This easy, homemade recipe is perfect for cutout cookies any time of year, especially during the holidays.

Ingredients for Your Shortbread Cookies

This recipe relies on a short, simple list of high-quality ingredients. The high-fat butter (like Plugra) and cornstarch are the secrets to an extra-tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Ingredient	Amount/Quantity	Notes
All-Purpose Flour	10.5 ounces (approx. 2 1/3 cups)
Whole Wheat Flour	5.5 ounces (approx. 1 cup)	Adds a wonderful nutty flavor.
Cornstarch	4.75 ounces (approx. 1 cup)	The secret to a very tender, short crumb.
High-Fat Unsalted Butter	16 ounces (4 sticks)	Plugra is suggested, but any high-fat (European-style) butter works. Must be at cool room temperature.
Granulated Sugar	4.75 ounces (approx. 2/3 cup)
Kosher Salt	1 teaspoon
Superfine Sugar	As needed	For dusting the finished cookies.

this now & bake later ❤️

Recipe Timing

This is a classic cutout cookie recipe. The chilling step is essential, so while the active time is short, the hands-off time is key.

• Preparation Time: 15 minutes (for mixing the dough)
• Chilling Time: 30 minutes (minimum)
• Baking Time: 10-15 minutes per batch
• Total Time: Approximately 1 hour (plus time for subsequent batches)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans

First, position your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). This low temperature is key for a gentle bake. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, add the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and cornstarch. Whisk them together thoroughly.

• Actionable Tip: Whisking these dry ingredients together first ensures the cornstarch is evenly distributed, which is essential for that uniform, tender texture in every single cookie.

Step 3: Cream Butter, Sugar, and Salt

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add your cool room temperature butter, granulated sugar, and salt. “Cool room temperature” means the butter is pliable but not soft or greasy (about 65°F).

Cream the mixture on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it’s light in color and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures

With the mixer on its lowest speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed butter. Mix just until the dough comes together.

• Actionable Tip: This is the most important step! Be careful not to overmix. Shortbread is defined by its “short” (tender) crumb. Overmixing develops gluten and will make your cookies tough and hard instead of melty and delicate. Stop as soon as the last streaks of flour disappear.

Step 5: Chill the Dough

The dough will be soft. Scrape it out onto a piece of plastic wrap, form it into a flat 1-inch thick disc, and wrap it tightly. Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.

• Actionable Tip: Do not skip this step! Chilling the high-fat dough is essential. It solidifies the butter, which makes the dough easy to roll out and prevents the cookies from spreading into greasy puddles in the oven.

Step 6: Roll and Cut the Cookies

Once chilled, place the dough on a lightly flour-dusted working surface. Roll it out to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes.

Carefully arrange the cutouts on your parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them. You can gather and re-roll the scraps once.

Step 7: Bake to Pale Golden Perfection

Place one baking sheet at a time in the preheated 325°F oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

• Actionable Tip: Shortbread should be pale! You’ll know they’re done when the edges are just beginning to turn a light golden brown. The centers will (and should) still look pale.

Step 8: Dust with Sugar and Cool

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking pan for 2 minutes. While they are still warm, dust them generously with superfine sugar.

Let the cookies cool completely on the pans before moving them to an airtight container for storage. They are very delicate until cool.

Nutritional Information (Estimate)

This is an indulgent, high-fat butter cookie. This estimate is per cookie, assuming a 2-inch round cutter yielding 42 cookies.

• Calories: 127 kcal
• Protein: 1 g
• Carbohydrates: 13 g
• Sugar: 4 g
• Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Sodium: 55 mg

Healthier Alternatives & Variations

While the charm of this cookie is its buttery richness, you can make a few creative tweaks.

• Flavor Variations: Add 1 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest or lemon zest to the butter and sugar in Step 3 for a bright, citrusy note. You could also add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom or cinnamon to the dry ingredients.
• Vegan Option: To make these vegan whole wheat shortbread cookies, use a high-fat, European-style vegan butter (like Miyoko’s Kitchen). The texture will be remarkably similar.
• Different Flours: You can experiment by swapping the whole wheat flour for rye flour or spelt flour for different nutty flavor profiles.
• Chocolate Dipped: For an extra-decadent treat, dip half of each cooled cookie in melted dark or white chocolate.

Serving Suggestions

These Whole Wheat Shortbread Cookies are elegant, rustic, and perfect for many occasions.

• With a Hot Drink: These are the ultimate cookie to serve with a hot cup of tea (like an Earl Grey) or a strong coffee. The buttery, nutty flavor is a perfect companion.
• Holiday Cookie Platter: Their pale, sugary appearance makes them a beautiful addition to a Christmas or holiday cookie tin. They look stunning next to brightly colored or chocolate-dipped cookies.
• As a Gift: Stack these in a clear cellophane bag or a beautiful tin, tied with a ribbon. They make a sophisticated and delicious homemade gift.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

This recipe is simple, but technique is everything. Avoid these common pitfalls for the best-ever shortbread.

• Overmixing the Dough: This is the #1 mistake. It develops gluten in the flour and turns your tender, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread into a tough, hard, bready cookie.
  • Solution: Mix on the lowest speed only until the flour is just combined. A few crumbly bits are fine.
• Using Soft, Greasy Butter: The data specifies “cool room temperature.” If your butter is too soft, oily, or melted, the cookies will spread too much and have a greasy texture.
  • Solution: Your butter should be pliable but still cool (around 65°F). You should be able to press a finger into it and make an indent, but it shouldn’t be soft like mayonnaise.
• Skipping the Chill: With 16 ounces (4 sticks!) of butter, this dough is impossible to roll out at room temperature.
  • Solution: The 30-minute chill is not optional. It solidifies the butter, making the dough manageable and ensuring your cutout cookies hold their shape.
• Overbaking: Shortbread is not meant to be a dark, golden-brown cookie.
  • Solution: Pull them from the oven as soon as the edges are just turning golden. The pale center is a sign of a perfectly tender shortbread.

Storing Your Shortbread

Shortbread has a wonderful shelf life, and the flavor often gets better the next day!

• Countertop: Store the completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. A tin is a classic and great option.
• Make-Ahead (Dough): The dough is perfect for making ahead. You can wrap the disc of dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
• Freezing (Dough): You can freeze the wrapped dough disc for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before rolling. You can also roll, cut the shapes, and freeze the unbaked cutouts on a baking sheet before transferring them to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from the freezer (just add 2-3 minutes to the bake time).
• Freezing (Baked): You can also freeze the finished, un-sugared cookies in an airtight container, with parchment between the layers, for up to 3 months.

Conclusion

This Whole Wheat Shortbread Cookies recipe is a true classic for a reason. It proves that simple, high-quality ingredients can create a truly sophisticated and delicious treat. The nutty flavor of the whole wheat flour balanced by the rich, high-fat butter and the tender crumb from the cornstarch makes these a memorable and addictive cookie. They are the perfect project for a quiet afternoon and a wonderful addition to any holiday table.

We hope you love this simple, buttery recipe as much as we do. Try it out and let us know what you think in the comments below! What are your favorite cookie cutter shapes to use? We’d love to hear from you. Don’t forget to rate the recipe and share it with your baking friends!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Why use whole wheat flour in shortbread?

The whole wheat flour isn’t just for nutrition; it’s for flavor! It adds a wonderful, nutty, rustic depth that you just can’t get from all-purpose flour alone. It makes the cookie taste more complex and less one-dimensionally sweet.

Q2. What does the cornstarch do?

Cornstarch is the secret weapon for tenderness. In baking, it inhibits gluten formation. By replacing some of the flour with cornstarch, you get a “shorter” crumb, which is what gives this shortbread that delicate, sandy, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Q3. Do I really need to use high-fat Plugra butter?

You don’t have to, but it is highly recommended. European-style butters (like Plugra, Kerrygold, or Tillamook Extra Creamy) have a higher butterfat content and less water than standard American butter. In a recipe that is all about the butter, this extra fat provides a richer flavor and a more tender, less “bready” cookie.

Q4. Can I make these as slice-and-bake cookies?

Yes, absolutely! Instead of forming the dough into a disc in Step 5, divide it in two and roll each half into a log (about 1.5-2 inches in diameter). Wrap the logs tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, or until very firm. When ready, slice the cold logs into 1/4-inch thick rounds, place them on the prepared baking sheets, and bake as directed.

Print