Cinnamon Sugar Shortbread

One can never get enough shortbread at Christmastime! This delicious shortbread cookie is prepared with brown sugar and cinnamon. Rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture, this classic, old-fashioned sweet shortbread recipe is a new and updated take on everyone’s favourite holiday cookie!

I love a good cookie just as much as the next person, but I don’t crave sweets like most people do. For the most part, I crave salty treats and snacks. But every now and then, a cookie such as this Cinnamon Sugar Shortbread comes along and I lose all control and just cannot stop eating them. I’m serious! 

First of all, it’s no secret that we love cinnamon in this house.  Not only do we add extra cinnamon to our baked goods, but we even make our own Cinnamon Ice Cream! I told you we are serious cinnamon lovers!  So, when this particular cookie came along, all I could think about was all of that cinnamon.  But, the cookie is so much more than just cinnamon.  I want you to think about a cinnamon sugar donut.  Can you do that?

A cinnamon sugar donut is the most basic donut, but probably one of the most preferred among the common, everyday, run-of-the-mill, donuts.  Well, that’s what the cookies will remind you of.  They are soft and moist, and covered with that familiar cinnamon sugar coating.

I’m going to tell you all about this cookie recipe and how you can make it in your home this holiday season, but first, I want to tell you about what you can expect from Lord Byron’s Kitchen this Christmas. I know we’re just kicking off the holiday season, but I have a lot of Christmas-themed recipes to share with you this year, so I’ve had to get started early.

Back in October, I kicked off the holiday season with a holiday recipe series called Lord Byron’s 12 Christmas Donuts and followed that up with a second series called Lord Byron’s 12 Christmas Appetizers. And now, I’m starting out on this new series, which is the sixth annual instalment! I cannot believe that this is the sixth year in a row that I’ve shared Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas! But, before we get to a list of ingredients and instructions for today’s recipe, let me tell you about this series and more!

LORD BYRON’S 24 COOKIES OF CHRISTMAS SERIES

Another holiday series, Lord Byron? Yes – why not!? Welcome, Dear Reader, to the fourth of my annual holiday recipe series for this season! This one is called Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas – Volume 6! I will try to keep the recipes in this series quick and easy, just like in previous years. Even if a recipe looks complex, I promise you that it is not! My goal, as always, is to share recipes with you that are not too complex to whip up as a holiday treat for your family. 

Like every other holiday series I’ve shared over the years, this series will share a new recipe every day for the next 24 days – even on Saturday and Sunday! You might be asking yourself, how many Christmas recipes could one possibly have or need? Well, I say you can never have too much of a good thing. And, I love having lots of choices. Who wants to prepare the same holiday recipes year after year?

SUBSCRIBE NOW SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS OUT ON NEW RECIPES!

So, welcome, Dear Reader, to Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas series! Even though this is the fourth series for this holiday season, you can always look back at previous years if you just cannot wait until the next recipe is published. Also, some of my favourite recipe collections from previous years are my 75 Homemade Gifts from Your Kitchen, my 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes, and my 30 No-Bake Christmas Recipes post.

You really don’t want to miss one of these recipes, so if you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, a new recipe will be emailed to you every day. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! Like in previous holiday recipe countdowns, I like to mix up the recipes in the series so that there is something for everyone. Are you ready!!??

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Butter – Make sure your butter is softened and at room temperature.
• Flour – This recipe has only been tested with all-purpose, unbleached flour.
• Salt
• Cinnamon
• Brown Sugar – First of all, it has way more flavour than regular white sugar! And, in this recipe, brown sugar helps to keep the cookie moist and soft.
• Vanilla Extract
• Sugar – Regular granulated sugar is used to coat the cookies before baking.

HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON SUGAR SHORTBREAD

In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until well combined and creamy – about 3 minutes. Add the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Beat until just combined. This cookie dough is not super moist, so don’t be alarmed if it looks a bit crumbly. Set the dough aside and combine the remaining cinnamon and the granulated sugar together in a bowl. Whisk gently to combine.

Portion out one tablespoon of the cookie dough. Roll it into a ball and then roll the ball into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place the cookie onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass, flatten the ball to half of its current size. Continue to do this with the remaining dough, leaving one inch of space between each cookie.

Next, using a fork, gently pierce the tops of each cookie, making three even rows. Transfer the baking sheet to your fridge for 15 minutes. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

When it comes to most cookies, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for long periods of time. Cookies will stay fresh in a cookie jar or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. You can store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!

If you plan to freeze your Cinnamon Sugar Shortbread, you certainly can! Pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight-fitting lid too. I use these quite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!  

You can freeze these cookies for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen cookies as a gift, I would lay them out on a wire cooling rack to thaw completely. Once thawed, pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!

Finally, as I stated previously, every day I will be posting a new recipe. If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 200 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!