These are the shortbread cookies my mom has made for Christmas every year since I was a child. They literally melt in your mouth. You will LOVE them!

The first time I shared these shortbread cookies with you was back in December 2011. I've made them every year since and thought it was time to make them again for Throw Back Thursday.

On the first Thursday of each month, I find an older recipe that could use some new pictures. While the original shortbread cookie pictures definitely aren’t the worst of the bunch, but I wanted to bring the recipe to the front page again as it's one of my all-time favorite Christmas cookie recipes.

These shortbread cookies are crazy soft. When I say they melt in your mouth, I mean it. No chewing required. They’re the most tender shortbread cookies you will ever eat. I just passed one to my handsome man and his response was, “Damn, woman. I don't know what just happened in my mouth, but I want more of it.”

This shortbread cookie recipe has only 5 ingredients, is made in one bowl, and is the best shortbread you will ever eat. Are you sold? You should be!

Tips for making the softest shortbread cookies

This recipe works best if you beat the dough with electric beaters. If you have a stand mixer, set it aside for this recipe. (And a big thank you to my sister for helping me recipe test this with her Kitchen Aid!)
Make sure the cookie dough is cold before you put it in the oven. If your house is quite warm, put the cookie dough in the fridge to chill it before you bake the cookies.
Don't skimp on the 10 minutes it takes to beat the dough. My whole family has made this recipe more times than we can count and it works best if you set a timer and see it through the full 10 minutes.
Use salted butter. This has nothing to do with making the softest shortbread cookies, but it will make the tastiest ones.

Here's what the dough should look like after you've beat it for 10 minutes. I think it looks a lot like whipped cream.

Original post date: December 16^th, 2011

There are some Christmas traditions that would leave me pouting and stomping my feet like a two-year-old if I didn't get to enjoy. That doesn't paint a very nice picture of me, does it? The truth is I probably wouldn't actually throw a temper tantrum, but I would want to.

My mom, sister and I sit in a circle by the side of the decorated tree, Bailey's with a little coffee in hand. My nephew now joins us, no Bailey's or coffee for him, not for many years yet. We take turns unwrapping one small gift from our stockings, passing it around and admiring it. At some point, our coffee cups are replaced by champagne flutes. The whole process takes us hours, mostly because we are chatting and laughing so much.

Between sips of Bailey's and coffee and ripping the wrapping off little presents, there's always room for some Christmas baking.

I've never had shortbread cookies as good as my mom's. Since I was given the recipe a few years back I've been told, “I've never had shortbread cookies as good as yours before.” I don't mean to brag … but really, it's that good. It quite literally melts in your mouth. That's not a figure of speech; it disintegrates into buttery goodness on your tongue.

The trick is to beat it for longer than you ever think any cookie dough needs to be beaten. Pull a little Mohammed Ali action and KO that cookie dough.

The original picture of these shortbread cookies (2011)

If you’re interested in learning a few tricks that I did to improve my food photography, check out the posts 10 Food Photography Tips for New Food Bloggers and The 10 Best Food Photography Props to Improve Your Food Photography and The Food Photography Equipment I Use.

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