Christmas Shortbread Sandwich Cookies are a festive holiday treat made with delicate shortbread rounds and a sweet vanilla buttercream filling. The cookies have a buttery texture, while the red and green filling gives them a colorful look that’s perfect for Christmas celebrations.
This recipe uses simple baking ingredients, including flour, butter, heavy cream, and sugar. The shortbread dough needs at least one hour to chill before rolling, cutting, and baking. Once the cookies have cooled completely, they’re filled with a smooth buttercream made from butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream.
The best part is the sandwich-cookie design. A layer of colorful filling sits between two shortbread rounds, creating a pretty cookie that looks right at home on a Christmas dessert platter. These cookies are a lovely choice for holiday gatherings, homemade gifts, and seasonal cookie exchanges.
Why You’ll Love These Christmas Cookies
- Festive holiday colors: Red and green vanilla buttercream make the cookies look ready for Christmas.
- Buttery shortbread: The simple dough creates delicate cookies with a classic buttery flavor.
- Creamy filling: Vanilla buttercream adds sweetness and turns the shortbread rounds into sandwich cookies.
- Simple ingredients: The recipe uses familiar baking staples.
- Great for sharing: The recipe makes about 24 sandwich cookies, perfect for holiday dessert trays or gatherings.
Ingredients for Christmas Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
These cookies have two parts: the shortbread rounds and the vanilla buttercream filling. Prepare the dough first because it needs time to chill before rolling.
Shortbread Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour: Forms the base of the shortbread dough.
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature: Cut into the flour to create the buttery, sandy texture that forms the dough.
- â…“ cup heavy cream: Helps bring the dough together.
- â…“ cup granulated sugar: Coats the cookie rounds before baking, adding sweetness and a delicate sugary finish.
Vanilla Buttercream Filling
- â…“ cup butter, softened: Creates the creamy base of the filling.
- 1 cup powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the buttercream.
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla: Adds classic vanilla flavor.
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream: Helps make the filling smooth and creamy.
- Red and green food coloring: Used to divide the filling into festive Christmas colors.
How to Make Christmas Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
Step 1: Make the Shortbread Dough
Place the flour in a mixing bowl. Cut the room-temperature butter into the flour until the mixture looks coarse, dry, and sandy.
Add the heavy cream and mix until the dough starts to come together. It may look dry at first, but continue mixing until it forms a workable dough.
Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in foil, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Step 2: Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheets
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
Lightly flour your countertop to keep the dough from sticking.
Step 3: Roll and Cut the Cookies
Roll the chilled dough to about ⅛-inch thick. Use a 1½-inch round cutter to cut out the cookies.
Gather and reroll the scraps as needed to use the remaining dough.
Step 4: Coat the Cookies in Sugar
Place the granulated sugar in a bowl. Coat both sides of each dough round generously with sugar.
Because the dough itself doesn’t contain added sugar, this coating is an important part of the recipe. If the sugar doesn’t stick easily, lightly brush the edges of a cookie with water to help it adhere.
Step 5: Bake the Shortbread
Arrange the coated rounds on the prepared baking sheets. The cookies won’t spread much, so they can be placed less than an inch apart.
Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly puffed. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet.
Let the cookies cool completely before adding the filling. Warm cookies can soften the buttercream and make assembly more difficult.
Step 6: Make the Vanilla Buttercream
Once the cookies have cooled, beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar and vanilla until combined.
Add one tablespoon of heavy cream and mix until the filling is smooth and creamy.
If the buttercream is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, add a few drops of heavy cream until it reaches a consistency that is easy to pipe.
Step 7: Color the Filling
Divide the buttercream into two equal portions. Add red food coloring to one portion and green food coloring to the other.
Mix each portion until the color is evenly distributed.
Step 8: Assemble the Sandwich Cookies
Place each color of filling in a separate zip-top bag. Snip off a small corner to create a piping opening.
Pipe the filling onto the flat side of a shortbread cookie. Place another cookie on top and gently press the two cookies together so the filling holds them in place.
Repeat with the remaining cookies, alternating between red and green filling as desired.
Tips for the Best Christmas Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
Chill the dough for at least one hour. Refrigerating the dough makes it easier to roll and cut into neat rounds.
Roll the dough evenly. Aim for approximately â…›-inch thickness so the cookies bake consistently.
Coat both sides generously with sugar. The dough doesn’t contain granulated sugar, so the outside coating contributes to the finished sweetness.
Use water sparingly to help the sugar stick. If necessary, lightly brush the edges of a cookie with water rather than soaking the dough.
Don’t overbake the shortbread. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the cookies are slightly puffed.
Cool completely before filling. Let the shortbread rounds cool fully so the buttercream remains creamy during assembly.
Adjust the buttercream gradually. Add extra powdered sugar or a few drops of cream as needed to achieve a smooth, pipeable consistency.
Press the sandwich cookies together gently. A light press helps the filling hold without breaking the delicate shortbread rounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the dough need to chill?
The dough needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour before rolling and cutting.
Why do I need to coat the cookies in sugar?
The shortbread dough doesn’t contain added granulated sugar. Coating both sides of each round generously gives the cookies their sugary exterior.
Can I make the buttercream in different colors?
Yes. This recipe divides the filling into two equal portions, with red food coloring added to one and green to the other. You can use the colors to create a festive Christmas look.
When should I fill the cookies?
Wait until the shortbread rounds have cooled completely. Then prepare the buttercream, pipe it onto one cookie, and gently press a second cookie on top.
How many sandwich cookies does the recipe make?
The recipe yields about 24 sandwich cookies.
A Festive Addition to Your Christmas Dessert Table
Christmas Shortbread Sandwich Cookies bring together delicate, buttery rounds and creamy vanilla buttercream in a festive holiday design. The red and green filling makes them especially suitable for Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, and homemade dessert platters.
Give the dough enough time to chill, bake the cookies just until slightly puffed, and let them cool completely before assembling. With their colorful centers and classic shortbread flavor, these sandwich cookies make a lovely homemade holiday treat.
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Christmas Shortbread Sandwich Cookies with Vanilla Buttercream
Christmas Shortbread Sandwich Cookies are a fun and easy Christmas cookie recipe. Buttery shortbread with red and green vanilla buttercream filling looks so festive. These are Santa-approved cookies for sure!
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: About 24 sandwich cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Filling
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, place the flour. Cut 1 cup of butter into the flour. You can do it coarsely. The mixture will be dry and sandy.
- Mix in the heavy cream. It might look dry at first, but it will come together. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap with foil, and chill for at least an hour.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Lightly flour your countertop and roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 1 1/2-inch circles.
- Put the granulated sugar into a bowl and coat the rounds on each side so they are covered in sugar. Coat them generously, since there is no sugar in the dough. Lightly brush the edges of each cookie with water to help the sugar stick.
- Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet. The cookies won’t spread, so you can arrange them less than an inch apart.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes or until slightly puffed. Cool them on the baking sheet.
- When the cookies are completely cooled, make the filling.
- Beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar and vanilla. Add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and mix until smooth and creamy. If the filling is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, add a few drops of heavy cream.
- Divide the filling into two equal parts. Add red food coloring to one part and green food coloring to the other.
- Place each filling in a separate zip-lock bag, cut off a corner, and pipe the filling onto a cookie. Place another cookie on top and gently press to stick the cookies together.
Notes
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour. Allow the cookies to cool completely before adding the buttercream filling. The recipe yields about 24 sandwich cookies.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
