Raspberry Swirl Shortbread Cookies (Printable)

Buttery shortbread swirled with tangy raspberry jam creates crisp, melt-in-your-mouth cookies perfect for teatime.

# What You Need:

→ Shortbread Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
04 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Filling & Topping

06 - 1/3 cup raspberry jam or preserves
07 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, optional for dusting

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter with powdered sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Add vanilla extract to the creamed mixture and blend thoroughly.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture, mixing until just combined without overworking the dough.
05 - Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a log approximately 1.5 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm.
06 - Slice the chilled dough into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Arrange on prepared baking sheets with 1 inch spacing between cookies.
07 - Using the back of a teaspoon, make a small indentation in the center of each cookie.
08 - Spoon approximately 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry jam into each indentation, avoiding overfilling.
09 - Bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges are light golden brown.
10 - Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - Once fully cooled, dust with granulated sugar if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dough comes together in minutes and doesn't require any fancy equipment or hard to find ingredients.
  • Each cookie looks like you spent hours decorating, but the jam does all the work for you.
  • They stay crisp on the edges and tender in the middle, even after a few days in the tin.
02 -
  • If you skip chilling the dough, the cookies will spread too much in the oven and lose their delicate shape.
  • Overfilling the jam wells causes sticky overflow that burns on the parchment and makes cleanup a hassle.
  • Using cold butter instead of softened will leave you with a grainy dough that never quite comes together properly.
03 -
  • Rotate your baking sheets halfway through if your oven has hot spots, so every cookie browns evenly.
  • If the dough log starts to flatten on one side while chilling, roll it gently every 10 minutes to keep it round.
  • Use a bench scraper to lift and move the sliced cookies without distorting their shape.
  • Let the jam come to room temperature before spooning it in, it spreads more easily and looks neater.
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