Raspberry Swirl Shortbread Cookies (Printer-friendly)

Buttery shortbread swirled with tangy raspberry jam for a perfect crisp edge and soft center combination.

# What You’ll 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter with powdered sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Add vanilla extract and mix thoroughly until fully combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt, then gradually add to the creamed mixture, stirring until just combined without overworking the dough.
05 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, 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 and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.
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 or until edges are light golden brown.
10 - Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then dust with granulated sugar if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dough comes together in minutes and doesn't need any fancy equipment or tricky techniques.
  • Each cookie has a crisp buttery edge and a soft jammy center that tastes like you spent all day baking.
  • They look impressive enough to gift but are forgiving enough for a weeknight treat.
02 -
  • Chilling the dough is not optional, because warm dough will squish and lose its shape when you try to slice it.
  • Don't overfill the jam wells or you'll end up with sticky puddles on your parchment paper instead of neat little swirls.
  • Let the cookies cool completely before storing them, or they'll soften and lose that perfect crisp edge.
03 -
  • Use a ruler to measure your dough log so every cookie bakes at the same rate and looks uniform.
  • If the jam starts to caramelize and darken around the edges, your oven runs hot, so drop the temperature by 10 degrees next time.
  • Press the indentations gently but firmly, because a shallow well won't hold enough jam and a deep one can crack the cookie.
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