Polka Dot Shortbread Recipe

These easy butter cookies make a cute addition to a bridal or baby shower.

By
Carrie Vasios Mullins
Carrie Vasios Mullins is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Carrie Vasios Mullins
Carrie Vasios Mullins is the former national editor at Serious Eats, with a focus on all things sweet.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated February 07, 2025
Overhead view of polka dot shortbread cookies arranged on a patterned fabric surface.

Serious Eats / Carrie Vasios Mullins

At parties that signal the end of an era, you tend to celebrate in the style of the thing you're leaving. For example, I found graduation parties from college involved kegs of Keystone Light, not bottles of Cabernet. At my bachelorette party, there will be late night clubbing, not a bowl of popcorn and Netflix serene marital bliss. Baby showers seem to be the exception: you celebrate the onslaught of cute with cutsie things.

Maybe one day at my own baby shower, I'll go out to a quiet, formal, obviously not-child-friendly restaurant and follow it up with a screening of Kill Bill. Until then, I'll be the gracious guest who shows up with cookies shaped like flowers or miniatured versions of normal food.

Another great option are these shortbread cookies, which I've named Polka Dot Shortbread for hopefully obvious reasons. I love the taste: buttery with a noticeable hit of salt that makes the sweet dots of jam pop. You can use any flavor jam you like, though I recommend avoiding jelly (too stiff to pipe), chunky preserves, or anything with seeds. I chose a combination of strawberry and apricot-peach, though for a baby girl's party you could go all strawberry, or for a boy, use blueberry or blackberry preserves.

Recipe Details

Polka Dot Shortbread Recipe

Prep 20 mins
Cook 35 mins
Active 20 mins
Total 55 mins
Makes 18 cookies
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Ingredients

  • 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

  • 1/2 cup (7 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups (10 ounces) all purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup jam (see note)

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, 3 minutes. Add salt and flour and beat until just combined. Divide dough in two equal pieces. Press each piece into a 7- by 7-inch square, one on each baking sheet.

  3. Use a knife to lightly score each square of dough into 9 squares. Use the fat end of a chopstick to press holes all over dough, though don't poke through completely. Bake until shortbread is golden, about 35 minutes. Take out of the oven and while dough is still a little soft, press down on holes again to deepen imprint. Let cool completely.

  4. Cut dough along score lines to create individual squares. Fill a pastry bag (or a ziplock with one corner cut off) with jam. Pipe a little jam into each square. If transporting, let jam set for 30 minutes before packing.

Special Equipment

Stand mixer, chopstick, two rimmed baking sheets, pastry bag or ziplock bag

Notes

You can use most any jam (or combination of jams) to fill these cookies. Avoid jellies, which are too gelatinous to pipe, chunky preserves, or anything with seeds.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
3360 Calories
186g Fat
397g Carbs
32g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 3360
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 186g 239%
Saturated Fat 115g 573%
Cholesterol 486mg 162%
Sodium 1644mg 71%
Total Carbohydrate 397g 144%
Dietary Fiber 9g 30%
Total Sugars 165g
Protein 32g
Vitamin C 7mg 35%
Calcium 115mg 9%
Iron 14mg 76%
Potassium 422mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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