Published August 16, 2016. Updated June 18, 2024
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5 Ingredient Shortbread Bites are the easiest festive snack! Crisp and buttery, rainbow-speckled mini shortbread squares. These are fun to make and everyone always loves them! They keep really well, I like to freeze them and put some in my kid’s school lunch.
I love these because they’re totally snack-able and indeed totally pop-able, they are perfectly portable, they are easy to make, and only require FIVE ingredients.
They have a longer shelf life than most baked goods and they don’t require refrigeration, they are perfect for holidays (with their customizable sprinkles, you can even find single colors online and mix and match to get the color comboyou want).
They are the tiniest, cutest little cookies you’ll ever make, and of course, they are 100% irresistibly delicious (think perfectly buttery, birthday cake-like flavor, and crisp melt-in-your-mouth texture)!
So with all that said are you starting to see that you really need to make these Funfetti Shortbread Bites?? Do it. Everyone including yourself will thank you.
How to Make 5 Ingredient Shortbread Bites
- Butter and line a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
- Cream butter and sugar in an electric stand mixer until combined. Mix in almond extract.
- Blend in flour then 2 1/2 Tbsp sprinkles.
- Press dough into an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle remaining 1 Tbsp sprinkles over top and lightly press into dough. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat oven.
- Lift dough from the pan using a parchment overhang on all sides. Cut into 1/2-inch squares.
- Transfer about 1/3 of the cookies to an unbuttered baking sheet*** and scatter cookies out spacing cookies 1/2-inch apart.
- Bake in preheated oven for 8 – 12 minutes.
- Repeat the process with the remaining bites, adding them to a cool baking sheet. Cool completely then transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature.
More Shortbread Recipes to Try!
- Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprints
- Chocolate Dipped Toffee Pecan Shortbread
- Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies
- Twix Thumbprint Cookies
16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)
4.53 from 23 votes
Print Recipe
5 Ingredient Funfetti Shortbread Bites
Crisp and buttery, rainbow speckled mini shortbread squares. These are fun to make and everyone always loves them! They keep really well, I like to freeze them and put some in my kids school lunch. Yield: About 336 itty bitty bites.
Servings: 18
Prep20 minutes minutes
Cook1 hour hour
Chill30 minutes minutes
Ready in: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) salted butter, cold and diced into 1 Tbsp pieces*
- 3/4 cup (155g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp almond extract
- 2 1/4 cups (318g) all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 Tbsp (42g) nonpareils sprinkles, divided
Instructions
Butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish** and line with 2 sheets of parchment paper (one horizontally and one vertically. I also like to butter between parchment sheets so they stick) leaving a 1-inch over hang on all sides, set aside.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer cream together butter and sugar until well combined (not light and fluffy, just well blended). Mix in almond extract.
With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour and mix until combined (it will take a while and will appear dry and sandy at first but it will start to come together). Mix in 2 1/2 Tbsp of the sprinkles.
Press dough into an even layer in prepared baking dish (I did it with my hands first then used the bottom of a flat measuring cup to help smooth it out).
Sprinkle remaining 1 Tbsp sprinkles over top and lightly press into dough. Chill dough in refrigerator 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lift dough from pan using parchment overhang on all sides. Cut into 1/2-inch squares using a large sharp knife***.
Transfer about 1/3 of the cookies to an unbuttered baking sheet**** and scatter cookies out spacing cookies 1/2-inch apart.
Bake in preheated oven 8 - 12 minutes (keep remaining that aren't currently baking refrigerated).
Repeat process with remaining bites, adding them to a cool baking sheet. Cool completely then transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature.
Notes
- *Unsalted butter will work great too. Simply whisk in 1/2 tsp salt with the flour before adding if using unsalted butter.
- **For slightly thicker bites a 9 by 9-inch pan can be used you just won't get quite as many cookies.
- ***It works best to just cut long rows. Run large knife underneath cookies to help remove them from parchment as needed.
- ****Don't line pan with parchment or silicone liners. The ungreased sheets give the cookies some traction so they'll spread less.
- Recipe source: inspired byLand O Lakes
Nutrition Facts
5 Ingredient Funfetti Shortbread Bites
Amount Per Serving
Calories 198Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 26mg9%
Sodium 90mg4%
Potassium 21mg1%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 315IU6%
Calcium 6mg1%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Shortbread
Author: Jaclyn
