Description

Golden, crisp Raspberry Swirl Cookies with Butter Shortbread combine a rich, buttery, crumbly shortbread base with vibrant swirls of tangy raspberry jam or purée. These cookies offer a perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors, ideal for tea parties, holiday treats, or everyday indulgence. This recipe guides you through making buttery shortbread dough, preparing the raspberry swirl, assembling, chilling, and baking the cookies to perfection.

Ingredients

Scale

Shortbread Dough

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder (optional)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Raspberry Swirl

1/4 cup raspberry jam or seedless raspberry purée
1 tbsp sugar (optional, if using fresh raspberries for purée)

Instructions

Prepare the Shortbread Dough: Cream the room temperature unsalted butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes using an electric mixer. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth. Gradually incorporate the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, salt, and baking powder (if using), mixing just until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
Prepare the Raspberry Swirl: Warm raspberry jam slightly for easier spreading or, if using fresh raspberries, purée and strain out seeds for a smooth texture. Optionally, add a tablespoon of sugar to the purée for added sweetness.
Assemble the Cookies: Roll out the shortbread dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness. Evenly spread a thin layer of the raspberry jam or purée over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border along the edges. Roll the dough gently into a log shape to distribute the raspberry swirl evenly or swirl the raspberry jam lightly into the dough for a marbled look.
Chill and Cut the Dough: Wrap the log-shaped dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the chilled dough into approximately 1/4 inch thick rounds and place them spaced on the baking sheet.
Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden. Monitor closely for even baking. Remove from the oven and cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Use a high-quality seedless raspberry jam for a smooth swirl and to avoid sogginess in the dough.
Do not overmix the raspberry jam into the dough to maintain the visual swirl effect.
Chilling the dough is crucial for shaping and easier slicing.
Add lemon zest to the dough for a citrus twist, or finely chopped nuts for crunch.
Drizzle with melted white or dark chocolate after baking for extra flair.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or freeze for up to three months.
You can substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking flour blend to make the cookies gluten-free.
Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months before baking.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: raspberry swirl cookies, butter shortbread cookies, raspberry jam cookies, buttery cookies, holiday cookies, tea party cookies