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Oatmeal Shortbread Cookies are irresistibly tender, slightly chewy, vanilla-scented treats dressed up with sprinkles. Everyone loves them!
When both my daughter and son moved out to go to college and training programs, I wanted to keep them connected to home and my kitchen by sending baked goods. But somehow, that was easier said than done, and I found it difficult to get cookies in the mail to them.
So I turned to one of the best Los Angeles bakers I know, Sharon Graves, who has a mail-order company called “Mom in the Mail.” Her website says, “She’s never met a stick of butter she didn’t like.” Amen. She sends a box of cookies to your college student or gift recipient (client, sibling, neighbor, relative!) that will make them never want to buy an Oreo or Chips Ahoy ever again. Her cookies, my children have told me, are some of the best they’ve ever eaten!
Rather than get my nose out of joint, I said YES! and signed up for another year’s subscription for them. I leaned into success.
This recipe for Oatmeal Shortbread Cookies is a slight adaptation of one of her recipes. I made it into a small-batch version so I didn’t have to stare at (and eat!) dozens of cookies. It makes just enough for the 2 of us. But you can easily double it if you want more or are baking for the holidays.
How to make Oatmeal Shortbread Cookies
First, as always, gather your ingredients. For this cookie, you will need:
- Butter (I use unsalted, but you can use salted)
- Granulated sugar
- Instant oats (these are also sometimes called quick-cooking oats or short-cooking oats)
- Vanilla extract (My favorite is Heilala vanilla extract, from New Zealand. Use what you have on hand!)
- All purpose flour (My go-to flour is unbleached King Arthur all purpose. Use what you like.)
- Baking soda
- Salt (I use extra fine sea salt from New Zealand by PRI. Use what you have on hand.)
- Sprinkles! Make sure you are using sprinkles that can be baked in the oven, such as nonpareils, or other sprinkles that won’t melt.
Mix the dough, use your hands to roll it into balls, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Use two or three fingers (like in a girl scout salute) to press the cookies down slightly (you can see the finger indentations on the cookies on the tray.)
Sprinkle liberally with sprinkles! Nobody wants a sparse sprinkle cookie.
After baking, cool the cookies on a cooling rack. Then store them in an airtight container at room temperature, or freeze for longer storage.
Oatmeal Shortbread Cookies are irresistibly tender, slightly chewy, vanilla-scented treats dressed up with sprinkles. Everyone loves them!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (= 1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup instant oats
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Sprinkles for the top
Directions
- Heat oven to 350F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add butter, sugar, vanilla and salt and mix well until completely combined. I used a stand mixer to do this, but you can do it with a wooden spoon if you like.
- In another bowl, stir together oats, flour and baking soda until combined. Add dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture and mix well.
- Using your hands, form the dough into 16 1-inch balls, and place onto prepared baking sheet. Using two or three fingers like a girl scout salute, flatten them to about 1/3 of an inch tall. Dip your fingers into cold water if the cookies are too sticky. Add sprinkles to the top of each cookie.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature, or freeze them for longer storage.
- Makes 16 cookies.
- These adapt well for special diets. For example, swap in gluten-free flour for the all purpose flour, or use coconut oil or vegan butter for the dairy butter.
Notes
Recipe source: Slightly adapted from a recipe by Sharon Graves, who has a mail-order company called "Mom in the Mail."
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Christmas Cookies Week!
Welcome to #ChristmasCookies Week, that time when we soften the butter, fire up the oven, and make cookie trays for family, friends, and neighbors. This year more than 20 top-notch bloggers are sharing their very favorite creations for all to make and enjoy. Join us for a week’s worth of Christmas cookie deliciousness.
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- Caramel Tassies by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Chocolate Caramel Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies by Red Cottage Chronicles
- Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Chocolate Thumbprints by Hostess At Heart
- Christmas Shortbread Cookie Bars by Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
- Date Sugar Walnut Cookies by Magical Ingredients
- Earl Grey Snickerdoodles by The Spiffy Cookie
- Easy Cake Mix Biscotti by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies by Best Cookie Recipes
- Gingerbread Penuche Sandwich Cookies by That Recipe
- Ginger Molasses Cookies with Caramelized Ginger by Family Around the Table
- Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms by Frugal & Fit
- Hot Chocolate Cookies by Blogghetti
- Iced Gingerbread Bars by Art of Natural Living
- Maple Doodles by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Mini M&M Cookies by Palatable Pastime
- Oatmeal Shortbread Cookies by Shockingly Delicious YOU ARE HERE!
- Orange Ginger Refrigerator Cookies by An Affair from the Heart
- Peppermint Meringues by Cheese Curd in Paradise
- Peppermint Mocha Cookies by Sweet Beginnings
- Reese’s Macaron by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Sugar Plum Pinwheel Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, and Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Texas Sheet Cake Cookies by Jen Around the World
Other Shockingly Delicious Christmas cookie recipes you might like
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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
I love everything about these cookies! These llok amazing and love the sprinkles on top.
Thank you so very much for all the wonderful good recipes you share here!
And I especially thank you for this one! My 6 year old grandgirl and I made these yesterday and they were so delicious I had to make more today so I could share them at Thanksgiving.
You are a blessing!
Terri,
Oh my gosh, that’s wonderful to hear! I understand completely…I did the same. I baked a batch, it got eaten all up, and the next day I baked another batch. That’s the way it goes with good cookies, eh?
So fun! Never had an Oatmeal Shortbread cookie.
Sprinkles always make me smile (you’d think I was 6 🙂 )
Looks amazingly delicious! Can’t wait to make a basket of this!
These are my two favorite cookies in one! Love this idea for Christmas with holiday sprinkles!
What a fun and delicious cookie.
These are a fantastic Holiday cookie. They are perfect for a cookie exchange or gift giving.
Julie,
They will be awesome for a cookie exchange!
“She’s never met a stick of butter she didn’t like!” Yup, that’s me! And I’d totally use that butter for these cookies!!!
These cookies are so easy to make and they are so inviting!
Oooh, finally an excuse to justify my extensive sprinkle collection!
Jolene,
EXACTLY! These cookies are a good use for that collection.
This is such a fun cookie and I love the colored sprinkles.
These are such a bright and fun cookie!
These cookies are perfect for the Holidays! So excited to make them!
Shortbread is my favorite. I have never tried using oatmeal with them but I can’t wait to see how they turn out. Yours look amazing.
I can’t wait to make these. I’ve seen a lot of oatmeal cookie variations, but this is a first for me.
Beth,
So simple, so good!
Did you really say “leaned in?” Lol. These cookies sound wonderful. How wonderful to have a fairy godmother.
Karen,
I did say that and I stand by it!