Last Christmas, I found myself craving those perfectly buttery Keebler almond shortbread cookies but couldn’t find them at any store. That’s when I decided to crack the code and create my own version at home. After several attempts, I discovered the secret wasn’t just in the butter or almonds, but in a special ingredient called Butter Buds that intensifies the buttery flavor without making the cookies greasy. The result is a shortbread cookie that’s softer and more flavorful than traditional versions, with that signature Keebler taste that makes them irresistibly good.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
This isn’t your grandmother’s traditional shortbread recipe. While classic shortbread uses only four ingredients (flour, butter, sugar, and salt), this elevated version includes an egg, baking soda, and cream of tartar. These additions create a softer, thicker texture that’s more tender than traditional crumbly shortbread. The secret weapon is Butter Buds, a natural butter flavoring that intensifies the buttery taste without adding excess fat, creating that signature rich flavor that makes these cookies so addictive.
Ingredients
- Butter – Provides the rich, creamy base and tender texture essential for quality shortbread
- Sugar – Adds sweetness and helps create the tender crumb structure
- Powdered sugar – Creates an extra smooth texture and contributes to the melt-in-your-mouth quality
- Egg – Binds ingredients together and creates a softer texture than traditional shortbread
- Butter Buds (powdered butter flavoring) – Intensifies buttery flavor without adding grease or excess fat
- Vanilla extract – Enhances overall flavor and adds aromatic depth
- Almond extract – Provides the signature almond flavor that defines these cookies
- Cream of tartar – Acts as an acidic agent that tenderizes the dough and improves texture
- Baking soda – Creates a slight lift for softer, less dense cookies
- Salt – Enhances all flavors and balances the sweetness
- All-purpose flour – Forms the structure and provides the proper cookie texture
- Finely chopped almonds – Adds crunchy texture and reinforces the almond flavor profile
Instructions
- Combine flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda in a medium-sized bowl.
- Beat butter and both sugars together until fluffy.
- Add a beaten egg, vanilla, almond extract, butter buds, and salt. Beat until well blended.
- Add flour mixture, a third at a time, and beat until smooth.
- Stir in almonds with a spoon.
- Chill dough for 45 minutes.
- Roll cookie dough into 1 or 1¼-inch balls and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Flatten dough balls until they are about ¼-inch thick.
- Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Remove cookies from the cookie sheet and place them on a paper towel to cool.
CopyKat Tip – be sure to allow your cookie sheets to cook off completely before placing the dough on the baking sheet. This way the cookies won’t spread out too much while baking.
Tips For Making and Storing Almond Shortbread Cookies
- Keep everything cold. For the best results, ensure that your ingredients and all the items used to make the cookies are as cold as possible. You may even want to try freezing your butter and use a grater to add it to the cookie dough.
- Everyone loves chocolate. Chocolate goes amazingly well with almonds and vanilla, and you can completely transform the taste of these cookies by adding dark chocolate chips to the dough.
- Get in shape. Make your shortbread beautiful by using a cookie cutter or cookie press to bake a variety of shapes, such as crescents and rings.
- Store your cookies in an airtight container on the counter. Shortbread cookies last for up to a month, and some people even think they’re better a week after baking!
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Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Room Temperature Storage: Store in airtight containers for up to 1 month. Cookies often taste better after a week of storage.
- Freezing Dough: Freeze shaped cookie balls for up to 3 months, bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes
- Freezing Baked Cookies: Freeze baked cookies for up to 6 months in airtight containers
- Reheating: Not necessary, best enjoyed at room temperature
Love homemade cookies and bars? Try these recipes!
- Keebler Sandies
- Chinese Almond Cookie Recipe
- Mrs Fields’ Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Jumbles
- Crunchies Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe
- Black and White Cookies
- Hello Dolly Cookie Bars
- White Chocolate Covered Oreos
- Homemade Twix
- Walkers Shortbread
Favorite Almond Recipes
Be sure to check out more of my copycat cookie recipes and the best Christmas recipes to make for your family and friends.
Keebler Almond Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 ounces butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon Butter Buds (powdered butter flavoring)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon almond Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup almonds finely chopped
Instructions
- Measure flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda and set aside.
- Beat butter and both sugars together until fluffy. Add beaten egg, vanilla, almond extract, butter buds, and salt. Beat all ingredients until well blended.
- Add flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda mixture about a third at a time and beat until smooth. Dough will come away from the mixing bowl and will look a little dry. When cookie dough is blended, stir in almonds with a spoon.
- Chill dough for 30 – 45 minutes. Chilling the dough will keep the cookies from spreading in the pan when baked. Roll cookie dough into 1 – 1 1/4 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten balls until they are about 1/4 inch thick.
- Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 12 -15 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Remove cookies from cookie sheet and place on a baking rack to cool
where do you buy butter buds:]
You can buy them in the spice section of your grocery store.
These are wonderful!