Description

These Raspberry Swirl Shortbread Cookies are buttery, tender, and beautifully marbled with a sweet raspberry jam swirl. Perfect for holiday celebrations or anytime you crave a delightful, melt-in-your-mouth treat with a fruity twist. The rich shortbread base pairs perfectly with the tangy raspberry jam, creating an irresistible combination that’s sure to please.

Ingredients

Base Dough

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Raspberry Swirl Dough

1/3 cup raspberry jam (seedless preferred)
1–2 drops red or pink gel food coloring (optional)

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Instructions

Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and powdered sugar together using a mixer until the mixture becomes light, airy, and smooth.
Add Vanilla: Mix in the vanilla extract thoroughly to infuse the dough with flavor.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt to evenly distribute the salt.
Make Dough: Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, mixing gently until a soft dough forms.
Divide Dough: Split the dough into two equal halves. Set one half aside to be the plain base dough.
Prepare Raspberry Swirl Dough: In a small bowl, mix the raspberry jam with the red or pink gel food coloring if using, then gently knead this mixture into the second half of the dough. Aim to achieve streaks of jam throughout without fully combining for a marbled effect.
Create Swirls: Take small portions from each dough and gently twist or swirl them together, then roll into 1-inch balls.
Shape Cookies: Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and gently flatten each cookie with your hand or the bottom of a glass to about 1/2 inch thickness.
Chill: Refrigerate the shaped cookies for 20–30 minutes to help them keep their shape during baking.
Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the right baking temperature while cookies chill.
Bake: Bake the chilled cookies in the preheated oven for 12–14 minutes until the edges are just lightly golden.
Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Chilling the dough before baking helps the cookies maintain their shape and prevents spreading.
You can substitute raspberry jam with other jams like strawberry or apricot for flavor variations.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week to keep them fresh.