455 shortbread recipes

Mandel-Halbmonde are German almond crescents: buttery shortbread cookies shaped like half-moons, baked pale, then rolled twice in powdered sugar. The kind of melt-in-your-mouth Christmas cookie every German bakery puts on the holiday plate.

Obsttorte, the German fruit torte built on a buttery pressed shortbread crust, filled with whole fruit set in a glossy fruit glaze, edged in almond meringue, and crowned with vanilla whipped cream. Works with any fruit you love.

Linzer Augen are Austria's almond shortbread sandwich cookies: two tender, nutty rounds glued with apricot jam, the top cut with a little window that frames the glistening preserves under a snowfall of powdered sugar. A Christmas cookie tin classic.

Koala Kookies are buttery walnut shortbread balls dusted in powdered sugar. Five ingredients, no eggs, and a melt-in-your-mouth texture that puts these in the same family as Mexican wedding cookies, Russian tea cakes, and Greek kourabiedes.

Gooey butter cake layers a tender shortbread crust beneath a buttery, corn-syrup-rich filling that bakes into the iconic St. Louis dessert with crisp edges and a soft, almost custardy center. Dust with powdered sugar and slice into squares.

Kiss cookies tuck a whole chocolate kiss inside a buttery walnut shortbread, baked until just set and rolled in powdered sugar. Crack one open and the melty chocolate middle is the payoff. An easy holiday cookie that keeps for days.

This buttery, tender gluten free pie or tart crust is akin to shortbread. It can be used for all kinds of pies or for savory tarts and quiche fillings. A tart pan with a removable bottom makes shaping the pie crust and cutting pies much easier.