5 Ingredient Funfetti Shortbread Bites

Published August 16, 2016. Updated December 2, 2018

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Crisp and buttery, rainbow speckled mini shortbread squares. These are fun to make and everyone always loves them! They keep really well, I like to freeze them and put some in my kids school lunch.

Funfetti Shortbread Bites | Cooking Classy

The Funnest Shortbread Cookies!

I love these because they’re totally snack-able and indeed totally pop-able, they are perfectly portable, they are easy to make and only require FIVE ingredients.

They have a longer shelf life than most baked goods and they don’t require refrigeration, they are perfect for holidays (with their customizable sprinkles, you can even find single colors online and mix and match to get the color combo you want).
Funfetti Shortbread Bites | Cooking Classy

They are the tiniest, cutest little cookies you’ll ever make, and of course they are 100% irresistibly delicious (think perfectly buttery, birthday-cake-like flavor, and crisp melt-in-your-mouth texture) !

So with all that said are you starting to see that you really need to make these Funfetti Shortbread Bites?? Do it. Everyone including yourself with thank you.

Funfetti Shortbread Bites | Cooking Classy

How to Make Shortbread Bites

  • Butter and line a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
  • Cream butte and sugar in an electric stand mixer until combined. Mix in almond extract.
  • Blend in flour then 2 1/2 Tbsp sprinkles.
  • Press dough into an even layer in prepared baking dish.

Funfetti Shortbread Bites | Cooking Classy

  • Sprinkle remaining 1 Tbsp sprinkles over top and lightly press into dough. Chill dough in refrigerator 30 minutes. Preheat oven.
  • Lift dough from pan using parchment overhang on all sides. Cut into 1/2-inch squares.
  • Transfer about 1/3 of the cookies to an unbuttered baking sheet*** and scatter cookies out spacing cookies 1/2-inch apart.

Funfetti Shortbread Bites | Cooking Classy

  • Bake in preheated oven 8 – 12 minutes.
  • Repeat process with remaining bites, adding them to a cool baking sheet. Cool completely then transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature.

Funfetti Shortbread Bites | Cooking Classy

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Funfetti Shortbread Bites | Cooking Classy

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4.50 from 22 votes

5 Ingredient Funfetti Shortbread Bites

Crisp and buttery, rainbow speckled mini shortbread squares. These are fun to make and everyone always loves them! They keep really well, I like to freeze them and put some in my kids school lunch. Yield: About 336 itty bitty bites.
Servings: 18
Prep20 minutes
Cook1 hour
Chill30 minutes
Ready in: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish** and line with 2 sheets of parchment paper (one horizontally and one vertically. I also like to butter between parchment sheets so they stick) leaving a 1-inch over hang on all sides, set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer cream together butter and sugar until well combined (not light and fluffy, just well blended). Mix in almond extract. 
  • With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour and mix until combined (it will take a while and will appear dry and sandy at first but it will start to come together). Mix in 2 1/2 Tbsp of the sprinkles.
  •  Press dough into an even layer in prepared baking dish (I did it with my hands first then used the bottom of a flat measuring cup to help smooth it out). 
  • Sprinkle remaining 1 Tbsp sprinkles over top and lightly press into dough. Chill dough in refrigerator 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Lift dough from pan using parchment overhang on all sides. Cut into 1/2-inch squares using a large sharp knife***. 
  • Transfer about 1/3 of the cookies to an unbuttered baking sheet**** and scatter cookies out spacing cookies 1/2-inch apart.
  • Bake in preheated oven 8 - 12 minutes (keep remaining that aren't currently baking refrigerated). 
  • Repeat process with remaining bites, adding them to a cool baking sheet. Cool completely then transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature.

Notes

  • *Unsalted butter will work great too. Simply whisk in 1/2 tsp salt with the flour before adding if using unsalted butter.
  • **For slightly thicker bites a 9 by 9-inch pan can be used you just won't get quite as many cookies.
  • ***It works best to just cut long rows. Run large knife underneath cookies to help remove them from parchment as needed.
  • ****Don't line pan with parchment or silicone liners. The ungreased sheets give the cookies some traction so they'll spread less.
  • Recipe source: inspired by Land O Lakes
Nutrition Facts
5 Ingredient Funfetti Shortbread Bites
Amount Per Serving
Calories 198 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 26mg9%
Sodium 90mg4%
Potassium 21mg1%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 315IU6%
Calcium 6mg1%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

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117 Comments

  • Tina

    Made these for the kids at Daycare they loved them. Perfect for little fingers.

  • Rai

    A waste of time and ingredients. It all crumbles apart before you can even cut it.

    • Terri

      I had that happen to, but if you gather all the crumbles together you can actually form a solid then cut some squares. It actually tastes really good.

  • Mr. Pickles

    These are a big hit! Hint: an easy way to get them flat is to place a piece of parchment over the spread dough and smooth it with your hands over the parchment. Easy peasy!

  • Allison

    Any tips on preventing them from “spreading out”? I’ve made these several times and they are delicious! Would love perfect little squares though. :) thanks!

  • Terri Mc

    Is it possible to freeze the dough? I have seen that some have successfully frozen the cooked cookies but can the dough freeze and if so how long would that keep. I think these cookies are adorable!

  • Susan

    I’ve made your recipe twice and they turn out just like your pictures. My grandkids love the tea party we have with these sweet treats.

  • Jodi

    You have now published this recipe twice and despite many comments you fail to publish a recipe that allows you to fully achieve the results that you post. At first glance I really liked your blog – however, having now attempted your Funfetti shortbread that I had to modify I am now not such a big fan of yours or your site. You need to Knead as specified in the original recipe that you claim you modified when really all you did was double the recipe. There are so MANY food blogs out there – why not take the extra step and provide people like me (who are new to baking) with the steps in the process that give you the best chance of success? You also need to make these in an 8×8 pan to achieve the depth … It’s okay to republish a recipe so that it achieve the reach it should … lets just be responsible about it – as baking is personal and we all want to see our baking look like the pictures – or better.

    • Pam

      I’m not a big baker myself BUT I followed this recipe, used a 13X9 pan to mold/chill, as indicated in the recipe, cut them into 1/2 inch squares after chilling, as indicated in the recipe and they came out perfectly. I carried them to a neighborhood get together this week and got rave reviews. My mother wanted to know why I never made these to bring to her house. I did use a Kitchenaid stand mixer because it has a strong motor and I didn’t have to worry about having to “knead” the dough. My first attempt yielded little cubes of fun, crunchy, deliciousness, that very much look like the pictures!!! I had zero problem with this recipe and would not dare lash out at the person sharing it for others to try.

      • Terri

        How long did you bake yours… I think I over baked! They tasted yummy, but they were a little hard

    • Holly

      Since it’s her blog and she “owns” it, she can do whatever she wants and you have the option to just not follow her blog if you don’t care for it. I think lashing out at someone because you had a recipe not turn out is rude. I’ve been following her blog for several years and sometimes I have a recipe not turn out as well but that doesn’t mean it’s her fault. Baking is a science and many, many things could go wrong. My father went to the American Institute of Baking and graduated at #1 in his class and owns his own small, very successful business and he even has batches not turn out sometimes. When he switched to a new oven it took him about a year and a half to figure out how to bake a product and have the filling not ooze out that he’d been baking for decades. It’s all trial and error.

    • Elizabeth

      I agree, mine just crumbled and what did stick together I just put on the pan and baked, good taste, but also dry. ????

  • Tracy

    I attempted this recipe today but when I went to lift the parchment paper the cookie mix just crumbled can I add more butter to help stick together better ?