These rose shortbread cookie sandwiches with strawberry buttercream filling are sweet, delicate, and so fun to make!
Hey, friends! I’ve got a real treat for you here today. Rose shortbread cookie sandwiches with strawberry buttercream filling. So much to love about these cute little cookie sandwiches, and honestly, I think they’re so much fun to make!
What are shortbread cookies anyways? (Pick me, pick me, I know the answer!) Shortbread cookies are a soft, delicate, and slightly crumbly cookie that have a buttery, melt-in-your mouth texture. They’re made from a simple list of ingredients and are super easy to whip up. The dough is rolled out and cut into shapes before baking, similar to a sugar cookie dough. The secret to perfectly soft, delicate shortbread cookies? Once you’ve added the flour, don’t overwork the dough. I’ll say it again: don’t overwork the dough. The more you work the dough, the more the gluten strands in the flour develop, which ultimately leads to a firmer, tougher cookie.
Now let’s talk about these shortbread cookie sandwiches. Because shortbread is already a delicate cookie, I chose to complement that texture with a similarly delicate flavor profile: rose. If you’ve never baked with rose water before, you really ought to try it! It’s fresh, floral, and a little goes a long way. When combined with the warm notes of vanilla and sugary sweetness of these cookies, the rose water creates a light, fresh, and delicate flavor that is just so good. Pair that with a delicious, ultra-smooth strawberry buttercream, and you’ve got yourself a cookie sandwich made in heaven.
By the way, these would be adorable for a wedding shower, baby shower, or really any spring or summertime event! Better yet, make them just because you want to have a little fun in the kitchen. These rose shortbread cookie sandwiches with strawberry buttercream filling won’t disappoint!
Hope y’all love these! Happy baking!
What you’ll need to make these cookie sandwiches:
Butter: For flavor and moisture.
Powdered sugar: Using powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar gives these shortbread cookies that melt-in-your mouth texture. And of course, makes these perfectly sweet!
Rose water: Just a touch of rose water adds a beautiful fresh and floral essence to these cookies. I especially love how the subtle taste of rose complements the strawberries in the buttercream filling. It’s all very fresh and delicate!
Vanilla extract: Added flavor to complement the rose water.
Kosher salt: To balance out all the sweetness!
Flour: For structure. Sifting the flour gives these shortbread cookies a softer, finer texture.
Cornstarch: Adding a little bit of cornstarch in with the flour makes these cookies extra soft.
Granulated sugar: I like to sprinkle these shortbread cookies with granulated sugar before baking. This adds a little extra texture, sweetness, and makes them even prettier!
Strawberries, butter, cream cheese, lemon zest, kosher salt, powdered sugar, and heavy cream for the strawberry buttercream filling.
FAQs:
Why is this recipe primarily listed in grams? I develop my recipes in grams because weighing your ingredients is the best, most accurate way to bake. Baking is a science and precision is key to success! Measuring cups are not standardized, and what’s more, the way each baker uses them varies drastically, which ultimately gives you inconsistent (and sometimes negative) results. For instance, did you know that scooping flour out of a cannister can give you 50% more flour than what’s called for in the recipe? By weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups, you can confidently know that you are using the correct amount of each ingredient, giving you greater success & delicious results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, like this one when you bake. Plus, it makes clean up a lot easier!
Why do I need to chill the dough? Chilling the dough prior to rolling it out allows the dough to firm up a bit, making it less sticky and easier to work with.
Why are my cookies dry? Your cookies may be dry if you’ve added too much flour. I highly recommend measuring ingredients by weight to ensure that you’re adding the correct amount.
Can I make these ahead of time? Yes, the shortbread cookies can easily be made ahead of time! The strawberry buttercream filling, however, should be made right before assembling into cookie sandwiches. See my notes in the recipe card for instructions.
A few notes before you bake:
My tips and tricks when working with shortbread:
- The key to soft, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies is not overworking the dough once you’ve added the flour. The more you work the dough, the more developed the gluten strands in the flour become, which ultimately leads to a tougher cookie. Be sure to mix on low speed and only just until the ingredients come together.
- I like to use an adjustable rolling pin when rolling out my dough to get a perfectly even thickness. This makes the cookies uniform and ensures that they all bake evenly.
- Use a small offset spatula to transfer the cut-out dough from the floured surface to your baking sheet. This makes it easier and helps keep the cookies’ shape!
- If the dough starts to get too soft/ sticky, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up.
For these cookies, I used a fluted 2” biscuit cutter for the dough and an Ateco #21 star tip for piping the buttercream, but you can use a basic round cutter and plain piping tip!
Print
Rose Shortbread Cookie Sandwiches with Strawberry Buttercream Filling
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 18 cookie sandwiches 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
These rose shortbread cookie sandwiches with strawberry buttercream filling are sweet, delicate, and so fun to make!
Ingredients
For the rose shortbread cookies:
- 226 gm (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened*
- 90 gm (3/4 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon rose water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 235 gm (1 3/4 cups spoon and leveled + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
- 16 gm (2 tablespoons) cornstarch
- Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
For the strawberry buttercream filling:
- 170 gm (1 cup) hulled strawberries, pureed until smooth
- 113 gm (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 56 gm (2 oz) cream cheese, softened
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 420 gm (3 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
To make the rose shortbread cookies:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar on medium speed for 90 seconds, until combined and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the rose water, vanilla extract, and kosher salt, and mix until combined.
- Combine the flour and cornstarch together in a separate bowl, then sift these ingredients together directly into the butter mixture. Turn the mixer on low speed and mix until the ingredients just come together and the dough is no longer crumbly. Be careful not to overmix.
- Shape the cookie dough into a disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap (TIP: if the dough is a little sticky, you can lightly flour your hands to make shaping the dough easier). Place the dough in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the chilled dough on a well-floured surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough and your rolling pin to prevent sticking. Roll the dough out until it’s 1/4″ thick, lightly dusting the dough and rolling pin with more flour as needed.
- Using a 2″ cookie or biscuit cutter, cut the dough into rounds. Place the cutouts on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1″ apart. Re-roll out the scraps of dough and continue this process until you’ve used up all the dough (TIP: if the dough starts to get too soft, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up).
- Sprinkle the cutouts with granulated sugar and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from front to back halfway through. The cookies are done when the tops appear dry and matte. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the strawberry buttercream filling:
- Place the pureed strawberries and 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until reduced and thickened, about 6-8 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl. Set aside to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until combined and creamy, about 1 minute. Add in the lemon zest and kosher salt and mix to combine.
- Add in the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and 45 gm (3 tablespoons) of the cooled strawberry puree. Turn the mixer on low to allow the ingredients to come together, then gradually increase the mixer to medium-high speed, beating until the buttercream is light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat for another 30 seconds until smooth. Use immediately.
Assembly:
- Transfer the strawberry buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a star piping tip (I used an Ateco #21 tip). Pipe a swirl of buttercream onto the underside of one cookie. Place another cookie on top and gently press to adhere, forming a sandwich. Repeat this process until you have used up all the cookies!
Notes
*Softened butter: The right consistency for softened butter is soft, but still firm. When you press your finger into the butter, it should leave an indentation, but shouldn’t be shiny or greasy. If you really want to get technical, use an instant read thermometer: your butter should be between 65-67°F.
Make ahead/ freezing: The shortbread cookies can easily be made in advance, however, the buttercream should be made when you are ready to assemble into cookie sandwiches. Depending on your timeline, you have 2 make ahead options for the shortbread cookies:
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days prior to assembling into sandwiches.
- Place cut out dough in the freezer until frozen solid. Store frozen cutouts in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to bake and assemble into sandwiches. Frozen dough will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Storage: Store leftover cookie sandwiches in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
