Rhubarb Shortbread Cookies
- May 21, 2020
- by
- Teresa
Shortbread is such a wonderful sweet – it’s soft, simple, and melt-in-your-mouth-delicous. I think it’s always been one of my favorites, perhaps because it seems to merit a dress-up occasion while still being so easy to make. It has just a few simple ingredients, but the results are beautiful.
- salted butter
- sugar
- vanilla
- flour
- egg
- red rhubarb
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar
- flower petals
These shortbread cookies are everything shortbread cookies should be – soft, a little sweet, and slightly crumbly. (Also, I dare you to stop with just one. 
) They’re delicate and pretty, just right for a summer brunch or tea. Bake them the day before, pop them in an airtight container, and ta-da! Easy morning for you.
This icing is my favorite because (A. Look at that color!!! (B. It has no food coloring, and (C. IT’S DELICIOUS. Seriously, eat-with-a-spoon-delicious. #nojudgmenthere
All that pink color is from the red rhubarb, which also makes it not a super sweet icing – just sweet/tart enough to complement those little cookies.
Flower petals have to be one of the most enjoyable food decorations to use – and the easiest! I used English Daisies, and they looked lovely. However, use whatever petals you have and think would look pretty! (Just be sure to verify that they’re edible!)
how to make the shortbread cookies…
In your stand mixer with the beater attachment, or in a bowl with your hand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add the white flour and stir. Add part of the spelt flour, stir, then add the rest of the flour and the egg and finish mixing.
Now we’re ready to roll out the cookies! Place the ball of dough between two sheets of parchment paper, and roll into a neat rectangle. Place the dough (still sandwiched between the parchment paper) in the refrigerator to chill for half an hour. Preheat your oven to 325° Fahrenheit.
For these cookies, don’t grease your baking sheet. Adding butter or oil to the pan will tip the balance of ingredients over the “too much fat” mark, and the cookies will spread – resulting in Very Large Flat Crisps instead of the soft little bites we’re going for.
Place the dough on a cutting board and cut into 1 1/2 inch squares. Transfer the squares to a baking sheet and chill for 15 more minutes.
Annnnd bake! For around 15 minutes. You want them to turn out just lightly golden-brown. When they are finished, let them cool for ten minutes on the baking sheet and then carefully move them to a wire rack to finish cooling. (Tip: Don’t leave the cookies on the baking sheet for more than about ten minutes. Otherwise it will be nearly impossible to get them off while keeping them from crumbling to bits. If this does happen, place the baking sheet on a hot stovetop for half to one minute, and the cookies should come right off.)
how to make the rhubarb cream cheese icing…
After the cookies are out of the oven, turn your oven up to 350°.
Wash and trim the rhubarb stalks, and cut them into one inch pieces. Roast for about 10 minutes, watching closely. You don’t want them to develop large brown spots, as this will discolor the icing. Remove them from the oven when they are soft to the touch. Cool slightly.
In a food processor or blender, cream the butter, cream cheese, and rhubarb. Add the powdered sugar and process until smooth.
other sweet recipes you may love…
how to assemble the rhubarb shortbread cookies…
Frost each cookie with a swirl of beautiful pink icing and top with edible flower petals!
If you make this recipe, I want to know what you think! Leave a comment and give the recipe a rating, or let me know on Pinterest – hearing about your cooking adventures always makes my day.
Rhubarb Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients //
For the Shortbread Cookies
- 14 Tbsp Salted Butter softened
- 1 cup Sugar
- ½ Tbsp Vanilla
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1½ cup Spelt Flour
- 1 Egg
For the Rhubarb Cream Cheese Icing
- 2 stalks Red Rhubarb
- 2 Tbsp Salted Butter softened
- 2 Tbsp Cream Cheese softened
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- Flower Petals optional
Instructions //
For the Shortbread Cookies
- Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla.
- Add the white flour, mix.
- Add one cup of the spelt flour, mix.
- Add the remaining spelt flour and the egg and mix well.
- Roll the dough into a neat rectangle between two sheets of parchment paper until it is ¼ inch thick.
- Place into the refrigerator to chill for half an hour. Preheat your oven to 325° F.
- Cut the dough into 1½ inch squares and arrange them on an un-greased baking sheet. Chill for fifteen minutes.
- Bake for 14-18 minutes.
- Cool on the baking sheet for ten minutes and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.
For the Rhubarb Cream Cheese Icing
- Preheat your oven to 350° F.
- Cut the rhubarb stalks into 1 inch pieces and arrange them on a baking sheet.
- Roast for 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
- Cream the softened butter, cream cheese, and rhubarb in a food processor or blender.
- Add the powdered sugar and process until smooth.
For the Assembly
- Frost each cookie with the lusciously pink icing and top with edible flower petals.
Notes
- To soften the butter, set it on the counter for half an hour. (You don't want to soften it too much, as your cookies will tend to spread and turn into Very Large Flat Crisps instead of the soft little bites we're going for.) If you think the butter is still to hard for your mixer to handle, cut it into small chunks before you cream it with the sugar.
- Be careful while roasting the rhubarb. If you roast it until it has dark brown/black spots, it will turn the finished icing an odd color.
- If you leave your cookies on the pan until they are completely cool, they will have set onto the baking sheet and will be nearly impossible get off while keeping them whole. (Oops.) If this happens, you can set your baking sheet on a hot stovetop for half to one minute, and they should come right off. Voilà!
- I used English Daisy petals - they were the sweetest.
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