Keep filling thin and seal the bare edge so the spiral does not unwind.
A yolk-bound rolled shortbread wraps a thin cinnamon-butter layer into tidy Christmas spirals.
The recipe card lists measured ingredients, numbered steps, storage guidance, and a nutrition estimate when available. Total time includes the listed preparation, rest, baking, and cooling periods for this recipe.
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Cinnamon-Swirl Christmas Shortbread Recipe
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Total time includes hands-on preparation, required chilling or resting, whole-batch cooking, cooling and finishing.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- mixing bowl
- mixer
- kitchen scale
- two 13 x 18-inch half sheets
- parchment
- sharp knife
- ruler
- plastic wrap
- rolling pin
- offset spatula
- ruler
- wide spatula
- cooling rack
Ingredients
US measures are approximate. Gram weights help keep portions consistent; spice weights vary with density.
Instructions
Mix the dough
- Mix the dough: Beat 113 g butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Add yolk, then flour and salt. Separately stir filling butter, brown sugar and cinnamon into a thin spread.
Shape and manage temperature
- Shape and manage temperature: Roll dough between parchment into an 8 x 10-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Spread filling thinly, leaving a 1/2-inch bare margin on one 10-inch edge. Roll toward that margin from the opposite 10-inch edge to form a 10-inch log. Chill 90 minutes, then cut exactly 24 equal slices, about 7/16 inch thick.
Bake the whole batch
- Bake the whole batch: Heat oven to 325°F (165°C) conventional or 300°F (150°C) fan. Arrange cookies on two parchment-lined 13 x 18-inch half sheets, 12 cookies per tray, with at least 1 inch between edges. Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack, keeping the waiting tray refrigerated for 18–22 minutes, rotating front to back once, until the edges and bases are lightly golden and the centers look dry. Whole-batch cookie baking is 2 trays x up to 22 minutes = 44 minutes.
Cool and finish
- Cool and finish: Rest 10 minutes on each tray, then cool 20 minutes on a rack before serving or packing. Cooling includes the tray rest.
Timing and scaling
- Timing and scaling: Active preparation is 35 minutes; required chill/rest is 90 minutes; whole-batch oven baking is 44 minutes; cooling/setting is 30 minutes. Cooling allowance runs from the final tray; earlier trays may cool during later baking and that overlap is not counted again. Start with butter at the stated consistency; ingredient warm-up and frozen-dough thawing are extra. Oven preheating can overlap shaping or chilling. Scale every ingredient weight but keep piece dimensions, oven temperature and per-tray bake range unchanged; extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
A yolk supplies enough binding moisture for rolling the dough without shattering.
Technique & texture
Keep filling thin and seal the bare edge so the spiral does not unwind.
Finishing & serving
Use a ruler to mark 24 equal slices before cutting rather than estimating different widths.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 5 days | Up to 5 days. Store completely cooled cookies airtight in a cool, dry room, with parchment between layers. Keep away from moist filled cookies. |
| Refrigeration | up to 7 days | Unnecessary; up to 7 days if needed. Baked refrigeration is unnecessary for these unfilled cookies and may soften the crumb. If the room is warm, seal airtight and bring to room temperature while still covered. |
| Raw freezing | 1 month | Up to 1 month. Freeze tightly wrapped logs airtight. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator until a knife can cut without cracking; slice cold and bake using the stated per-tray range. Allow additional thawing time beyond the fresh-batch timings. |
| Baked freezing | 2 months | Up to 2 months. Freeze fully cooled cookies airtight with parchment between layers. Thaw in their sealed container at room temperature for about 1–2 hours. |
| Restoring | As described | Serve after thawing; optional 3–5-minute refresh. For plain unfilled cookies only, refresh at 300°F (150°C) conventional or 275°F (135°C) fan for 3–5 minutes, then cool 20 minutes before sealing. This is extra time beyond the fresh recipe. |
Notes
- Scale ingredients, including US measures, without changing cookie size or oven temperature. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Nutrition
Approximate values per portion from the listed ingredient weights divided into 24 equal portions. Includes required fillings and finishes. Brands, unused coatings and actual portion size affect the estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this shortbread contain a yolk?
The 18 g yolk binds the dough so it can bend around the cinnamon filling.
Which side starts the roll?
Start at the 10-inch edge opposite the bare margin; the finished log is 10 inches long.
Can I add a thick cinnamon-sugar layer?
No; excess filling creates gaps and leaks. Use the specified 14 g butter, 25 g sugar and 3 g cinnamon.
Browse more cookie ideas in the Christmas Shortbread Cookies collection.
