5 Ingredient Funfetti Shortbread Bites

Published August 16, 2016. Updated June 18, 2024

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5 Ingredient Shortbread Bites are the easiest festive snack! 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 kid’s school lunch.

Funfetti Shortbread Bites | Cooking ClassyThe Cutest 5 Ingredient Shortbread Bites!

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 will thank you.

Funfetti Shortbread Bites | Cooking Classy

How to Make 5 Ingredient Shortbread Bites

  • Butter and line a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
  • Cream butter 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 the prepared baking dish.

Funfetti Shortbread Bites | Cooking Classy

  • Sprinkle remaining 1 Tbsp sprinkles over top and lightly press into dough. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat oven.
  • Lift dough from the pan using a 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 for 8 – 12 minutes.
  • Repeat the process with the 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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4.47 from 26 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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125 Comments

  • Terri

    Mine crumbled! Did not hold its shape when cutting in cubes. Don’t know why???

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Either a little too much flour or dough just needed to be mixed more. You can add a little softened butter to help bring together.

  • Jillian

    These came out perfectly (and way to delicious)!

    I used a suggestion from the comments to shape the dough into a 9×13 rectangle on the counter and cut them with a pizza wheel, which worked like a charm.

    Make sure you don’t pack your flour when measuring it. It’s a dry dough that can’t handle any extra.

    When they’re baking, watch for any browning around the bottoms. If you see that, it’s time to take them out!

  • Jess

    I’m confused as to what temp to be baking at? I can’t find any listed or in the comments?

  • Arlene Plake

    I love shortbread cookies. When I saw these, I had to make them. This recipe is so easy to make. Everyone loved them. The thing is, they are so small eating to many is hard.

  • Adrianna

    Hi! Do you think cutting them into slightly bigger cookies (like inch-wide circles, for example) would still work? :)

  • Chocolate Bear

    Love them, I didn’t think of grid cutting a sheet of cookie dough for little bites!

    I have made them again and again this way.

  • Lauren

    I have made this recipe twice now and my family really loves them. The first time I had a little bit of trouble getting them flattened in the 9 x 13 pan evenly. The second time I just rolled them on a sheet of parchment paper in the shape approximately the same size. I found it a lot easier and it saved an extra dirty dish. I used a pizza cutter to cut them into squares. They are very tasty and very easy. Thank you!!