Latest posts by Nicole Phillips (see all)
- Fairy Bread Shortbread Cookies – July 8, 2026
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- Carrot, Butternut Squash & Ginger Soup Recipe – November 13, 2025
These Fairy Bread Shortbread Cookies are a nostalgic twist on one of Australia’s most iconic childhood party treats. Even if you didn’t grow up in Australia, you’ll love these buttery shortbread cookies topped with vanilla icing and rainbow sprinkles.
This is my first recipe of the year. I took a break while I was pregnant, and now I’m 10 weeks postpartum with the sweetest little one. These Fairy Bread Shortbread Cookies were the perfect recipe to get me back into the kitchen. They have all the nostalgia of classic fairy bread with a more decadent twist. Best of all, you can make them in 5 to 10 minute bursts between feeds, nappy changes, and baby cuddles.
Fairy Bread Shortbread Cookies
These Fairy Bread Shortbread Cookies combine buttery shortbread with colorful sprinkles for a nostalgic Australian party treat that's easy to make and impossible to resist.
Equipment
- 1 mixer
- 1 Large bowl
- 2 sandwich bags for piping the icing
- 1 Cookie sheet
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookie
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 10 tbsp butter room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup powered sugar
- 1/4 cup water
Cookie decoration
- 2 cups powered sugar
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tsp light corn syrup
- 5 tbsp sprinkles or 100s and 1000s
Instructions
Make the Shortbread Dough
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract until light, smooth, and creamy.
- Add the water: With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the water until fully incorporated.
- Mix in the dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour and cornstarch, mixing until a soft dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
- Chill the dough: Gently shape the dough into a loaf, similar to a sliceable loaf of bread. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Bake the Cookies
- Preheat the oven: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut into fairy bread shapes: Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and slice it into even rectangular “bread slices.” Cut each rectangle diagonally in half to create the classic fairy bread triangles.
- Bake: Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. If the centers need a little more time, reduce the oven temperature slightly and bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, watching carefully so the edges don’t brown too much.
- Cool completely: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely before decorating with frosting and sprinkles.
Decorate the Fairy Bread Cookies
- Make the outline icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth. The icing should be thick enough to hold its shape. If it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sugar until you reach the right consistency.
- Prepare the piping bag: Transfer about one-third of the icing to a sandwich bag or piping bag and snip a very small hole in one corner.
- Outline the cookies: Pipe a border around the edge of each cooled cookie. Let the outline set for 5 to 10 minutes to create a barrier for the flood icing.
- Thin the remaining icing: Add the remaining tablespoon of milk to the icing left in the bowl and whisk until it reaches a slightly thinner, pourable consistency.
- Flood the cookies: Transfer the thinner icing to another sandwich bag or piping bag, snip a small hole, and fill the center of each outlined cookie with icing. Use a toothpick to gently spread it into the corners if needed.
- Add the sprinkles: Let the icing sit for a minute or two, then generously cover each cookie with rainbow sprinkles so no icing is visible.
- Let the icing set: Allow the cookies to sit until the icing is completely firm before serving or storing. Enjoy!
If this recipe made your day a little more delicious, follow along at Nicole Cathrine for more snack, picnic, and everyday food inspiration you’ll actually crave.
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