Pansy Shortbread Cookies
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These charming Pansy Shortbread Cookies are buttery, crisp, and shaped to look just like real pansy flowers—perfect for springtime celebrations, afternoon tea, or simply adding a little magic to your kitchen. Colored with food-safe dyes and shaped by hand, they’re a sweet blend of whimsy and old-fashioned baking.
This recipe’s shaping technique is inspired by @lauren_dozier!
Pansies have long been a symbol of thoughtfulness and joy, and these cookies capture their charm in edible form. While many floral cookies use real flowers, this version is entirely crafted from scratch—using tinted dough to create petal designs. The shortbread base is rich and buttery with a perfect crisp-tender texture, allowing the beautiful layered shaping technique to take center stage.
This is the kind of cookie that feels right at home on a tiered cake stand at an afternoon tea or tucked into a pastel gift box for a springtime celebration. They’re equal parts vintage elegance and playful creativity.
Why You’ll Love These Pansy Shortbread Cookies:
Foolproof Shortbread Dough: This is my perfect shortbread cookie recipe, which I have used to make various other layered or shaped cookies like my Swedish Checkerboard Cookies. It works perfectly every time and the cookies retain their shape after baking, creating perfectly shaped pansy flowers.
Beautiful and Eye-Catching: Have you seen a cuter cookie? These shortbread cookies look like real flowers!
Classic Buttery Shortbread: Not only is this shortbread recipe easy and fool-proof, but it’s absolutely delicious. The cookie is crisp, buttery, and melts-in-your-mouth.
Perfect for garden parties, gifting, or spring baking!
Ingredients & Substitutions:
Butter. For this recipe, make sure that your butter is slightly colder than “room temperature,” or about 62° F (16° C).
Sugar. You will need granulated sugar.
Egg Yolks. This dough uses only egg yolks. Use large eggs!
Vanilla Extract. For a fun twist, use almond extract instead!
Flour. This recipe uses all-purpose flour.
Salt.
Milk. Any type of milk will work!
Gel Food Coloring. I like this brand of food coloring for its bright and vibrant pigments. They also make natural food coloring!
Egg White. This will be needing to help the cookies stick together.
How to Make Pansy Shaped Shortbread Cookies:
Cream butter and sugar.
Mix in eggs yolks and vanilla.
Fold in flour, salt, and milk.
Divide dough into sections and color with food coloring.
Chill dough for 2 hours.
Shape petals and assemble into flowers.
Chill, then bake at 350°F (177° C) until lightly golden.
Cool and serve.
Step One: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg yolks and vanilla bean paste, beating them into the butter mixture until well combined, about 2 minutes more. Then, add the flour and salt, mixing until a dough begins to form, another 3 to 4 minutes. Finally, cream in the milk and beat on medium speed for a further 3 minutes.
Step Two: Divide the dough into equal portions for the amount of colors that you want. To easily do this, weigh your dough on a kitchen scale and divide that number by the amount of colors. I used eight different colors for my cookies.
Step Three: In a medium bowl, place one piece of the dough. To the portion of dough in the mixer, add a drop of food coloring and knead it in with a silicone spatula or your hands until it no longer has any streaks of color in it, about 2 minutes. Repeat this process with the remaining pieces of dough.
Step Four: Shape the colored doughs into rectangles. Try your best at this, as the dough will be soft. Then, wrap each rectangle loosely in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.
Step Five: After chilling, remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Choose a color to create the outer petal of one of your pansies. Roll it out into a 1/2-inch (1-cm) thick rectangle.
Step Six: Next, taking a second color, shape it into a 1-inch (2.5-cm) diameter log. Trim the log down to the same length as the rectangle of dough. Place the dough log onto the dough rectangle and roll the rectangle around the log. Trim the seam and pinch it closed. If your dough is too dry and not sticking together, you can brush it with the egg white to help the pieces stick together. DO NOT ROLL THE DOUGHS TOGETHER. This will cause the dough to "bleed" into each other and give it a marbled effect.
Step Seven: With a sharp knife, slice the log into 1/2-inch (1-cm) thick pieces. Shape the pieces gently with your fingers into teardrop shapes.
Step Eight: Continue this process with the other pieces of dough, creating more 2-color petals or single color petals.
Step Nine: To make the pansies, paint a bit of egg white onto the sides of each petal with a pastry brush. Stick 6 petals together to make one pansy flower.
Step Ten: Arrange the finished cookies on 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper, about 3-inches (8-cm) apart. Place the baking sheets into the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour before baking.
Tips for Success:
Weigh Your Ingredients — My biggest tip when it comes to baking is to weigh your ingredients! I create my recipes with metric units, so using a kitchen scale will ensure that this lemon cupcake recipes turns out perfectly every time.
Do Not Roll the Colors Together — Rolling the dough colors together will create a marbled effect while baking. Place the colors together and gently press seams closed, rather than rolling them on the counter. Think of it like play dough!
Use Minimal Flour for Shaping — If the dough is sticky when you are rolling it out, use as little flour as possible. Rather than coating the dough with flour, sprinkle a tiny bit on the counter and on the outside of your rolling pin. The more flour that is added to the dough, the more it will alter the overall texture of the final cookies.
Chill Your Dough — If for any reason you feel that your dough is becoming too soft or warm, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it back into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Then continue the shaping process. This dough will only retain its shape while baking if it has been fully chilled!
Variations:
Add lemon zest for a floral citrusy twist
Use almond or lavender extract for a gentle floral flavor
Try a marbled look by blending two colors in each petal
Dust with edible glitter or luster powder for a magical fairy garden effect
Make mini versions to use as cupcake toppers or tea party nibbles
Storage Instructions:
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5–7 days
Freeze unbaked shaped cookies for up to 1 month; bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time
Do not refrigerate once baked, or they may lose their crisp texture
Serving Suggestions:
Serve these charming cookies as part of an afternoon tea tray, nestled among lace linens and vintage china. They’re lovely with a cup of Dandelion Flower Fairy Tea or lavender lemonade. You might also include a Grapefruit Ginger Fizz Mocktail or Dill Egg Salad Canapés for a more complete garden party spread.
Tools You’ll Need:
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do these cookies contain real flowers?
No—these are entirely made of colored dough and shaped by hand. No edible flowers are used in the recipe.
Can I use natural food coloring?
Yes! Powdered freeze-dried fruit or vegetable powders work well, but colors may be softer or more muted. You can also try using this natural gel food coloring.
Do I need a special cookie cutter?
No cutters are needed. The petals are formed and shaped by hand—just like modeling clay or playdough.
Are these good for gifting?
Absolutely! They hold their shape beautifully and look stunning in a clear cellophane bag or gift box.
Final Thoughts:
Don’t these Pansy Shortbread Cookies bring a touch of color and joy to the spring table? With their charming beauty and crisp buttery texture, they’re sure to be a hit at any springtime gathering—or anytime you want to create something both whimsical and delicious. These easy shortbread cookies are a fun way to celebrate the season with a touch of flower magic!
xoxo Kayla
Watch on YouTube:
Pansy Shaped Shortbread Cookies
Delicate, buttery, and beautifully decorated, these Pansy-Shaped Shortbread Cookies are a floral fantasy come to life—no edible flowers required. Inspired by the cheerful garden blooms, these cookies are shaped to resemble pansies, with vibrant colors and intricate petal details made from colored dough. Shaping Method Inspired by @lauren_dozier
Ingredients
- 1 cup (232 g) salted butter, softened
- 3/4 cups (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups (344 g) all-purpose flour
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) milk, any kind
- Gel Food Coloring
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
Instructions
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg yolks and vanilla bean paste, beating them into the butter mixture until well combined, about 2 minutes more. Then, add the flour and salt, mixing until a dough begins to form, another 3 to 4 minutes. Finally, cream in the milk and beat on medium speed for a further 3 minutes.
- Divide the dough into equal portions for the amount of colors that you want. To easily do this, weigh your dough on a kitchen scale and divide that number by the amount of colors. I used eight different colors for my cookies.
- In a medium bowl, place one piece of the dough. To the portion of dough in the mixer, add a drop of food coloring and knead it in with a silicone spatula or your hands until it no longer has any streaks of color in it, about 2 minutes. Repeat this process with the remaining pieces of dough.
- Shape the colored doughs into rectangles. Try your best at this, as the dough will be soft. Then, wrap each rectangle loosely in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.
- After chilling, remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Choose a color to create the outer petal of one of your pansies. Roll it out into a 1/2-inch (1-cm) thick rectangle.
- Next, taking a second color, shape it into a 1-inch (2.5-cm) diameter log. Trim the log down to the same length as the rectangle of dough. Place the dough log onto the dough rectangle and roll the rectangle around the log. Trim the seam and pinch it closed. If your dough is too dry and not sticking together, you can brush it with the egg white to help the pieces stick together. DO NOT ROLL THE DOUGHS TOGETHER. This will cause the dough to "bleed" into each other and give it a marbled effect.
- With a sharp knife, slice the log into 1/2-inch (1-cm) thick pieces. Shape the pieces gently with your fingers into teardrop shapes.
- Continue this process with the other pieces of dough, creating more 2-color petals or single color petals.
- To make the pansies, paint a bit of egg white onto the sides of each petal with a pastry brush. Stick 6 petals together to make one pansy flower.
- Arrange the finished cookies on 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper, about 3-inches (8-cm) apart. Place the baking sheets into the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour before baking.
- TIPS: If the dough is sticky, use a little bit of flour on the rolling pin and countertop to roll it out. Chill your dough at any stage in this process if it is getting too soft!
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (177° C). When the oven is hot, remove the cookies from the refrigerator.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until they are set and the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove the trays from the oven and leave the cookies to rest on the trays for 5 more minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
- The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for about 4 to 5 days. They can also be frozen after baking and enjoyed later!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
152Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
