Frosted Grapefruit Shortbread
Buttery, tangy, sweet and slightly bitter, these Grapefruit Shortbread cookies are a citrus lover's dream! The tender shortbread is scented with grapefruit zest and topped with a glaze for sweetness and shine.
I love grapefruit and all citrus, especially in the winter when they're at peak season and I'm craving bright fresh flavors. But it's a polarizing fruit.
Grapefruit is strong and bitter and quite acidic, which is exactly why I love it!
In this frosted greapefruit shortbread recipe, the cookies themselves are actually not very sweet at all, like a proper shortbread should be. It's the glaze that adds a sugary punch to balance out all that pungent grapefruity-ness.
This is an easy cookie dough to make and you can bake them a number of different ways.
You can roll them out and cut them as shown in the photos, but you can also bake them in an 8x8 inch pan and score them like traditional shortbread, or roll them into a log for an easy slice and bake cookie.
The dough contains only grapefruit zest and no juice because any liquid would make the cookies tough. I only use a tiny bit of grapefruit juice to flavor the glaze with a touch of tang.
Believe me, more zest is not better here. Stick to what is written in the recipe if you want to avoid cookies that make your mouth numb!
Want more delicious cookie recipes? Try my Italian Pignoli Cookies, these crispy chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, or my fudgy Salted Caramel Chocolate Brownies.
Why This Recipe Works
- A seasonal cookie that highlights bright winter citrus flavor.
- The balance of rich shortbread, mild sweetness, and the bitterness of grapefruit creates a well rounded bite.
- Can be cut into a variety of shapes and sizes.
- Decorate with any festive toppings of your choice!
Ingredient Notes
Grapefruit - Use a fresh, in season ruby red grapefruit for the most balanced flavor. Stick to the amount of zest listed for the best results - too much can be mouth numbing.
Butter - Use unsalted butter, or if using salted butter, omit the added salt.
Vanilla extract - A good quality vanilla rounds out the citrus nicely. For a homemade option, try this simple recipe for Homemade Vanilla Extract.
Powdered sugar - Adds tenderness to the shortbread and helps the glaze set with a smooth finish.
Toppings - Pink toppings make these cookies pretty and showcase the grapefruit flavor, but they're optional. Crushed pink peppercorns give a unique hint of spice. Crushed edible flower petals or pink sprinkles also work nicely.
Salt - I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, which is less salty than other brands. You may need to adjust to taste.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- Food processor
- Microplane or fine zester
- Parchment paper
- Sheet pan
- Pizza cutter
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
How to Make Grapefruit Shortbread Cookies
Make the Cookies
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the butter, grapefruit zest, vanilla extract, powdered sugar and salt.
- Pulse until smooth and fully incorporated. Add the flour and pulse until just combined. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper until it is roughly 14 inches long by 7 inches wide.
- Carefully peel off the top sheet of parchment and transfer the bottom sheet with the dough to a sheet pan.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and immediately cut in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise 6 times to make 12 rectangles. Cut each rectangle on the diagonal to make 24 cookies.
- Allow to cool completely.
Pro Tip: Cutting the cookies while they are still warm gives you clean lines and helps them break apart neatly once the glaze sets.
Make the Icing and Frost
- Make the icing by whisking together grapefruit juice, vanilla, salt and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Spread a thin layer of icing over the cookies, then sprinkle with your chosen pink toppings.
- Allow the icing to set, then gently break the cookies apart where they were cut.
Tips for Success
- Chill the dough fully so the cookies hold their shape.
- Stick to the specified amount of zest to prevent bitterness or a sensation of mouth numbness.
- Roll the dough between parchment to prevent sticking.
- Let the glaze set completely before breaking the cookies apart.
Variations
- Use Meyer lemon zest for a sweeter, floral variation.
- Add a pinch of cardamom for warmth.
- Replace the glaze with melted white chocolate.
- Shape the dough into a log for slice and bake cookies.
- Bake in a square pan and score for traditional shortbread.
- Decorate with sprinkles, dried flower petals, put a drop of pink food coloring into the glaze or use any other pink accent.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these with an assortment of other cookies. They are great alongside my bold Chocolate Espresso Shortbread Cookies.
They also pair nicely with my soft Chai Masala Snickerdoodles or my perfectly spiced Brown Butter Ginger Molasses Cookies.
They also complement a small serving of this classic Italian Affogato.
Storage Tips
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If stacking, place parchment between layers to protect the glaze.
They can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
FAQs
Yes. Lemon, tangerine or blood orange zest all work well. Keep the amount the same and use a bit of the matching juice in the glaze.
Chill it longer. If the dough softens while rolling, refrigerate for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Yes. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Let it soften just slightly so it rolls without cracking.
Shortbread slices more cleanly while warm. Once cooled, it may crumble.
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Grapefruit Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
For the Shortbread
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon finely grated grapefruit zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the Topping
- 1 tablespoon fresh grapefruit juice plus 1 teaspoon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- crushed pink peppercorns and/or pink sprinkles, sanding sugar, dried rose petals and/or dried hibiscus flowers (optional)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the butter, grapefruit zest, vanilla extract, powdered sugar and salt. Pulse until smooth and all ingredients are fully incorporated. Add the flour and pulse until just combined. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper until it's roughly 14" long by 7" wide. Carefully peel the top piece of parchment off and transfer the bottom piece with the dough to a sheet pan.
- Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and immediately cut in half lengthwise (I use a pizza cutter), then cut crosswise 6 times to make 12 even rectangles. Then cut each rectangle into a diagonal to make 24 total cookies. Allow to cool completely.
- Make the icing by whisking together grapefruit juice, vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Spread a thin layer of icing over the cookies, then sprinkle with whatever pink toppings you desire. Allow the icing to set, then carefully break off the cookies where they were cut.
Notes
- Chill the dough fully so the cookies hold their shape.
- Stick to the specified amount of zest to prevent bitterness.
- Roll the dough between parchment to prevent sticking.
- Cutting the cookies while they are still warm gives you clean lines and helps them break apart neatly once the glaze sets.
- Let the glaze set completely before breaking the cookies apart.
Nutrition
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Perfectly sweet and tangy. A grapefruit lovers dream!
Does the Grapefruit zest have to be freshly zested for this recipe, or do we dry the zest out as normal & then add dried zest to the recipe?
I use fresh zest for this recipe but I don't think it would be hurt by using dried. Let me know if you give it a try!
I love the peppery, bitter, sweet thing you have going on here! I'm not a huge peppercorn fan (though I'm starting to enjoy them more), so I never would have though of using pink peppercorns on cookies. I'm intrigued now though. 🙂
I was one of the lucky ones who got to sample these at Christmas and they are really delicious, I will definitely make these soon!