Winter Spiced Shortbread Recipe

Paired with an evening walk, candle light, and a warm fire

The Winter Solstice always invites me to slow down and honor the quietest turning point of the year. It’s the longest night, a pause, before the light begins to return. This year, I marked the solstice not with anything elaborate, but with warmth, intention, and simple rituals that felt deeply grounding.

In fact, I have never really celebrated the Winter Solstice prior to moving out into the woods. Here, there are no city lights, so dark is really dark. When the sun goes down, the creatures stir, the starts appear, and there is a deeper connection with the changing equinox. So this year, I really felt the darkest night of the year and there was a bit of excitement knowing each day going forward would bring a little bit more light.

To celebrate the Winter Solstice, I used the Winter Spiced Shortbread Recipe below, shaped like the sun, its wedges radiating outward as a reminder that even now, the light is coming back.

Later that evening, I bundled up and took a quiet walk in the dark, lantern in hand, letting the night feel spacious rather than something to rush through. I can't even make this up, but on the walk I saw a shooting star. Talk about a magical evening.

Back at home, a fire crackled, candles glowed throughout the house, and I settled in with a cup of tea and a slice of the buttery, citrusy, gently spiced, shortbread that was dusted with vanilla sugar.

This is one of those recipes that feels less like baking and more like a ritual. When zesting the orange, I recommend pausing and inhaling the sweet citrus while setting an intention for hte new year.

Winter Solstice Spiced Shortbread Recipe

This shortbread is baked in a circular pan to represent the sun, flavored with orange zest and warming spices, and finished with a sprinkle of vanilla sugar for a soft sparkle. This is perfect for Winter Solstice or any slow winter afternoon.

Makes: one 8–9 inch round

Oven: 325°F

Winter Spiced Shortbread

Ingredients

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• Zest of 1 orange

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon total spice blend:

  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

  • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

  • ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger

• 1–2 tablespoons vanilla sugar, for topping

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter an 8–9 inch pie pan or round baking tin.

2. In a bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until smooth and cohesive.

3. Stir in the orange zest and spice blend.

4. Add the flour and mix just until the dough comes together. It should feel soft and pressable, not wet or crumbly.

5. Press the dough evenly into the pan and smooth the surface.

6. Lightly score the dough into wedges, like rays of the sun, and prick the surface with a fork to prevent bubbling.

7. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until just lightly golden. Shortbread should stay pale rather than browned.

8. Remove from the oven, gently re-score the lines, sprinkle with vanilla sugar, and allow to cool completely in the pan.

   
   

Serving & Solstice Notes

Winter Solstice Spiced Shortbread paired with Harney and Son's Christmas Heritage Tea.

This shortbread is perfect with a mug of herbal or black tea, enjoyed by candlelight or near a fire. I highly recommend Harney and Son's Williamsburg Holiday Heritage Tea. It has notes of citrus and cinnamon, making it a perfect pairing.

This shortbread also makes a thoughtful solstice gift, wrapped simply and shared as a reminder of warmth and returning light.

After baking, I spent the evening walking slowly into the dark with a lantern, letting the night feel intentional rather than heavy. Back inside, candles glowed in every room, the fire crackled, and the house felt held. These small rituals, baking, walking, lighting, resting, are how I welcome winter and honor its quiet wisdom.

The light will return. Until then, we gather warmth where we can.