These cut-out shortbread cookies are soft, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth crumbly. This simple, classic recipe requires just five ingredients, and the optional homemade royal icing adds a pop of color and extra sweetness. They hold their shape perfectly with no spreading, making them ideal for cutting into any shape to create festive treats for any holiday. These cookies are a must-have for any holiday cookie box or cookie exchange!
INGREDIENTS
For the shortbread cookies:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
For the royal icing:
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder
¼ cup room temperature water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Gel food coloring
Sprinkles (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the Shortbread Cookies:
Cream butter and sugar together using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer) on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Gradually add the flour and mix on low speed until combined. Turn the mixer to high speed and beat for 1-2 minutes until the dough resembles breadcrumbs and is no longer dry (you should be able to shape the dough into a ball with your hands).
Shape the dough into a disc using your hands, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to ¼-inch thickness using a rolling pin. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
Place the cookies on a large baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper, spacing them 1 inch apart. Re-roll any scraps and repeat.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Chill the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes while the oven preheats.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges start to turn golden brown. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare the Royal Icing:
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder. Add water and vanilla extract and beat with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add water a teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add more sugar.
Add gel food coloring to the icing. If using liquid food coloring, note it may slightly affect the consistency, so you may need to add more sugar to adjust.
Decorate the Cookies:
Transfer the icing into a piping bag fitted with a No. 3 round piping tip (up to a No. 5 tip). Outline the base color of each cookie, leaving about ⅛ inch from the edge, and fill in the inside. Let the base icing dry for 20-30 minutes so it doesn’t smudge when you add further details.
Use the same piping tip (or a finer No. 1 round tip) to add details like lines and dots.
NOTES
When to ice the cookies: Make sure the cookies are completely cooled before icing. If they’re still warm, the icing can melt and become a sticky mess.
Softened butter: Ensure the butter is softened at room temperature for the best texture. Avoid using microwaved or melted butter.
Storage: Store shortbread cookies in a cookie tin at room temperature for up to a week. In the refrigerator, they can last up to 10 days, and they can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Freezing cookies: Place cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers and freeze for up to 3 months.
Storing dough: Once shaped into a disc and wrapped in plastic, the dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let it soften on the counter for 20-30 minutes before rolling out.
Freezing dough: Wrap the dough in plastic and place it in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before rolling.
225 HABITS TO TRACK + FREE PRINTABLE HABIT TRACKER
Looking to add positive habits to your daily routine and make meaningful changes in your life? You’re in the right place! Today, we’re sharing a list of 225 habits you can track, plus offering a free printable habit tracker to help you kickstart your journey.
WHY USE A HABIT TRACKER?
Tracking your habits offers powerful benefits that can keep you motivated, help you see your progress, and inspire you to build new routines.
BOOSTS MOTIVATION
Keeping a daily or weekly record of your habits can give you the motivation to stay on track. The “don’t break the chain” method popularized by Seinfeld is a great example of this—watching your progress build up day by day can drive you to keep going.
It also makes it easier to track tasks that you may not love but still need to do.
VISUALIZES YOUR JOURNEY
Tracking habits lets you see your growth over time, from where you started to where you are now. If you don’t hit 10,000 steps every day at first, that’s okay! Start with a goal that feels doable, like 6,000 steps, or aim to reach 10,000 steps just a few days a week. The focus is on consistency, not perfection.
HELPS YOU BUILD A ROUTINE
Filling in your habit tracker each day is a great way to establish a new routine. It serves as a daily reminder to stick with the habits you’re trying to adopt and gives you a visual cue to stay on track.
BREAKS DOWN BIG GOALS
Achieving big goals can feel daunting, but a habit tracker helps you break them down into manageable steps. By focusing on one habit at a time, you’re steadily moving toward your larger goal, one small action at a time.
225 HEALTHY HABITS TO TRACK
MENTAL HEALTH HABITS TO TRACK
Practice positive affirmations
Get fresh air outside
Track your mood
Spend time on a hobby
Write in a gratitude journal
Talk to a friend
Release feelings – journaling or talking to someone
Therapy
CBT exercises from a book like Mind Over Mood
Do something you love
Practice self-care
Practice saying no
Get physical activity
Have a shower
Get dressed
Eat healthy meals
No social media days
Self-Love journaling
Listen to happy music
Work on a personal goal
Find ways to laugh – funny videos, stand-up comedy on Netflix, etc
Follow a healthy morning or bedtime routine
Give yourself downtime to rest and rejuvenate
Practice mindfulness
Be kind to yourself – focus on positive inner dialogue
PHYSICAL HEALTH HABITS
Track your water intake
Use a food journal
Walk daily – set a step or time-based goal
Meal prep
Cooked at home
Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning
Stretch (morning or evening)
Get 7-9 hours sleep
Eat a healthy breakfast
Take medication
Take vitamins
Exercised for at least 30 minutes
Eat 5 servings of vegetables
Eat 4 servings of fruit
No alcohol
Drink water and lemon first thing in the morning
Have one fully plant-based meal a day
No added sugar
No caffeine
Take the stairs, park further from your destination or get off the bus one stop early
Walk your dog
Go for a run
Track symptoms – headaches, joint pain, etc
Floss daily
No sweets
Bring lunch to work
Lift weights
Use sunscreen
SPIRITUAL GROWTH HABITS
Yoga
Meditation
Daily prayer
Write in a prayer journal
Study religious texts
Attend a religious service (church, temple, mosque, etc)
Daily acts of kindness
Be humble
Serve and show your love to others
Show your gratitude to others
Look for the kindness in others
Practice patience
Share your faith
Act with Filotimo – popular Greek word and way of living, hard to properly translate but loosely means…
WORK AND CAREER HABITS
Wake up early – aim for 30 mins to 1 hour earlier than your normal time
Get to work 10 minutes early
Create a concrete agenda for every meeting you set
Ask co-workers how they are – be friendly, have a chat
Complete your most important task for the day first
Add value to every meeting you attend – ask questions, share thoughts
Network
Set weekly, monthly goals and quarterly goals
Create a daily to-do list (that you actually follow)
Respond to emails in the same day
Prep for 10 minutes before every meeting
Clean your desk at the end of each day
Take a course to strengthen skills – work on it throughout the week
Get outside for a conference call – walk and talk
Talk to your boss – share wins, ask questions, and get to know what they want from you
Learn a new skill
Ask for feedback
Ask what skills you need for a promotion – then work towards this everyday
Close down your work by 5 or 6 pm every night
Dress for the job your want (not the one you have)
Look for ways to help others
Read an industry article every morning
Meet your deadlines – always
Coffee with coworker
Decline meetings you don’t need to attend
Social media posting
PRODUCTIVITY HABITS
Use the Pomodoro technique
Stop multitasking
Plan your day the night before
Take a 5-minute break every hour
Batch task – do similar habits in the same work session, i.e. graphic design
Don’t hit snooze in the morning
Snooze your phone calls during work sessions
Organize your tasks based on the Eisenhower Matrix – which helps you identify tasks to focus on first based on importance and urgency
Add tasks to your calendar to block off the time – giving yourself permission to focus on that specific task
Plan your week every Sunday or Monday morning (and follow that plan)
Write your top 3 goals/tasks in your calendar or planner every day (this will help you focus on what matters most)
Use an app like toggl to track your time on projects (especially if you have to track your hours for clients
Use a distractions list – anytime something off topic pops into your mind throughout the day, simply add it to the list to deal with later
Start the day with your hardest task first – known as ‘Eat The Frog’
HOUSEHOLD HABITS TO TRACK
Sweep/vacuum the floor
10-minute tidy-up every night
Made the bed
Rinsed/cleaned the shower
Followed chore schedule
One load of laundry a day
Unload dishwasher
Tidy/clean fridge
Clean toilet
Clean sink
Tidy daily clutter
Water plants
Make dinner
Tackle in-coming paperwork every day (junk mail, bills)
Declutter
Regularly donate stuff you don’t need
Fix one small thing every day/week, etc that’s been bothering you at home
Gardening
Walk the dog
FINANCIAL HABITS
Track daily expenses
Track income – If self-employed review every day or week
Follow a daily/weekly budget
Pay bills right away
Research new ways to increase income
Worked on side hustle
No online spending
Zero spend month (other than essentials – food, bills)
Put money into savings
Reduce the amount spent on home utilities (gas, water, hydro) – turn lights off, use appliances during off-peak, etc
Learn something new every day based on your financial goals – read articles, listen to podcasts, etc
Set up automatic money transfers to your savings account and check it weekly or monthly for encouragement
Look for ways to save every day and track new ideas and hacks you’ve discovered
Use cash for all purchases
Make healthy budget meals (that doesn’t sacrifice flavour)
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT HABITS
Read everyday
Learn from a podcast – The Diary of a CEO is my new favourite
Follow a healthy morning routine
Take a course
Write one line a day every day
Create a SMART goal and track your daily progress
Volunteer
Leave a space better than you found it – especially in public
Say YES, especially if you’re in the habit of saying no – especially to things that can help you grow as a person
Use ‘The 5 Second Rule’ from Mel Robbins – count back from 5-4-3-2-1 and then take action (great for you procrastinators out there)
Completed or worked towards something from bucket list
Listen to a podcast
Learn from a TED Talk
SELF-CARE HABITS TO TRACK
Quality alone time
Practice positive self-talk
Go on a date with yourself
Write down one thing a day you love about yourself
Unplug from technology every night 1 hour earlier – then fill your time with something else you’ve been wanting to do
Practice deep breathing
Create a ‘feel better’ list and use is daily (when needed)
Do something that physically feels good – hot bath, using essential oils, getting a massage, etc
Ask for a hug
Spend time in nature
Do something creative
Stay true to your personal boundaries
Wash face and moisturize nightly
CREATIVE HABITS TO TRACK
Brainstorm creative ideas every day
Write for 30 minutes a day
Spend time learning about artists, writers
Work from a different location every day – new locales spark creativity and new ideas
Read poetry
Write poetry
Try new creative outlets – like social media – try Youtube, love sketching – try watercolor
Creative reflection and journaling
Network with other creatives
Allocate time to regular daydreaming (doing nothing and seeing where your mind travels)
Use an adult coloring book
Work on a puzzle
Take a meaningful photo every day
Learn a creative skill like brush lettering
Make a new recipe – aim for something new a few times a week
Work on a craft
SOCIAL / RELATIONSHIP HABITS TO TRACK
Call your mom/dad/sister/brother
Say I love you to your partner
Kiss your spouse
Family dinners
Date night
Be a good listener
Do something kind for someone
Don’t use your phone when talking to someone
Stay in contact with people that matter to you
Sex with your partner – especially great if you’re trying to conceive
Stop texting and start calling people
Have a weekly girl’s brunch or night out
Talk to someone you don’t know
Don’t complain
Look for things you have in common with someone – especially if you don’t get along
Reply to text messages
Send a handwritten letter (or postcard) to a friend or family member
BAD HABITS TO QUIT
Reduce screentime to less than 1 hour
Getting takeout
Eating fried food
Smoking
Drinking
Mindless eating / binge-eating
Buying coffee out
Biting nails
Drinking soda
Mindlessly scrolling
Being late
Negative self-talk
Using screens before bed
Staying up too late
Skipping meals
Procrastination
Buying things you don’t need – overspending
Too much social media
Being rude/angry to the people you love
Leaving things to the last minute
Dwelling on the negative
No phone at the dinner table
Any other negative habit you have – focus on ending it and keep track of that!
Interrupting people
Gossiping
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE PRINTABLE HABIT TRACKER TO GET STARTED
Once you download the free habit tracker, you can start by choosing one or a few of these habit ideas to focus on. Before long, you’ll be on your way to building better habits across different areas of your life. This daily habit tracker provides space to monitor your weekly habits, and soon enough, your new routines will become second nature.
TIPS FOR USING A HABIT TRACKER
Set the Right Goal with the SMART Method: Make sure your goal aligns with what you truly want to achieve. If you’re not invested in it, your habit tracker will end up with more empty spaces than you’d like.
Be Honest: Tracking your habits only works if you’re truthful with yourself. Remember, this tracker is for you and no one else.
Have Fun & Get Creative: Use colorful pens, markers, or try different habit trackers to keep things exciting and engaging.
If You Miss a Day, Don’t Worry: Missing a day is no big deal! Just pick up where you left off the next day.
Don’t Track Habits You Already Do: For example, there’s no need to track brushing your teeth (unless you’re teaching this habit to a child). Focus on habits you’re actively working on.
Try Habit Stacking: Add a new habit onto an existing one. For instance, if you already drink a cup of coffee every morning, try using that time to meditate for 5 minutes.
Start Small: Begin with simple habits and build from there. Once you’re comfortable with your routine, you can tackle more complex habits.
Create Time for Reflection: Take a moment to reflect on what you accomplished. What would you change for the following week or month based on what you’ve learned?
Be Kind to Yourself: Habit trackers aren’t about measuring your worth. If you don’t hit all your goals, avoid negative self-talk. Instead, look at what worked, what didn’t, and apply those insights to improve in the future.
HOW MANY HABITS SHOULD YOU TRACK?
I believe it’s not about the quantity of habits, but rather selecting the right ones to track.
Personally, I recommend keeping it to a manageable number—ideally no more than 5 at a time. Tracking too many can become overwhelming and may make it harder to stick to any new habits. But ultimately, you know yourself best, so choose what works for you.
If you’re just starting out with habit tracking, I suggest beginning with one important habit you’d like to introduce into your routine.
CONCLUSION
Incorporating positive habits into your daily routine is a powerful tool for personal growth and development. By tracking your progress and celebrating your achievements, you can build momentum and create lasting change. With the 225 habit ideas and free printable habit tracker provided, you have the resources to embark on a journey of self-improvement. Remember, small steps lead to big results. Start today and unlock your full potential.
