Melt in your mouth Scottish Shortbread is the perfect tea time cookie. These buttery treats are made with just 4 simple ingredients and can be ready to enjoy in just 30 minutes!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Shortbread is the simplest of cookies to make and calls for the simplest of ingredients.
- The flavor and texture of these cookies continues to improve over time.
- Shortbread cookies freeze well, making them great make-ahead-cookies to have on hand for guests and holidays.
Scottish Shortbread is a rich, buttery cookie with a tender, melting texture.
Butter flavor is the main focus of this cookie. Though shortbread is also delicious with added flavors, like Chocolate Espresso Shortbread or Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread Cookies, traditional Scottish Shortbread has no added flavors.
For the best butter flavor, splurge and use a good quality European butter for this cookie. European butters have a higher butterfat content than American butters which gives the shortbread a more intense butter flavor.
When stored in an airtight container, shortbread stays delicious for at least 2 weeks, making it the perfect treat for cold weather care packages or a year round cookie jar standard. The flavor gets richer over time.
Due to the high butter content,however, it's not advisable to mail shortbread under hot weather conditions. For hot weather care package shipping, send sugar cookies using shortening instead.
Ingredients
- Butter is traditionally salted in Scotland. If you use unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the dry ingredients for the best flavor.
- Rice flour is added to shortbread to add a small amount of crunch and to make the shortbread less crumbly. It's important to use dry-milled rice flour (like Bob's Red Mill) and not Asian wet-milled flour. For more information on rice flour see this article on "How to Pick the Right Rice Flour".
- Superfine sugar is also known as caster sugar or bakers' sugar. It's a finely ground granulated sugar, not powdered. Buy it in the supermarket baking aisle or make your own by grinding granulated sugar in a blender or food processor.
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all ingredients until a dough forms.
- Press the shortbread cookie dough evenly into an 8" x 8"pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven to quickly score the dough into bars, pressing a knife partially into the dough. Then dock the bars (make holes) with the tines of a fork or a chop stick.
- Return to the oven and bake an additional 15 minutes until lightly golden brown.
Storage
Store shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Tips and variations
- These cookies taste like butter. Using the best tasting butter is essential.
- For the best texture, don't substitute any other sugar for the caster sugar.
- Caster sugar can be made at home by finely grinding granulated sugar in a food processor or blender.
- For the most tender crumb, be careful not to overmix the dough.
- Press the dough firmly into the pan by covering the dough with a sheet of wax paper and pressing with the bottom of a measuring cup, drinking glass, or another baking pan.
- The dough can be docked before baking. The holes will serve their purpose of letting steam out of the dough, however, they will close up while baking and won't be visable after baking.
- This traditional shortbread recipe can also be made in a large circle using a 8" round cake pan or shortbread mold and cut into triangles known as "petticoat tails".
Frequently asked questions
For the best tasting shortbread, butter is the most important ingredient. Use high quality European butter.
Why do you put rice flour or cornstarch in shortbread?
Adding rice flour or cornstarch to buttery shortbread creates the melt in your mouth, crunchy texture and makes the cookies sturdier for mailing.
Leaving out the rice flour produces a denser crumb and more crumbly texture.
Caster sugar is required to produce the desired texture. If superfine, bakers' sugar isn't available, finely grind granulated sugar in a food processor or blender.
Traditionally, the top of shortbread is pricked (docked) with a fork. Releasing the steam that occurs while baking helps the thick dough to bake evenly and avoid cracking.
The high butter content in this dough will cause the dough to melt. Scored lines and docked holes will close up.
For lines and holes that are visable after baking, either score and dock after 20 baking for minutes then return to the oven, or
score and dock immediately after baking.
Shortbread baked in a pan can't spread and doesn't need to be chilled.
More shortbread recipes
Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are ultra chocolaty cookies with chocolate chips.
Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies are a crunchy, buttery cookie speckled with bits of vanilla bean for the ultimate in warm vanilla flavor.
With Slice and Bake Shortbread, one simple recipe makes three different delicious shortbread flavors! Perfect for special occasions, holiday trays and gifting.
Strawberry Shortbread Cookies make great Valentine's Day butter cookies!
Be sure to look at our whole collection of shortbread recipes to find your favorite cookies!
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Scottish Shortbread Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup rice flour or corn starch
- 1 cup butter European butter is recommended. If using unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon salt to the dough.
- ⅔ cup extrafine sugar Also called bakers' sugar or caster sugar.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8” x 8” pan with parchment.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment at medium speed to combine all ingredients just until a dough forms.
- Press the dough firmly and evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and quickly score the dough into bars by pressing a sharp knife partially into the dough. Then use a fork, chop stick, or skewer to create prick marks within the scored lines.
- Return to the oven to bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Allow the shortbread to cool in the pan until warm (about 10 minutes) then cut into bars on the scored lines. Cool completely before removing from the pan.
- Store shortbread cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- For the best texture, don't substitute any other sugar for the caster sugar.
- Caster sugar can be made at home by finely grinding granulated sugar in a food processor or blender.
- For the most tender crumb, be careful not to overmix the dough.
- Press the dough firmly into the pan by covering the dough with a sheet of wax paper and pressing with the bottom of a measuring cup, drinking glass, or another baking pan.
- The dough can be docked before baking. The holes will serve their purpose of letting steam out of the dough, however, they will close up while baking and won't be visable after baking.
- This traditional shortbread recipe can also be made in a large circle using a 8" round cake pan or shortbread mold and cut into triangles known as "petticoat tails".
- Double wrap small piles of cookies in plastic wrap.
- Place wrapped bundles snugly in an airtight container or freezer weight ziplock bag for mailing.
Nutrition
First Published: December 23, 2013. Last Updated: November 2, 2024. Updated for additional information, improved photographs, and better reader experience.
PEARSE
love shortbread and am trying new recipes .Thanks for sharing yours. Most of them I tried had icing sugar. is there a reason why granulated sugar is being used in this recipe?
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Pearse. I love shortbread too. Using granulated sugar gives a slightly crunchier texture and slightly sweeter taste to shortbread. Its a texture and sweetness I prefer. Also, I find that the granulated sugar makes a slightly sturdier cookie. As you are trying different recipes, I highly recommend you give granulated sugar a try for comparison and to see which type you prefer. 🙂 Enjoy!
saltandserenity
After 2 hours at the park in this freezing weather, you deserve to eat the entire recipe of these yummy looking shortbread cookies! Thanks for sharing. These are going on my list of "must make soon!"
themondaybox
Thanks, Cindy! Never having been an outdoors person before, it amazes me that I actually look forward to my hours at the dog park! I had no idea that Under Armour worked so well. 🙂 It was scary easy to fall into a coffee/tea and "a little something sweet" routine each afternoon. Shortbread is really so good for that. 🙂 I hope you do get to try it and let me know what you think. I love the texture these cookies get from the rice flour.
Joanne
Shortbread is the BEST. Totally loving this and can't wait to try your version dipped in coffee!
themondaybox
Thanks, Joanne! I agree. Shortbread is amazing. The buttery goodness can't be duplicated in other cookies. 🙂 Dipping in coffee sounds wonderful!
Monica
I love the very idea (and the imagine you conjure up for me) of sitting down with a "cuppa" something and a few of these shortbread cookies. Just lovely! That is savoring life, in my opinion. And shortbread is totally one of those simple, delicious things that's almost under-appreciated.
Happy New Year, Wendy - I wish you and your family good health, joy, laughter, and plenty of good eats in 2014!
themondaybox
Thank you, Monica! I agree, for me savoring life is appreciating the little moments not waiting for the spectacular....though sometimes those little moments can be spectacular. 🙂 I know you love your chocolate so just in case these cookies are too vanilla for you...you can drizzle/ice them with melted chocolate or enjoy them as they are with a cup of hot chocolate! 🙂
Happy, healthy, peace-filled New Year!
Mama's Gotta Bake
Shortbread is definitely a favorite of mine, especially with a hot cup of tea on a cold winter's day! I will give this recipe a try!
themondaybox
Thanks, Sheryl! I really like the crunch that the rice flour provides in these. I hope you like them.
Winnie
Wonderful and delicious looking cookies
Pinned
themondaybox
Thanks for stopping by, Winnie, and thank you for pinning!! Sometimes simple cookies are the very best. 🙂
Miz Helen
Stopping by from Show Stopper Saturday, your Scottish Shortbread looks awesome! Hope you are having a great weekend and thanks for sharing.
Miz Helen
themondaybox
Thanks, Helen! This was my first time trying Show Stopper Saturday and I am having fun meeting bloggers new to me! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you are having a great weekend too!
Ashley
Oh I love shortbread - I made some vanilla bean shortbread cookies for Christmas and I think they were my absolute favorite! And I definitely do the same thing when we take our beagle outside for walks! I even invested in some earmuffs since my ears always get so cold!
themondaybox
Christmas cookies are all good but they tend to be full of so many flavors and colors and textures. A simple delicious piece of shortbread is almost a relief! 🙂 Vanilla bean is one my favorites too!
When I walk Pax, the only part of me that's not covered up is my nose. I wish they made nose muffs. 🙂
shannon
Beautiful, Wendy: i'm going to make these post-new year, because i don't keep European butter around the house, but i love the suggestion to make these with it, and i intend to do so. I don't blame you one bit for bundling up: i always imagine myself a "cold weather" person...until it gets to about 30 degrees. Then? i'm a total baby. 🙂 and today, it IS cold, so if you're headed out with your beautiful dog, you bundle up as much as you can. happy holidays to you and your family!
themondaybox
Thanks, Shannon! I hope you do get a chance to make these because they are really wonderful with a cup of hot something. They are not overly sweet or fussy in any way. Just comfort cookies. 🙂 They are a showcase for butter flavor, so the more intensely flavored European butters make a tastier shortbread. Wishing you and your family a joyful, healthy, peace-filled Christmas and New Year!
noyomoco
I love shortbread! 🙂
themondaybox
Me too, Jennifer! These are so simple and SO good!