
Shortbread Cookies Recipe
I’m a agency believer that shortbread cookies ought to be sinfully buttery and delectably tender, and this shortbread recipe is strictly that. It’s merely excellent – and it seems nearly as good because it tastes.
With the signature delicate crumbly texture and delightful buttery flavour, shortbread is a kind of biscuits that’s each nostalgic and chic. It’s proper at house with an off-the-cuff espresso meet up with pals, or a sublime tea occasion to impress!

Shortbread Cookies
We now have the Scotts to thank for burly males in pleated tartan skirts, haggis and shortbread.
I’ll maintain on the haggis, am undecided on males in skirts, however can by no means get sufficient shortbread!!!
Shortbread is among the greatest traditional cookies on the planet, and it’s additionally one of many best. All you want is:
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butter
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flour
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icing sugar (powdered sugar)
Do you know that? Off you run to the kitchen! 🙂
Selfmade shortbread cookies are WAY extra tender and delicate than retailer purchased – with a much better actual butter flavour.
Why is it referred to as shortbread?
These cookies are referred to as Shortbread as a result of the time period “quick” is used to explain cookies and pastries with a young, crumbly melt-in-your-mouth texture. The identical terminology is used for quickcrust pastries utilized in issues like Quiche and Pecan Pie.
It’s thought of an artwork to attain this buttery delicate texture – nevertheless it’s really REALLY EASY!

Methods to make Shortbread Cookies
The trick with shortbread cookies to make sure they’re melt-in-your-mouth as they need to be is to make sure the dough is good and crumbly! Right here’s easy methods to make shortbread cookies:
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creamy butter, then step by step beat in icing sugar and flour
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it will likely be crumbly (picture #3 beneath), use your fingers to press collectively to type a smooth-dish ball, don’t knead
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now press the dough right into a ready shallow pan then utilizing one thing to flatten the floor
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partially bake, then take away
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prick holes and slice, then bake once more – that is the greatest solution to obtain clear cuts and make sure the holes keep.
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cool for 1 hour in oven – this may end cooking them while holding the cookies pale golden as they need to be (reasonably than browning on edges).

Rice flour or regular flour?
You could have learn that shortbread cookies ought to be made with a mixture of rice flour and regular flour, and generally you see recipes with cornflour (cornstarch).
Rice flour makes the shortbread somewhat extra tender, however having made shortbread many occasions through the years each with and with out utilizing this shortbread recipe, I can truthfully say that the distinction is barely noticeable. A shortbread recipe with a harder dough or calling for extra kneading might NEED rice flour so as to obtain the suitable delicate texture. This recipe doesn’t want rice flour.
Comparability of various strategies
There’s a couple of other ways to make shortbread cookies:
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meals processor – the quickest methodology. Blitz butter, flour and sugar, pat into pan and bake. This yields a shortbread with signature crumby texture, however the floor is sort of tough, as pictured beneath. Individuals who like very crumbly shortbread and don’t thoughts in regards to the tough floor use this method;
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rubber COLD butter in with fingers – this yields nearly the identical outcome as utilizing a meals processor ie very crumbly shortbread, tough floor
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creamed SOFTENED butter utilizing a beater or wood spoon – that is the tactic I exploit. Nonetheless a fantastically delicate, crumbly shortbread, however the floor is smoother so it seems just like the shortbread cookies that everyone knows and love!
I exploit the creamed butter methodology reasonably than rubbing in chilly butter on this Shortbread Cookie recipe. Smoother floor, with the right delicate crumbly texture.

Selfmade shortbread cookies trumps Walkers!!
I bought a packet of Walker’s shortbread cookies so I may evaluate them on to this selfmade Shortbread Cookie recipe.
Selfmade are manner extra tender – regardless of which methodology you utilize, with or with out rice flour. The crumble is softer if you chew into it, they’re extra buttery.
I actually consider that Shortbread Cookies are one of many iconic cookies on this world. To suppose that every one you want is butter, flour and sugar to make such a tasty deal with is simply superb, isn’t it?
The weekend is right here. I simply know you’ve been good all week. You deserve a deal with. Go on! 🙂 – Johnsat xx
For Cookie Monsters 🙋🏻♀️
-
World’s Best BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
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3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
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Anzac Cookies
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Ricciarelli (Italian almond cookies)

And extra 3 Ingredient Desserts!
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3 ingredient Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
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3 ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
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1 ingredient Dulce de Leche – Sluggish Cooker Caramel
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Parmesan Shortbread Biscuit (3 elements)
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Chocolate Coated Strawberries
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Basic Scones – and sooner Lemonade Scones – each 3 elements!
Watch easy methods to make it

Ingredients
- 250g / 8 oz salted butter, softened (2 x US sticks, 1 cup) (or unsalted + ¼ tsp salt)
- 3/4 cup (90g) icing sugar (powdered sugar) (Note 2)
- 2 cups (300g) plain / all purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160C/325F (standard) or 150C/300F (fan forced / convection).
- Butter and line a 31.5 x 23.5 cm / 9 x 13″ pan with baking paper with overhang.
- Beat butter until smooth (or use very soft butter and a wooden spoon). Add icing sugar and beat until combined.
- Add half the flour and beat until mostly combined – it will resemble wet sand. Then beat in the remainder. Use your hands to bring it together into a smooth ball of dough – knead lightly if required.
- Roughly press down into a rectangle shape, then transfer into the pan. Press into the pan. Optional: Roll over the top using a small rolling pin or glass (that’s what I used) for a smooth surface. Don’t press down too hard – it makes the cookies firmer
- Bake for 20 minutes until edges are very light golden and most of the surface is still pale gold.
- Remove from the oven. Working quickly, cut into desired shape (I do 8 x 3 bars, like Walker’s shortbread biscuits) and prick all over with a fork (optional).
- Return to the oven for 8 minutes or until the surface is light golden – not browned. Turn the oven off, crack it open ajar, then leave to cool for at least 1 hour in the oven.
- Remove from the oven, use paper overhang to remove the biscuits from the pan. Cool fully on rack. Serve with tea!!
Notes
1. RICE FLOUR: This recipe makes shortbread that’s tender enough as it is so you don’t need rice flour. You can use it if you want – the difference is marginal. Just swap out ¼ cup of the flour with rice flour, add it with the flour.
Some recipes say you can use cornstarch/cornflour as well. I personally find this leaves a bit of a chalky taste.
2. SUGAR: I like to use icing sugar because the grains are finer so you get a smoother finish on the surface. Also icing sugar is about 1/2 the sweetness of sugar by volume.
There are 2 types of icing sugar in Australia – Soft and Pure. Either works (I can’t tell difference in outcome) – I usually use Soft because it’s what I always have.
The icing sugar can be substituted with 1/2 cup of white sugar, preferably caster/superfine sugar + 2 tbsp flour.
3. FOOD PROCESSOR / RUBBING BUTTER: Instead of creaming softened butter, the other method is to rub the butter in. This yields a more crumbly shortbread but the surface is rougher – see comparison photo in post. If you wish to use this method (which I believe is the original traditional method, think pre beater days!), this is how to do it:
* Cut COLD butter into 1cm / 2/5” cubes;* Food processor: place all the flour, sugar and butter in a food processor. Pulse 20 times, then whizz on high for 25 seconds until it forms breadcrumbs. Turn out onto work surface and proceed with recipe; * Rubbing with fingers: Place all the flour and sugar in a bowl, then add butter. Use fingertips to rub butter into flour until it forms breadcrumbs (see video for how it should look). Turn out onto work surface and proceed with recipe.
4. HOT WEATHER WARNING! If it is super hot where you are and/or you have very hot hands with the butter rubbing method, press the dough into the pan then refrigerate for 20 minutes or until chilled.
5. PRECUTTING: To cut out into shapes before baking, it is best to add 2 tbsp flour to make a dough that won’t spread as much when baking. Then roll out into 1 cm / 2/5” thickness and cut into desired shape, place on a baking paper lined tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 150C/300F (fan forced) or 170C/340F (standard) then bake for 15 minutes until the edges are just starting to the brown but the surface is still a pale gold.
6. METHOD NOTES:
Partial cook before cutting and pricking (if you do when fully raw, the cuts/pricks disappear when baked);
Cutting cooked biscuit has tendency to crack surface a bit – not as neat;
Leave the shortbread in the oven to cool. This is a tip I picked up from Cooks’ Illustrated – it allows the biscuit to finish cooking without the surface browning (shortbread cookies should be very pale).
7. MEASURING CUPS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES: Shortbread is actually quite forgiving. I’ve tested this using both US and Australian measures and I couldn’t tell the difference.
8. Store in an airtight container for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.