Easy Scottish Shortbread Recipe

Name: Easy Scottish Shortbread Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 30 cookies
Ingredients: 1 cup butter; 1/2 cup cane sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup cornstarch; ⅛ tsp kosher salt; all natural or sanding sugar for sprinkling

User Reviews

5.0

126 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Additional Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 50 mins
Servings
30 cookies
Calories
102 kcal
Course
Baked Goods
Cuisine
American, Scottish

Easy Scottish Shortbread Recipe

Shannon Lee

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Traditional Scottish Shortbread Recipe from a dear Scottish family friend! Delight in the buttery richness and irresistibly crumbly texture, a beloved treat for generations. An easy shortbread recipe!

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Ingredients

Servings

1 cup butter 2 sticks; I love using Irish butter like Kerrygold, softened (use salted or unsalted butter, if using salted, omit the salt)
1/2 cup cane sugar I use all natural pure cane sugar, white or bakers sugar may be substituted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract try other extracts as well, like Almond or orange, but use just a fraction
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch I use a non-GMO cornstarch
⅛ tsp kosher salt omit if using salted butter
all natural or sanding sugar for sprinkling optional

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Instructions

Beat butter (1 cup) at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar (½ cup), beating well about 2-3 minutes. Stir in vanilla (1 tsp).
Combine flour (2 cups), cornstarch (¼ cup), and kosher salt (⅛ tsp); whisking to mix; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed after each addition. (Mixture will be stiff and may be crumbly)
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 8-10 times.
Press dough into an un-greased 11x7 or 9x9 pan (if doubling, use a 15x10 in jellyroll pan, parchment lined if desired for easier removal).
Prick dough at 1-inch intervals with a fork, and score (cut) into 2 ½ x 1-inch bars. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Make sure to chill, this will firm the butterfat back up and provide that delectable light, crisp crumb you get with Scottish Shortbread. If desired, sprinkle with all-natural sugar or sanding sugar before baking.
Bake at 325° F (162° C) for 35 minutes, until set and lightly browned. Do not over bake! Cookies should be just lightly golden at the edges, baking too long will make them dry. Cool in a pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes; cut the shortbread into bars using previously scored lines. Cool completely before removing from the pan. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 6 months. This recipe easily doubles!

Equipments used:

Notes

As you can see, shortbread dough is quite versatile. If you want to cut shapes with your cookie cutters, chill the dough in 2-3 discs wrapped in plastic wrap for 2 hours.
spatula
parchment
cookie sheet
Valentine's Day
parchment
cookie sheet
Why is my dough so crumbly, and how do I fix it?
knife
all-purpose flour
If you'd like to dip these shortbread cookies into a little dark, milk or white chocolate as shown in the pictures on the post.
Melt on high in 30-second intervals, stirring well between heatings. The chocolate will continue to melt with residual heat, it's important not to overheat it as it will cause the chocolate to "break". Dip as desired and add sprinkles if desired.
Roll or press dough to about ⅓ inch thick and press cookie cutters into the dough, transferring shapes with a spatula to a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Like these fun Valentine's Day Shortbread cookies
Or shape into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick and cut into finger-sized rectangles, piercing with a fork for the traditional shortbread appearance. or cut into squares, then cut squares at a diagonal.
Transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet with a few inches between each cookie for a crisper cookie. Bake at 325 for 10-12 minutes, do not let them brown (golden is fine.)
If you want to get fancy, press dough into a pretty shortbread mold, bake as directed for additional 3-5 minutes until just golden.
The quality of your butter and the amount of fat it contains can change the moisture content, so start with REAL butter. Meaning, it is rock-hard coming out of the fridge and bring to room temperature. I prefer using European butter (e.g. Kerrygold) as it's higher in butterfat than American butters.
How did you measure the flour? It might be too much flour. Use the spoon and level method, spooning your flour into the measuring cup, then using the straight edge of a knife to level.
Did you use all-purpose flour? Perhaps you used a pastry, gluten-free or whole wheat flour, whole wheat flour absorbs more moisture which would lend to a dryer crumb.
Be sure to cream your butter and sugar together at least 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
Knead! The dough will be somewhat crumbly when you take it out from the mixer, get in there with your hands, and gently knead the dough until it begins to come together. It is called short "bread"
To fix, try kneading by hand for several minutes until it comes together.
If still too crumbly to hold its shape, add a few drops of water and knead in, or try a few teaspoons of butter.
1 cup of your choice of chips (dark chocolate, semi-sweet, milk or white chocolate chips)
2 teaspoons butter

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Serving 1serving Calories 102kcal (5%) Carbohydrates 11g (4%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 0.2g Cholesterol 16mg (5%) Sodium 11mg (0%) Potassium 11mg (0%) Fiber 0.2g (1%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 189IU (4%) Calcium 3mg (0%) Iron 0.4mg (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 30cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 102 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	1serving
Calories	102kcal	5%
Carbohydrates	11g	4%
Protein	1g	2%
Fat	6g	9%
Saturated Fat	4g	20%
Polyunsaturated Fat	0.3g	2%
Monounsaturated Fat	2g	10%
Trans Fat	0.2g	10%
Cholesterol	16mg	5%
Sodium	11mg	0%
Potassium	11mg	0%
Fiber	0.2g	1%
Sugar	3g	6%
Vitamin A	189IU	4%
Calcium	3mg	0%
Iron	0.4mg	2%