Petticoat Tails
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Additional Time
5 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
16
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Calories
103 kcal
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Course
Bread, Baked Goods
Petticoat Tails
Description
This Petticoat Tails recipe involves mixing softened butter with sugar without creaming, then adding flour and salt (if using unsalted butter) to form a stiff dough. After resting lightly, the dough is rolled into two even rounds, trimmed to neat circles approximately 7 inches wide. Before baking at 375ºF, each round is scored into halves, quarters, and eighths, creating individual cookie wedges without separating them entirely. The biscuits are pricked with a fork to prevent puffing and maintain an even texture.
The baking produces a golden, slightly crisp exterior with a tender, crumbly interior characteristic of quality shortbread. The flavor relies chiefly on good-quality butter and the subtle sweetness from sugar. The relatively simple ingredient list highlights the texture and buttery profile of these cookies.
Petticoat tails can be enjoyed with tea or coffee, served as small tea-time treats, or used as a base for biscuit assortments. Their shape allows easy portioning and sharing.
Using a scale for the flour measurement ensures accuracy, and cutting the dough using a 7-inch plate or similar round shapes helps achieve uniform sizes. The dough should not be overworked to prevent toughness.
Ingredients
- 4 oz butter (good quality is important)
- ¼ tsp salt (only if butter is unsalted)*
- ¼ c sugar
- 1 ⅓ cups + 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour plain flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º F (190 ºC)
- Mix the butter and sugar together, but do not cream the ingredients as you would when making a cake.
- Once it's mixed together, add the flour and mix until a dough forms which you will use to make your petticoat tails.
- Turn out onto a floured worktop and bring it together into a smooth dough and divide into two equal pieces. Create a ball from each piece and roll one into a 7" round.
- Shape or cut the edges to form a perfect round, and repeat with the other dough. If cutting, hold the plate on the dough and run a sharp knife around the perimeter of the plate. Remove any loose dough.
- Move the petticoat tails rounds to a baking tray lined in parchment or silicone mat. I like to use my large cake lifter, but if you don't have one you can use a bench scraper or spatulas.
- Use a knife (or cake lifter edge) to score the petticoat tail dough into pieces. Score in half, then quarters, and finally eighths.
- Prick the pieces with a fork, then uses the tines to create the petticoat ruffles at the outer edges. Push down about half way when pricking and making the ruffled edge. (See photo in main post.)
- Place into the center of the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the edges are just starting to color. Remove from oven.
- Dust with sugar immediately and put on a cooling rack until completely cool. Keep in a tin for up to two weeks.
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale with metric units for precise flour measurement.
- Cut the dough circles using a 7-inch plate to ensure uniform shapes.
- The dough can be divided into halves or smaller portions before rolling for easier handling.
- This recipe pairs well with other shortbread varieties such as classic fingers or cut-outs.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 103 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 2cookies | |
| Calories | 103kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.3g | 2% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 15mg | 5% |
| Sodium | 82mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 13mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 0.3g | 1% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 177IU | 4% |
| Calcium | 3mg | 0% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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