Scottish Shortbread Recipe | The Recipe Critic

Scottish Shortbread Recipe | The Recipe Critic

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Conventional Scottish shortbread is buttery, crispy, and calmly sweetened to perfection. Merely made with butter, flour, sugar, and salt, this vintage deal with can simply be made for the vacations or any time of yr.

I really like a vintage vacation cookie that we sit up for making yearly. This Scottish shortbread is indisputably one who all the time makes an look. It’s so scrumptious and not disappoints! Take a look at extra of my favourite vacation cookies like those pumpkin cookies, my adorable grinch cookies, or those yummy Christmas butter cookies.

Close up view of Scottish shortbread stacked on a cooling rack.  One cookie is broken into two pieces. A kitchen towel and glass of milk are in the distance.

What’s Scottish Shortbread?

Shortbread has been round for hundreds of years. (It’s no secret why with how buttery and scrumptious it’s!) Hailing from Scotland, the identify has been attributed to Mary, Queen of Scots, who had a love for this buttery deal with. It’s so a laugh to be told concerning the evolution of century-old recipes. Shortbread used to be as soon as referred to as petticoat tails as a result of its unique wedge form that seemed like a lady’s frilly skirt. It’s additionally interesting to grasp that shortbread used to be firstly made out of leftover bread dough that used to be neglected to dry and harden into biscuit bread.

Shortbread as of late seems in such a lot of recipes and is a brilliant base for a few of my favourite treats. It’s superb as it provides a scrumptious buttery texture to any dessert! I really like the shortbread base in my millionaire shortbread bars and Twix cookies as it compliments the chocolate so neatly. I additionally love those lemon shortbread cookies as a result of anything else with lemon is a MUST for me!

A standard shortbread recipe simplest calls for a couple of easy elements. If you have they all readily available! You’re going to like making shortbread from scratch. I really like those cookies as a result of they only soften on your mouth! See recipe card under for precise measurements.

  • All-Objective Flour: A super flour to reach the easiest shortbread texture.
  • Granulated Sugar: Provides simply the correct amount of sweetness. Shortbread is mildly candy.
  • Salt: A pinch is all you wish to have!
  • Unsalted Butter: The usage of fine quality butter is KEY. It’ll take the flavour to the following stage! You additionally wish to be sure that it’s at room temperature earlier than including it for your dough aggregate.

Scottish Shortbread Recipe

This shortbread cookie recipe is amazingly simple to make! Pulse your elements in a meals processor then press the dough right into a pan! The oven does all of the paintings. Then you could have best possible Scottish shortbread to percentage or stay for your self! You received’t be capable to get sufficient.

  1. Preheat Oven/Get ready Baking Dish: Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Then line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on two facets for simple elimination. Put aside.
  2. Pulse Substances: Upload the flour, sugar, and salt to a meals processor. Pulse till mixed. Then upload the butter and pulse till the mix resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
  3. Press Dough Into Pan and Relax: Press the dough into the ready pan and relax for 20-Half-hour.
  4. Bake and Prick Shortbread: Bake for 35-40 mins, till the highest starts to show golden brown. Let the shortbread relaxation out of the oven for 5-10 mins. Then prick with a fork in about 6 rows. Moderately raise the nice and cozy shortbread out of the pan and minimize it into 12 items. You’ll use the fork marks as a information.
  5. Permit to Cool: Let cool utterly earlier than serving.
First process shot is dry ingredients in a food processor with the butter added in on top.  Second photo is the ingredients blended into a pea-size pieces. Third process photo is the dough formed into a ball to chill.  Fourth process photo is the dough pressed into a square pan before baking.

Guidelines and Methods

Listed here are a couple of pointers that gives you the most efficient effects. They’ll make sure that an excellent Scottish shortbread cookie each and every time!

  • Prime-High quality Butter: The usage of fine quality butter give those buttery cookies a richer taste! Same old butter works as neatly if that’s what you could have readily available.
  • Don’t Overwork: Keep away from dealing with the dough an excessive amount of to be able to stay it mild and crisp. Pulse simply till it starts to return in combination then press at once into the ready baking dish.
  • Relax The Dough: Relax the cookie dough for no less than 20 mins earlier than baking. You’ll get ready the dough the day earlier than, duvet it tightly with plastic wrap, then bake it day after today.
  • Make Certain to Poke Holes: To stay the shortbread from puffing up within the oven, poke holes into the dough! Poking holes after it bakes permits the steam to flee. This helps to keep the cookie dense and holds its form.

Take a look at Those Scrumptious Shortbread Diversifications

Scottish shortbread is so a laugh to make! I find it irresistible as a result of you’ll be able to get inventive with add-ins. Everybody will get excited to check out all of them! Listed here are a couple of concepts to get you began.

  • Nuts: Upload chopped nuts for your dough! Pecans, pistachios, or any nut could be scrumptious.
  • Extracts: Including extracts is a simple manner so as to add extra taste. Take a look at vanilla, almond, or hazelnut extract!
  • Chocolate: Shortbread and chocolate is the most efficient aggregate. Drizzle or dip your shortbread for an increased glance.
  • Fruit: Dried fruit or citrus zest is my favourite manner so as to add fruity flavors.
  • Caramel: Caramel is supposed for shortbread. It’s the absolute BEST. Finish of tale.

Top view of pieces of shortbread on a gray counter and a cooling rack. A glass of milk and kitchen towel are next to the cookies.

Storing and Freezing Leftovers

This Scottish shortbread recipe is a brilliant one to make upfront. Identified for his or her crumbly texture, they don’t should be made contemporary the day of to be scrumptious. Those buttery cookies are ideal for gifting! You’ll additionally cause them to forward of time for a special day.

  • At Room Temperature: Retailer cookies in an hermetic container for as much as 7 days.
  • Within the Freezer: Freeze baked cookies in an hermetic container or sealed freezer bag for as much as 2 months. Let the shortbread thaw utterly at the counter at room temperature earlier than serving.


  • Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a 1 inch overhang on two facets for simple elimination. Put aside.

  • Upload the flour, sugar and salt to a meals processor and pulse till mixed. Upload the butter and pulse till the mix resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

  • Press the dough into the ready pan and relax for 20-Half-hour.

  • Bake for 35-40 mins, till the highest starts to show golden brown. Let relaxation out of the oven for 5-10 mins earlier than pricking with a fork in about 6 rows. Moderately raise the nice and cozy shortbread out of the pan and minimize into 12 items, the use of the fork marks as a information.

  • Let cool utterly earlier than serving.



Serves: 12

Serving1cookieEnergy244kcal (12%)Carbohydrates24g (8%)Protein2g (4%)Fats16g (25%)Saturated Fats10g (50%)Polyunsaturated Fats1gMonounsaturated Fats4gTrans Fats1gLdl cholesterol41mg (14%)Sodium6mgPotassium27mg (1%)Fiber1g (4%)Sugar8g (9%)Nutrition A473IU (9%)Calcium8mg (1%)Iron1mg (6%)

All dietary knowledge is in line with 3rd celebration calculations and is simplest an estimate. Every recipe and dietary worth will range relying at the manufacturers you employ, measuring strategies and portion sizes consistent with family.

Direction Dessert

Delicacies Scottish

Key phrase Scottish shortbread, scottish shortbread recipe