I’m a firm believer that shortbread cookies should be sinfully buttery and delectably tender, and this shortbread recipe is exactly that. It’s simply perfect – and it looks as good as it tastes.
With the signature delicate crumbly texture and beautiful buttery flavour, shortbread is one of those biscuits that is both nostalgic and elegant. It’s right at home with a casual coffee catch up with friends, or an elegant tea party to impress!
Shortbread Cookies
We have the Scotts to thank for burly men in pleated tartan skirts, haggis and shortbread.
I’ll hold on the haggis, am undecided on men in skirts, but can never get enough shortbread!!!
Shortbread is one of the best classic cookies in the world, and it’s also one of the easiest. All you need is:
butter
flour
icing sugar (powdered sugar)
Did you know that? Off you run to the kitchen! 🙂
Homemade shortbread cookies are WAY more tender and delicate than store bought – with a far better real butter flavour.
Why is it called shortbread?
These cookies are called Shortbread because the term “short” is used to describe cookies and pastries with a tender, crumbly melt-in-your-mouth texture. The same terminology is used for shortcrust pastries used in things like Quiche and Pecan Pie.
It’s considered an art to achieve this buttery delicate texture – but it’s actually REALLY EASY!
How to make Shortbread Cookies
The trick with shortbread cookies to ensure they are melt-in-your-mouth as they should be is to ensure the dough is nice and crumbly! Here’s how to make shortbread cookies:
creamy butter, then gradually beat in icing sugar and flour
it will be crumbly (photo #3 below), use your hands to press together to form a smooth-dish ball, don’t knead
now press the dough into a prepared shallow pan then using something to flatten the surface
partially bake, then remove
prick holes and slice, then bake again – this is the best way to achieve clean cuts and ensure the holes stay.
cool for 1 hour in oven – this will finish cooking them whilst keeping the cookies pale golden as they should be (rather than browning on edges).
Rice flour or normal flour?
You may have read that shortbread cookies should be made with a combination of rice flour and normal flour, and sometimes you see recipes with cornflour (cornstarch).
Rice flour makes the shortbread a little more tender, but having made shortbread many times over the years both with and without using this shortbread recipe, I can honestly say that the difference is barely noticeable. A shortbread recipe with a tougher dough or calling for more kneading may NEED rice flour in order to achieve the right delicate texture. This recipe does not need rice flour.
Comparison of different methods
There’s a few different ways to make shortbread cookies:
food processor – the fastest method. Blitz butter, flour and sugar, pat into pan and bake. This yields a shortbread with signature crumby texture, but the surface is quite rough, as pictured below. People who like very crumbly shortbread and do not mind about the rough surface use this technique;
rubber COLD butter in with fingers – this yields almost the same result as using a food processor ie very crumbly shortbread, rough surface
creamed SOFTENED butter using a beater or wooden spoon – this is the method I use. Still a beautifully delicate, crumbly shortbread, but the surface is smoother so it looks like the shortbread cookies that we all know and love!
I use the creamed butter method rather than rubbing in cold butter in this Shortbread Cookie recipe. Smoother surface, with the perfect delicate crumbly texture.
Homemade shortbread cookies trumps Walkers!!
I purchased a packet of Walker’s shortbread cookies so I could compare them directly to this homemade Shortbread Cookie recipe.
Homemade are way more tender – no matter which method you use, with or without rice flour. The crumble is softer when you bite into it, they are more buttery.
I truly believe that Shortbread Cookies are one of the iconic cookies in this world. To think that all you need is butter, flour and sugar to make such a delectable treat is just amazing, isn’t it?
The weekend is here. I just know you’ve been good all week. You deserve a treat. Go on! 🙂 – Nagi xx
For Cookie Monsters 🙋🏻♀️
And more 3 Ingredient Desserts!
1 ingredient Dulce de Leche – Slow Cooker Caramel
Classic Scones – and faster Lemonade Scones – both 3 ingredients!
Watch how to make it
Shortbread Cookie recipe video! Note the part at the end re: the cookie being crumbled. This is how it should be! And PS clearly these are not my hands in this video. I had assistance!
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Shortbread Cookies
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!!
Recipe Notes:
* 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).
Nutrition Information:
Originally published August 2017, updated March 2019 with steps photos and some housekeeping matters. No change to recipe – perfect as is!
Life of Dozer
We had a beautiful sunrise earlier this week. I didn’t get a single photo of it. But I got plenty of Dozer checking it out!!!
I left the butter out of the fridge for like six hours? To get it really soft. And modified it a little. I added 2.5 ml vanilla sugar, 0.5 ml salt, and 30 ml water at the end. Then just push it into the pan!
And I use Swedish extra salted butter! 1.8 % salt!
Yummy!
Good morning Nagi,
I’ve been looking for an easy shortbread recipe for a longtime.
I don’t like rubbing butter into flour with my fingers so this is perfect.
Thank you
Kindest regards
Reet
I hope you try it and love it Rita!! N x
Hi Nagi! I just wanted to tell you that I love your recipes! My hobby is baking/cooking and these recipes have kept me sane during all the lockdowns. And I knew these shortbreads would be amazing when I saw the recipe! And too right they are ;). They’re amazing!! The first time I made them, I ran out of plain flour so I used wholemeal, delicious, but it did affect the texture. Yesterday I made them using plain flour, and they are the most buttery, crumbley, crispy, delightful shortbreads ever! Thank you Nagi for supplying us with delicious recipes! ~ Marijkai
Hi Nagi! I absolutely adore your blog :D. I think my favourite recipe OF ALL TIME is your bread pudding, but this is a close second! I just wanted to congragulate you on how amazing you recipes are. I love to cook them! In lockdown, your recipes are my saviour. Cooking is my hobby and having such amazing recipes to create really is amazing. Once again, thank you!!!!!!
Hi Nagi! I love your recipes! probably my favourite is your bread pudding, I adore it! I was wondering if I could use this shortbread recipe as a google doc so I can make shortbread with my friends over video chat? Currently in lockdown so lots of baking going on 🙂 . So glad I found your blog!
Of course Michael! Just highlight the text, copy then paste 🙂 Or drop a PDF of the recipe into a Google doc! N x
Thanks Nagi! I didn’t see your reply and ended up writing it up word for word :’D Went well though! Lots of fun 🙂
This is the only shortbread recipe I use now ! It’s so good.
I’m so glad I found it.
I was just wondering instead of Icing sugar can I use normal sugar? Is there something else I can use instead of icing sugar?
Hi Mariam, icing sugar is key here – it ensures a soft crumbly cookie. N x
Awesome recipe, do you think it could be used to make a cheesecake crust?
I’m making 48 of these cookies for a party, do you have a creative way in mind to present them? I was thinking of making a tower and drizzling with chocolate, will it taste ok with chocolate?
YUM! Sounds like a fantastic idea Kaitlyn!! N x
Hi Nagi
Love the shortbread!
Please could you give more details on the Nutritional Info?
Tyvm!
Sorry that’s an error – thanks for picking that up! N x
Hello, I love your recipes and want to make this but was wondering whether the use of maple syrup (in lieu of icing sugar) and coconut oil (in lieu of butter) would work? Thanks!
Hi Nagi,
I wanted to make this with passionfruit.
How much passionfruit would you add to this recipe and with or without seeds?
I haven’t tried sorry Lyn, it would affect the texture so it would be something I’d need to test. N x
This is the perfect shortbread recipe. I used slightly salted butter as opposed to salted butter and it turned out perfect
Love Love Love!!!!
Made this recipe several times, family can’t get enough of them. Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome, Monique! – Nx
most requested recipe from the family to make again…. and again…and again….100% success every time.
Delicious! Just the right level of sweetness. Thanks Nagi 🙂
Best recipe I have tried to make shortbread cookies! My search is over. They came out perfect. I used the creamed softened butter method. Easy and yummy. Thanks so much. I think I have what will be nice little gifts for the holidays this next December.
Wow it’s the best biscuits I have tried making and it turned out perfect
So easy and so delicious! I made these but added some French Earl Grey tea for a slightly different flavour. My sister in law loved them we are now on a flavoured shortbread experiment adventure! Just did a batch with lavender, can’t wait to taste!
Thanks once again Nagi. These are the easiest, tastiest shortbread ever and I am 68 and have been cooking shortbread over 40 years! I did find them a little sweet for my “not so sweet” tastebuds the first time I made them, so today I subbed some of the sugar for coconut flour and oh my, yummy! You’re such a generous woman for sharing so many great, easy recipes and your site is my go to for any recipe I might want to cook. Keep it up, and God bless you and Dozer.
This was a favourite at Christmas. So easy, and absolutely delicious. One of my friends was trying to guess the ingredients, and said “rice flour” – so you’re right, you can’t tell the difference. I’ve made three batches to give as gifts, and it is sometimes too sticky to roll out in the baking tin, but it works anyway. Cutting when it’s partly cooked is a must! Thanks for the recipe 🙂