Why You’ll Love These

Only four ingredients! That’s it, and I’m betting you already have them in your kitchen.So easy you’ll be making them all year.You will never purchase another plaid tin box again!You don’t need a food processor or even have to roll the dough!As with most of our cookie recipes, these easy shortbread cookies make great gifts. The classic Christmas cookie!

During Christmas, we also love to make our thumbprint cookie with a red center, chocolate orange cookies, sugar cookies with heavy cream, and gingerbread cookies with corn syrup icing. Just a few of the cookies we enjoy during the holiday season.

What are shortbread cookies?

Traditionally shortbread cookies are made with sugar, good-quality butter, and flour. Unlike other cookies, shortbread cookies do not require a leavening agent.

Recipe Ingredients

You only need all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar), and salt. I’ve used standard butter and European-style butter. There is a significant difference in these cookies’ flavor and crumbly texture. Both are delicious, but one is superior in taste and texture. Use the European-style butter if you can.

How to Make Classic Shortbread Cookies

If you have never made shortbread before, you will be amazed by how quick and easy it is to whip up a traditional shortbread recipe.   Traditional Scottish shortbread typically uses caster sugar or baker’s sugar. Powdered sugar is easier to find in our area. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar (icing sugar), and salt in a bowl. Cream the room temperature unsalted butter until fluffy. Slowly add the flour and sugar mixture, then beat until light and fluffy again. Press the dough firmly into a parchment paper-lined 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan. You can also use a shortbread pan. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on the dough. Refrigerate for about 20 to 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F, with a rack in the upper third. Remove, cut the dough into your desired shapes, and dock all over with a toothpick or wooden skewer. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and to a wire rack. With the cookies still warm in the pan, recut them into previous shapes while still in the pan. I went with the traditional “sticks” and it was a perfect size to have with my afternoon coffee. Enjoy this melt-in-your-mouth best shortbread recipe ever.

Tips

Be sure to measure the flour and powdered sugar properly. Aerate, spoon, and swoop level.This recipe uses unsalted butter. It’s harder to control the seasoning level with salted butter. Preferably European butter with at least 82% fat!If using salted butter, reduce the amount of salt in the recipe to 1/4 teaspoon.Traditionally shortbread cookies are pale in color. To achieve this, we use a low oven temperature. But we like a little color on these to have that signature buttery crunch. Just do not overbake them.Piercing the cookie dough allows heat to penetrate the cookie for more even baking. You can do this with a toothpick or a fork. Don’t skip this step.

Variations

For this recipe, you can use an 8×8 (3/4 inch thick cookie), 9×9 (1/2 inch thick cookie) baking pan or a shortbread pan.Use a round cake pan and cut the dough into wedges.Toss in some toasted pecans to make a pecan shortbread. Dip them in melted chocolate and add some sprinkles.Sprinkle the top of the dough with granulated sugar or sparkling sugar.

Recipe inspired by MarthaStewart