Shortbread relies on really good-quality unsalted butter for its flavour, so don't skimp on this and never use margarine! The high butter (or shortening ) content helps to keep the gluten in the flour short and soft. But, for that delectable, friable texture, it's also important to keep a light hand. Overworking the mixture will make the dough oily; it will also develop the gluten in the flour and make the shortbread tough.
You need to choose your flour carefully. Most recipes call for a 2:1 mix of plain wheat flour and rice flour or cornflour, for a very soft texture, but you can also use semolina for a slightly crunchier result. Sifting in the flour is a valuable step that helps to keep the shortbread light and melting.
And the final crucial thing to remember is that shortbread must be only barely coloured, never browned. So, don't forget it's in the oven...
Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3.
Put the softened butter into a bowl. Using a wooden spoon, gradually work in the sugar until it is well mixed and forms a soft paste.
Sift in the flour and rice flour. Using a fork, bring together lightly to form a soft, crumbly dough. It's hands-on (or in) time now: bring the mix to a soft, pliable, crack-free dough by kneading it as lightly as possible.
For biscuits, place the dough between two sheets of lightly floured greaseproof paper.
Using a rolling pin, roll out to a 5mm thickness. Remove the top paper and cut out biscuits using a 6–7cm fluted cutter or a shaped biscuit cutter (heart, star, leaf, etc.).
Place the biscuits on the baking sheets and prick the surface with a fork.
For a shortbread round, lightly press the dough into the loose-based 20cm flan tin or sandwich tin, or shape into a round, about 2cm thick, by hand.
To finish the edge, pinch into little flutes with your thumb and finger. Prick the surface with a fork.
Bake the shortbread in the oven until very lightly coloured; allow about 20 minutes for biscuits, 30–35 minutes for a shortbread round.
Dredge with sugar and place on a wire rack to cool. Shortbread will keep for up to 4 weeks in an airtight tin.
FAQs
Tips To Make the Best Shortbread Cookies
- Choose High Quality Butter. No matter what brand of butter you buy, if it's real butter, you can rest assured that it's the best. ...
- Keep Ingredients Simple. ...
- Add Flavor. ...
- Don't Overwork. ...
- Shape Dough. ...
- Chill Before Baking. ...
- Bake Until Golden. ...
- Add Finishing Touches.
Traditional Scottish shortbread is a simple recipe made with sugar, butter, flour, and salt. Other shortbread styles will include leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda, which makes them crisp instead of crumbly like traditional Scottish shortbread.
Why is it called shortbread? ›
Shortbread is called short because of the traditional ratio of one part sugar to two parts butter that lends a high fat content to the dough. This yields a soft, buttery crumb that melts in your mouth, similar to short crust pastry. This ratio is also what makes shortbread so crave-worthy. 2.
What is the difference between shortbread and butter cookies? ›
Due to differing ratios, shortbread cookies are crumblier and more "sandy" than butter cookies, which are firm and solid enough to be iced. This mostly has to do with flour and eggs. Shortbread doesn't use eggs, while butter cookies do, making butter cookie dough more pliable and robust than its shortbread counterpart.
What are common mistakes when making shortbread? ›
The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour. The less you work the dough, the more crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth your shortbread cookies will be.
Why do you poke holes in shortbread? ›
The word "bread" comes from "biscuit bread" which was made from leftover bread dough that was sweetened and dried out in the oven to make biscuits. Why do you poke holes in shortbread? The holes allow the moisture to escape during baking and more even heat distribution. This helps dry out and crisp up the cookies.
Why do you put cornstarch in shortbread? ›
Cornstarch provides the shortbread with structure, but its biggest job is keeping the cookies extra soft, tender, and light. I love adding a small amount to chocolate chip cookies too. Optional Coarse Sugar Topping: For an optional sparkly crunch on your shortbread wedges, add a sprinkle of coarse sugar before baking.
Why is it called millionaire shortbread? ›
The name "millionaire's shortbread" appears to have originated in Scotland. The "millionaire" prefix to millionaire's shortbread or millionaires slice implies a level of decadence and wealth to the sweet treat, that it is an upgrade from regular shortbread.
Why is shortbread so expensive? ›
As shortbread was made with butter, sugar and flour, it would be both expensive and difficult to get hold of the ingredients, and so became synonymous with wealth, luxury and celebrations.
What is the American equivalent of shortbread? ›
While Americans would consider a piece of shortbread a “cookie,” it's actually called a “biscuit” outside of the US. This can be confusing since Americans consider a “biscuit” something similar to a British scone.
That firm to the bite feel with a crumbly texture is the source of your shortbread addiction. Without it, it could be called something else entirely!
What brand of butter is best for shortbread? ›
Best Butter for Specialty Baking: Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter. The higher fat percentage in European butters, like Kerrygold and Plugra, is ideal if you're working with pastries where the quality of your dough is directly effected by the quality of your butter.
Is Shortcake biscuit the same as shortbread? ›
Shortbread is similar to shortcake but doesn't include baking powder. Lots of rich butter gives shortbread a high fat content, resulting in a fine, crumbly texture. Shortcake and shortbread biscuits are delicious on their own, with fruit and cream, or simply topped with a delicate dusting of sugar.
Why is shortbread so tasty? ›
Shortbread tastes good because of butter, glorious butter. Few cookies fill your mouth the way shortbreads do. And the flavor! One bite of a real shortbread cookie, with its fine crumb and rich sweet taste, is confectionary ecstasy.
What are the qualities of a successful shortbread biscuit? ›
Recipe video above.
I'm a firm believer that shortbread cookies should be sinfully buttery and delectably tender. And these are, as great shortbread cookies should be, not that sweet, quite delicate and when you bite into them, they crumble softly, as demonstrated in the VIDEO!
Is powdered sugar or granulated sugar better for shortbread? ›
Takeaway: look for recipes that use granulated sugar for a more crisp-style shortbread and powdered sugar for a more tender shortbread!
Should butter be cold when making shortbread? ›
Always start with cold butter straight from the refrigerator. This will keep the dough from warming up, making it greasy and difficult to roll out. If the dough does get soft or sticky as you're rolling or cutting it, just put it back in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to chill the butter.
