Shortbread Cookies

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).

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

World’s Easiest BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies Anzac Cookies Ricciarelli (Italian almond cookies)

And more 3 Ingredient Desserts!

3 ingredient Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars 3 ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies 1 ingredient Dulce de Leche – Slow Cooker Caramel Parmesan Shortbread Biscuit (3 ingredients) Chocolate Covered Strawberries 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!

Originally published August 2017, updated March 2019 with steps photos and some housekeeping matters. No change to recipe – perfect as is!