Traditional Scottish Shortbread Recipe Perfectly crumbly, irresistibly buttery and wonderfully delicious, Scottish Shortbread has been a year-round favorite treat for centuries!
Shortbread is as basic and simple as a cookie (biscuit) can get. But it’s also divinely delicious. And for that reason shortbread has been a favorite throughout the UK for hundreds of years.
The origin of shortbread goes back to somewhere around the 12th century when it was originally made from leftover bread-making dough that was left to dry out and harden into “biscuit bread.” Over time butter replaced the yeast and biscuit bread evolved into shortbread. The term “short” refers to the crumbly texture from the large quantity of butter. Butter was a luxury item and so shortbread was enjoyed only on special occasions and, of course, by the nobles and royals.
The more refined version of shortbread as we know it today is attributed to Scotland, in particular to Mary, Queen of Scots in the 16th century. She was particularly fond of what was known as Petticoat Tails, which was a thin shortbread baked in a large circle and cut into triangular segments. In her day the shortbread was commonly flavored with caraway seeds, which were all the rage in British baking for several centuries. In fact, the earliest published shortbread recipes from the 18th century were more elaborate than the standard shortbread today: They were baked with candied citrus peels and garnished with caraway comfits.
Traditionally Scottish shortbread is baked in either a rectangular or square slab and cut into fingers, as individual round biscuits, or in one large circle and cut into triangles. But you can cut them any shape you like and also use cookie stamps. I have and often use these cookie stamps, these ones, and these ones and love them all – excellent quality.
From our family vacation to Scotland last summer:Â Eilean Donan Castle
From our family vacation to Scotland last summer:Â Eilean Donan Castle
I’ve read a few claims that “traditional” Scottish shortbread is made with farola: “Scottish Shortbread is traditionally made with farola, a free-flowing cream coloured and fine granular powder or flour milled from durum wheat.”  But the oldest recipes I’ve researched do not, so this “tradition” may be a later/more contemporary one.
We’re making Scottish shortbread the traditional way with just 3 ingredients: Flour, Sugar and Butter. Well, and a tiny pinch of salt, too. Nothing else is needed, no fancy ingredients, no flavor enhancers. The key to a good Scottish shortbread is the quality of the butter. That is what flavors the shortbread and the shortbread is only as good as the butter.
That said, shortbread is also incredible if you want to add things like homemade candied ginger, homemade candied citrus peels, dried cranberries, rosemary, and anything else your imagination inspires you to try.
From our family vacation to Scotland last summer:Â View of Eilean Donan Castle from our vacation cottage.
Another key is using caster sugar. Not regular granulated sugar. Not powdered sugar. Caster sugar is very fine granulated sugar. Caster sugar is commonly used in British baking and it’s an all-around smarter choice than granulated. The reason is that the sugar crystals in granulated sugar are much larger and take longer to dissolve during baking and may not dissolve completely. Caster sugar dissolves more rapidly leaving a finer texture to the baked good.
Shortbread is very simple, very easy to make and once you’ve made it yourself there will be no need to buy it again!
Before we get started, if you want to take your shortbread to the next several flavor levels, try our traditional Scottish Millionaire’s Shortbread. With layers of shortbread, caramel and chocolate it is the ultimate indulgence!
Traditional Scottish Shortbread Recipe
Let’s get started!
You can either buy caster sugar (it’s overpriced) or make you’re own, which is what I do. Super easy: Just put the sugar in a blender or coffee/spice grinder and pulse until it’s very fine.
Place the caster sugar, flour, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse until it’s combined and looks like coarse breadcrumbs but is soft and pliable and comes together in a dough when you press it together between your fingers. If it’s too dry and crumbly it needs to be pulsed a bit longer.
At this point stir in any add-ins if using (candied ginger, candied citrus peel, herbs, nuts, etc.)
Pour the mixture into a greased 8×8 inch (shortbread roughly 3/4 inch thick) or a 9×9 inch (shortbread about 1/2 inch thick) baking pan. You can also use a round cake pan.  Use your fingers and hands to firmly press down the mixture.
Optional: Prick the shortbread with the tines of a fork, creating rows. Some people run a knife between each row of fork tines to make cutting the shortbread easier after it’s baked. That’s optional, too.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Place the shortbread on the middle rack and bake for 30-35 minutes or until light golden and firm. Let cool. Cut and serve.
Store the shortbread in an airtight container for up to several weeks. Its flavor and texture improves over time.
Enjoy!
For more delicious British treats try our:
- Treacle Tart
- Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Spotted Dick
- Eccles Cakes
- Yorkshire Parkin
- Bara Brith (Welsh Tea Bread)
- Barmbrack (Irish Tea Bread)
- Mincemeat
- Mincemeat Pie
- Lemon Curd
- Victoria Sponge Cake
And learn how to make your own Golden Syrup!
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Traditional Scottish Shortbread
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 sticks (230 grams) quality unsalted butter , cubed and softened at room temperature (the better the butter, the better the shortbread)
- 1/2 cup (120 grams) caster sugar , or "baker's sugar" in the U.S. (if you can't find any simply pulse granulated sugar in a blender until very fine. Do NOT use powdered sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Optional Add-Ins:
- Homemade Candied Ginger (click link for recipe)
- Homemade Candied Citrus Peel (click link for recipe)
- Other options include nuts, fresh herbs, dried cranberries, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 8x8 or 9x9 inch square baking pan. You can also use a round cake can and cut the shortbread into triangles.
- Place the caster sugar, flour, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse until it's combined and looks like coarse breadcrumbs but is soft and pliable and comes together in a dough when you press it together between your fingers. If it's too dry and crumbly it needs to be pulsed a bit longer. (If using any add-ins, stir them in at this point.)Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan. Use your fingers and hands to firmly press down the mixture. Note: If the mixture is too dry to work with, including pricking with a fork (see below), then it was not pulsed long enough in the food processor. Optional: Prick the shortbread with the tines of a fork, creating rows. Some people also like run a knife between each row of fork tines to make cutting the shortbread easier after it's baked. You can also prick the shortbread with a fork immediately after it is done baking while it is still warm; the holes will be more pronounced this way as they have a tendency to close during baking.
- Place the shortbread on the middle rack and bake for 30-35 minutes or until light golden and firm. Let cool. Cut and serve.Store the shortbread in an airtight container for up to several weeks. Its flavor and texture improves over time. Â
Nutrition
Emily Duffy says
Kimberly, thx for a delicious recipe! Question: I was in Scotland a few years ago. We stopped for cookies/tea at a bake sale of homemade treats. I didn’t have the opportunity to talk w the baker, but my favorite cookie, best described as a sandy textured, toasted coconut center covered in chocolate. Incredible! Does that sound like any scottish recipe you know? Would love to reproduce. Don’t know what it’s called. Thx much
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Emily! The sandy texture sounds like it was probably shortbread. I’ve had shortbread cookies where half is dipped in chocolate and then sprinkled with toasted coconut before it dries but I haven’t had any with a coconut center. You may be able to replicate the flavor, or at least achieve something similar, by following what I described. Use this recipe to make shortbread cookies (either cut the shortbread out in rounds with cookie cutters or make them into bars/fingers), once cooled dip half of the cookie in chocolate, sprinkle with toasted coconut and let set. (I’d use sweetened desiccated coconut and dry-toast it in a dry pan until golden.)
Faye says
These sound like coconut macaroons to me
http s://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1783633/coconut-macaroons
Jennifer Perrey says
That might also have been Scottish macaroons, they contain potatoes as well as toasted coconut. Do a google search for the recipe. They are different from regular macaroons.
Aleksa says
Wonderful recipe, letting the flavour of the ingredients shine through. Also hello first time poster waves enthusiastically.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Aleksa, thank you!
akapace says
What a perfect version of this. I do not have a food processor and was able to achieve a great crumb blending this by hand ( similar to a biscuit recipe). I was able to make the caster sugar in a nutribullet.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m glad you enjoyed it, akapace, thanks for the feedback!
Carol Bell says
I am born and raised in Scotland and seeing this post and pictures has been a walk down memory lane for me. I have been making shortbread for many years and it is delicious !!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for sharing, Carol. We covered quite a lot of Scotland on this last trip and were blessed with the most exceptional weather and blue skies I’ve experienced in Scotland. It was an unusually warm early summer throughout the UK in general. I lived in England for 7 years and we frequently took trips to Scotland, but this was my first time going with my husband and children and it was such a wonderful trip. Scotland is breathtaking and we’re really looking forward to going back again.
2pots2cook says
Happy to say we enjoyed shortbread in beautiful Scotland and I truly thank you for the recipe; now, I can make it on my own :-)
Sommer says
Can’t wait to give this a try!
Chrissie Baker says
Made these today and they turned out perfect! Love it. Thanks for sharing the recipe. 🙂
Toffeeapple says
Oh dear, I am not going to Scotland this year so I might have to make some…
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m sorry you won’t be taking your usual holiday, Toffeeapple, but hope that this homemade shortbread will provide some solace <3 We're visiting the UK again this spring/summer but no Scotland this time for us either. We can commiserate together over a plate of shortbread ;) This time it's England and South Wales. Excited :)
Toffeeapple says
That sounds like a plan. We will be going back to France for a little while, we didn’t get there last year as we had two trips to Scotland. Enjoy your visit.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
France is also on our itinerary for this trip. A quick excursion through Ghent, Brussels and Amsterdam and then a week in Normandy and Brittany. Then back up to England and South Wales for two weeks. Which area of France are you visiting?
Valentina says
Love this shortbread recipe!
Jenn says
These look straight out of a box professional! Loving this scottish shortbread recipe – thank you!
Julie Blanner says
Looks like you had an amazing trip! I can’t wait to make this!
Allyson Zea says
I love this so much! Even my kids like helping me make it!
Dee says
This looks so amazing! Definite must-have with my family
Demeter says
We usually make these around the holidays but maybe I need to add them into our regualar rotation. They’re so good!
Erin says
I love shortbread and this version is delicious!