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Traditional Scottish Shortbread

By Kimberly Killebrew
Perfectly crumbly, irresistibly buttery and wonderfully delicious, Scottish Shortbread has been a favorite treat for centuries!
5 from 294 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine British, Scottish
Servings 18 pieces
Calories 162 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup quality unsalted butter , cubed and softened at room temperature (the better the butter, the better the shortbread)
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar , or "baker's sugar" in the U.S. (if you can't find it 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 flour, butter, caster sugar and salt 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.
    Prick the shortbread with the tines of a fork, creating rows.  You can also like run a knife between each row of fork tines to make cutting the shortbread easier after it's baked. Another option is to prick the shortbread with a fork immediately after it is done baking while it is still warm; this way the holes will be more pronounced 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. Remove from the oven and sprinkle lightly with caster sugar or granulated sugar. Let cool. Cut and serve.
    Store the shortbread in an airtight container in a cool place (not the fridge) for up to several weeks.  Its flavor and texture improves over time.  

Nutrition

Serving: 1shortbread fingerCalories: 162kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 1gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 154mgPotassium: 17mgSugar: 5gVitamin A: 315IUCalcium: 5mgIron: 0.6mg
Keyword Shortbread
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