Shortbread Cookies
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The rich, buttery goodness of shortbread cookies is hard to beat.
Buttery, crisp, and just sweet enough, classic shortbread cookies are beloved for their crumbly texture and rich flavor. They are so named because the dough is made with a large amount of butter, which gives the cookies a “short” or crumbly texture. (In the old days, “short” meant crumbly, and the related word “shortening” refers to the fat used to make crumbly pastry.) Originally from Scotland, shortbread is often baked in rounds that resemble the sun and then cut into wedges, but it can also be baked in a square pan and cut into rectangular “fingers.” And if you’re looking to mix things up a bit and catering to nut-lovers, these buttery pecan shortbread cookies are also a lovely option for holiday baking.
These shortbread cookies, adapted from King Arthur Flour, are traditionally served on the winter solstice, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. Once cut, the cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to a month, making them a wonderful treat to bake and give away during the holiday season (or anytime you’re feeling generous, à la Ted Lasso).
“Amazing. Simple. Simply amazing.”
What You’ll Need To Make Shortbread Cookies
- Butter: Provides richness and flavor to the shortbread.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Sweetens the shortbread and helps create its delicate crumb texture. Sometimes granulated sugar is used in shortbread, but I prefer confectioners’ sugar as it gives the cookies a softer, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a warm and aromatic flavor to the cookies.
- Almond Extract: Infuses a subtle nutty flavor that complements the other ingredients.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the dough, providing structure and stability to the shortbread.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In the bowl of a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
Beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
Add the flour.
Beat on low speed until the dough comes together in a cohesive mass.
Divide the dough in half (if you have a scale, each half will weigh about 10.5 oz) and place each half in a greased, parchment-lined, 8-inch round cake pan.
Dust your hands with flour and press each half into an even layer in the prepared pans. To smooth the surface, place a piece of plastic wrap over the dough and smooth with your hands. Use a fork to prick the dough all over in 1-inch intervals. This allows the steam to escape while the shortbread bakes.
Bake the shortbread in a 300°F oven until it’s a light golden brown across the top surface, and a deeper golden brown around the edges, about 35 minutes. Shortbread should be baked low and slow so that it doesn’t take on much color in the oven. It should remain pale on top and turn slightly golden around the edges.
Remove the pans from the oven, and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
Run a blunt knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the shortbread, and then carefully turn each round out of the pans, using your hand to gently lower the shortbread onto a cutting board.
Using a sharp knife, cut each round into 8 or 10 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still warm; otherwise, it won’t cut easily and will crumble.)
Let the shortbread cool on the cutting board, and then store in an airtight container.
I really enjoy classic shortbread as it’s delicious on its own, but there are also options for bringing a subtle twist to the flavor profile. For a bit of brightness, you might add lemon or orange zest, or for a hint of warmth, try cinnamon. Another way to enhance shortbread is by dipping it in melted chocolate or adding a light dusting of festive sprinkles or coarse sugar before baking, giving it just a touch of flair without taking away from its buttery simplicity.
Make-Ahead, Freezing & Storage Instructions
Shortbread cookies last nicely for up to a month stored in an airtight container at room temperature. This long shelf life makes them ideal for Christmas cookies because they can be enjoyed for weeks after the holidays. And either the dough or the baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze the dough, shape it into 2 disks, wrap each securely in plastic wrap, and freeze in a sealable bag. When you’re ready to bake, thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator. To freeze after baking, layer the cookies in an airtight container between sheets of parchment paper or aluminum foil. Thaw the cookies at room temperature before serving.
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Scottish Shortbread
The rich, buttery goodness of shortbread cookies is hard to beat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Lightly grease two round 8-in cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pans with parchment rounds, and then spray again.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the flour beat on low speed until the dough comes together in a cohesive mass.
- Divide the dough in half (if you have a scale, each half will weigh about 10.5 oz). Dust your hands with flour and press each half into an even layer in the prepared pans, dusting your hands with more flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking. To smooth the surface, place a piece of plastic wrap over the dough and smooth with your hands. Use a fork to prick the dough all over in 1-inch intervals to allow steam to escape while the shortbread bakes.
- Bake the shortbread until it's a light golden brown across the top surface, and a deeper golden brown around the edges, about 35 minutes.
- Remove the pans from the oven, and let cool on a rack for about 10 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the shortbread, and then carefully turn each round out of the pans, using your hand to gently lower the shortbread onto a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut each round into 8 or 10 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still warm; otherwise, it won't cut easily and will crumble.) Transfer the shortbread wedges to a rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month, or freeze for longer storage.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The shortbread dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. After mixing, shape the dough into 2 disks, wrap each securely in plastic wrap, and place them in a sealable bag. Thaw overnight before baking. To freeze the shortbread after baking, store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 wedge
- Calories: 152
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Cholesterol: 24 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Absolutely delicious. I’ve made it twice now even though each time, I baked it for 45 minutes cos it barely looked done at the recommended 35 minute mark. It came out perfectly each time so no complaints here.
hi i wanna try this but can i also make chocolate version? if yes, how to make it? please help thanks
Hi Aya, I don’t think these could easily be converted to chocolate without several tweaks in the recipe. You may want to look specifically for a chocolate shortbread recipe, or you could dip a portion of the cut shortbread into some chocolate like in this macaroon recipe. Hope that helps!
Super easy and just delicious. I followed it exactly. Thank you!
Delish and super easy thank you!
What a lovely recipe – taste and smell are amazing! I baked mine for several mins longer, as I wanted a very crunchy cookie. I have not made shortbread in some time, and I far prefer this recipe over the ones I made in years past. I particularly liked the way the cookies are pricked with a fork and cut into wedges.
This recipe is a keeper!
Wonderful. I’m a Scottish shortbread junkie and have tried many recipes but the texture of these cannot be beat. I used regular flour but will splurge for king Arthur next time to see if it makes a difference. I agree with another reviewer below that inclusion of the almond extract may mask the flavor of the vanilla so next time I’ll leave it out but the flavor was wonderful nevertheless. Sinful, buttery goodness.
I plan to make this recipe for this Easter. Knowing that my daughter favorite thing in the whole world is the twix bar. I tested out the recipe last night. I cooked the shortbread in a square pan for the shortbread tradition shape. cooled them for awhile added the melted carmels and then the chocolate. they were teriffic. I am sure they will be a big hit at Easter,
Oh my goodness – I just finished baking these, and cannot stop eating!
I became vegan 4 years ago, and I tried a “vegan” shortbread recipe that was not – how shall I say – very tasty. (I think I ended up throwing it out!) Shortbread relies on the flavour of butter, and there is no vegan substitute.
But this recipe! Absolutely scrumptious, and I can once again eat delicious shortbread!
My pre-vegan go-to recipe had no flavouring other than the butter, and was excellent, but this is a fantastic substitute. Thank you so much for sharing this!
PS: I used Becel brand vegan margarine, and while it’s very very good, it’s not butter. And thanks to you, it doesn’t have to be:)
I love shortbread. This is one of the best recipes I have seen. The only thing I do differently is to make it thicker. Yes, you get fewer servings, but who is counting servings? It’s all for me anyway LOL.
Easy to make, wonderful to eat. I love it!!
I used to bake all the time. I’ve become disabled and I don’t bake as much as I used to. I always had King Arthur Flour, as well as regular white flour on hand. Recently, I told my husband to toss them and we’d buy some each week to makes were what we had was fresh. He mentioned my Shortbread, which he loves, and I have only white flour on hand. I always used the King Arthur recipe and didn’t know if it would work if I used the regular flour. Now I know! Thank you so much! I’m going to make it in a few minutes!
Hope you enjoy!