CookiesScottishEasy

Classic Scottish Shortbread Cookies

Name: Classic Scottish Shortbread Cookies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) (227 g) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into 1-inch pieces; ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar, sifted; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract (optional); 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch; ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt; 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Buttery, crisp-tender shortbread rounds made with just butter, flour, powdered sugar and salt. Powdered sugar and a little cornstarch give a fine, sandy crumb that melts on the tongue.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 1 hr 5 min
Total: 1 hr 55 min
Makes: About 24 cookies (2-inch / 5 cm rounds)

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Steps

Before you start

Take the butter out about 1 hour ahead: it should be softened but still cool (about 65°F / 18°C), so a finger press leaves a dent without sliding in.
Weigh the flour if you can. Scooping flour with a cup packs it and makes dry, crumbly dough.
Plan for about 2 hours in total, including 30 minutes of dough chilling, 15 minutes of chilling the cut cookies and 20 minutes of cooling.
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

1
Cream butter and sugar
- In a stand mixer with the paddle (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the softened butter and sifted powdered sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stop and scrape the bowl once.
- Beat in the vanilla, if using, for 10 seconds.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale, smooth and fluffy, with no visible lumps of butter.
Tip: Don't overbeat. Too much air makes the cookies spread and lose their shape.
2
Mix in flour
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch and salt.
- Add this to the butter mixture in two additions.
- Mix on low speed after each addition until just combined.
- The dough will look crumbly, like wet sand, but should hold together when pinched.
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Ready when: No dry flour is visible, and a pinch of dough holds together.
Tip: If the dough stays too crumbly to hold together, knead it with your hands for 15 seconds. The warmth of your hands will bring it together.
3
Shape and chill
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a flat disc about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
- Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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Ready when: Dough is firm but not rock hard.
4
Preheat, roll and cutOven 325°F / 165°C
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) with a rack in the center.
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment (or on a lightly floured surface) to ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
- Cut 2-inch (5 cm) rounds and place them 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the lined baking sheets.
- Gather and re-roll the scraps once.
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Ready when: Dough is an even ¼ inch thick, with clean-edged rounds.
Tip: If the dough gets soft and sticky while you work, slide it onto a tray and chill it for 10 minutes.
5
Chill the cut cookies
- Prick each cookie 3 or 4 times with a fork.
- Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar, if using.
- Refrigerate the baking sheets for 15 minutes while the oven finishes heating.
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Ready when: Cookies feel firm to the touch.
6
BakeOven 325°F / 165°C
- Bake both sheets at 325°F (160°C) for 18 to 20 minutes.
- Switch the sheets between the racks and rotate them front to back halfway through.
- Take the cookies out when the edges are a pale golden color and the tops still look pale and matte.
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Ready when: Edges are pale golden, with tops dry and matte but barely colored.
Tip: Shortbread should not brown on top. Overbaking makes it bitter and hard.
7
Cool completely
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, since they are fragile while hot.
- Then move them to a wire rack to cool completely, about 15 more minutes.
- They crisp up as they cool.
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Ready when: Cookies are crisp and snap cleanly when fully cool.

Good to know

Tips

Use good butter. With so few ingredients, the butter flavor is the cookie.
For even baking, roll the dough to a consistent thickness. Rolling between parchment sheets and using rolling-pin guides helps.
For a no-roll option, press the dough into a 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan, prick it and cut it into wedges. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 35 to 40 minutes.
Bake cookies of the same size together so they finish at the same time.

Make ahead

The dough can be refrigerated, wrapped tightly, for up to 3 days. It can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and let it stand 10 minutes before rolling.

Storage & reheating

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months, layered with parchment, and thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. To refresh, warm at 300°F (150°C) for 3 to 5 minutes and cool on a rack.

Substitutions

cornstarch → white rice flour. Use the same weight. This is the traditional choice and gives a slightly sandier crumb.
unsalted butter → salted butter. Use salted butter and reduce the fine sea salt to ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g).
pure vanilla extract → finely grated lemon zest. Use 1 teaspoon of zest, added with the butter and sugar, for a bright flavor.
powdered sugar → superfine (caster) sugar. Use 70 g (⅓ cup). The texture will be slightly crisper and less delicate.