Honey Almond Shortbread

Name: Honey Almond Shortbread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; ¼ cup (85 g) honey; 1½ cup (185 g) all-purpose flour; 1¼ cup (140 g) raw sliced almonds, raw, sliced (110g for dough, 30g for topping); ½ cup (55 g) finely ground almonds (almond flour), finely ground; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground cardamom, ground (optional); ⅛ tsp (1 g) fleur de sel or coarse sea salt, for sprinkling on top (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, buttery shortbread enriched with honey and roasted sliced almonds, with a whisper of cardamom. This Middle Eastern-inspired treat has a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture and subtle nuttiness. Simple to make, stunning to serve, and impossible to resist.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 24 shortbread pieces

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Steps

Before you start

Soften unsalted butter to room temperature (about 1 hour at room temperature, or cut into cubes and let sit for 30 minutes)
Measure all ingredients and have them ready before you begin
Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C)
Line an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper

1
Prepare oven and panOven 325°F / 165°C
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Line an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to overhang slightly on two adjacent sides for easy removal after baking.
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Ready when: Oven reaches temperature
Tip: Lining with parchment makes removal and clean cutting much easier.
2
Cream butter and honey
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter on medium speed using a stand mixer or hand mixer for about 1 minute until creamy.
- Add honey and continue beating for 2–3 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally, until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale—almost frosting-like in appearance.
- The texture should increase in volume slightly.
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Ready when: Mixture is light, fluffy, and pale with increased volume
Tip: Room-temperature butter creams much faster and creates a lighter, more tender shortbread.
3
Mix dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground almonds, sea salt, and ground cardamom (if using).
- Mix thoroughly for about 30 seconds so the salt and cardamom are evenly distributed throughout and no lumps remain.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Dry ingredients are evenly combined with no visible lumps
4
Combine wet and dry, add almonds
- Add the dry ingredient mixture to the creamed butter and honey.
- Using the mixer on low speed (or a wooden spoon if mixing by hand), mix just until the dough comes together—about 1–2 minutes.
- The dough will be crumbly at first but should hold together when squeezed.
- Fold in 110g of the sliced almonds using a spatula or wooden spoon, mixing gently until evenly distributed.
- Do not overmix; overworking develops gluten and makes the shortbread tough and dense.
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Ready when: Dough just comes together, crumbly but holds when squeezed, almonds distributed
Tip: Stop mixing as soon as everything is barely combined. Overmixing is the enemy of tender shortbread.
5
Press dough into pan
- Transfer the dough to the prepared 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) baking pan.
- Using a spatula, the bottom of a measuring cup, or your fingertips, press the dough firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- The layer should be about ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick and completely level with no gaps or thin spots.
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Ready when: Dough is level, evenly distributed, and fills the entire pan
Tip: Press firmly so the shortbread bakes into a cohesive piece that breaks cleanly into individual cookies.
6
Score and garnish
- Using a sharp chef's knife or pizza cutter, score the dough into 24 equal pieces.
- A 6×4 grid (6 rows × 4 columns) creates neat ½-inch × 1-inch (1.3×2.5 cm) rectangles, though you can also score into 24 small squares.
- Score only the surface—don't cut all the way through.
- Press the remaining 30g of sliced almonds onto the top of each piece, distributing them evenly.
- If desired, lightly sprinkle with fleur de sel or sea salt to enhance the honey and almond flavors.
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Ready when: Shortbread is scored into 24 pieces and topped with almonds
Tip: Score with a straight downward press rather than sawing back and forth, which can drag and tear the dough.
7
Bake until edges are goldenOven 325°F / 165°C
- Bake in the preheated 325°F (160°C) oven for 18–22 minutes.
- The edges should be light golden brown, while the center will still look quite pale—this is exactly what you want.
- The shortbread will firm up considerably as it cools.
- Begin checking at 18 minutes; if you see browning in the center, remove the pan immediately.
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Ready when: Edges are light golden brown, center is pale but set
Tip: Underbaking is better than overbaking. Shortbread continues to cook from residual heat after removal. Overbaking makes it hard and bitter.
8
Cool and cut into pieces
- Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack.
- Let the shortbread cool in the pan for about 5 minutes—it should be warm but firm enough to handle.
- While still warm but slightly set, use a sharp knife to re-cut cleanly along all the scored lines.
- This prevents shattering and ensures clean breaks.
- Return the pan to the rack and allow the shortbread to cool completely, about 20–25 minutes.
- Once fully cooled and firm, break apart along the cut lines.
- The shortbread should snap cleanly into individual pieces.
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Ready when: Fully cooled, firm, and pieces break cleanly along cut lines
Tip: Cutting while still warm prevents cracks and shattering. Once completely cool, it will be firm and snap cleanly.

Good to know

Tips

Room-temperature butter is essential—cold butter won't cream properly, resulting in a dense shortbread. If your kitchen is very warm, chill the mixer bowl and beaters in the freezer for 5 minutes before starting.
Never brown the shortbread. It should look almost pale when it comes out of the oven, with only the edges lightly golden. Overbaking even by 2–3 minutes makes it hard, dry, and bitter.
The honey adds moisture, richness, and subtle sweetness that white sugar cannot replicate. Don't substitute with regular granulated sugar or the texture will be dry and crumbly.
For a more pronounced cardamom flavor, increase to ½ teaspoon, but taste a tiny bit of the raw dough first to avoid overpowering the honey and almond.

Make ahead

The unbaked dough can be refrigerated in the pan, covered, for up to 1 day. Bake directly from the fridge, adding 2–3 minutes to the baking time. Baked shortbread keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Refrigerator: Airtight container for up to 2 weeks (shortbread may soften slightly). Freezer: Airtight container or freezer bag for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Do not reheat shortbread; it is best enjoyed at room temperature.

Substitutions

honey → Agave syrup or pure maple syrup. Use in equal amount. Agave produces a subtly less pronounced honey flavor; maple adds a gentle maple undertone. Avoid molasses or dark honeys, which can overpower the almonds.
finely ground almonds (almond flour) → Finely ground raw pistachios or walnuts. Use the same amount. Pistachios add an earthy note and a hint of color; walnuts create a slightly deeper, richer flavor. Both shift the Middle Eastern profile in interesting directions.
ground cardamom → Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, or omit entirely. Cinnamon adds warmth and spice; ginger adds slight heat. Omitting creates a simpler honey-almond shortbread without spice. Adjust to taste if using ginger (start with ⅛ tsp).
raw sliced almonds → Raw blanched sliced almonds, or use half sliced almonds and half raw pistachios. Blanched almonds are milder and more visually uniform; raw have a stronger almond flavor. Mixing with pistachios adds color and nutty complexity.