Shortbread Recipe
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Shortbread is one of Mama’s favorite cookies ever. It’s the perfect cookie recipe to share in our 12 Days of Cookies series, I think. It’s perfect for making to keep on hand throughout the holiday season and always makes a cherished gift when given to friends, family, teachers, and neighbors.
As a little girl, I remember Mama stocking up on Walker’s shortbread whenever our local grocery store, the Jitney Jungle, had it through the holidays. She kept it on the top shelf of our pantry as her special cookies when guests were over. I remember its placement especially because it was out of my reach even when I drug over a stool from the counter and tried to climb high enough to reach them.
But, at Christmas, she would also make shortbread from time to time. To me, it tasted better than any shortbread I ever tasted. Each buttery, crumbly bite was better than the next it seemed.
I still love to go into the kitchen with Mama during the holidays and make shortbread. It makes the perfect little nibble to enjoy with a warm cup of tea or coffee on these chilly afternoons. Dunking each cookie or wedge makes for a special treat.
I think you might just love it, too. You can easily make our shortbread recipe into wedges as shown or rolled and sliced into individual cookies. Either way, they always turn out delicious each time we make them.
Here’s our Shortbread recipe. It is a classic in my family.
Shortbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) salted butter, , softened + extra to butter the pan
- 3/4 cup (85 g) confectioner’s sugar, whisked
- 1 teaspoon (1 g) kosher salt
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300º F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch tart pan. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until it is smooth and well-combined, not fluffy, about 3 minutes on medium speed with an electric mixer.
- Add flour and salt to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until just combined.
- Press shortbread dough into the bottom of tart pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and pat the dough until it is smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the refrigerator and cut a hole in the center of the dough with a small round cookie cutter, approximately 1-inch in diameter. Discard the round.
- Cut dough into wedges and prick the dough all over with a large bamboo skewer. Bake for 1 hour or until the shortbread is firm has turned a golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan before removing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
This is THE best recipe for shortbread in my 40+ years of making it for Christmas. DELICIOUS 😋
Thank you so much, Patsy. I’m happy you love this recipe. It is a favorite in my family.
I’ve made this 4 times. First time followed recipe. 2nd time added vanilla extract. 3rd time I was planning to double the recipe got distracted didn’t double the flour. Oops! Lol made this again tonight added strawberry extract.
Trish Cuttone, I was wondering if you would be willing to share your Scottish aunts recipe? I have been trying to find an old fashioned family recipe for many years. The cookies I’ve had were rolled into balls then dipped in confectioner’s sugar. They were kind of soft in the middle. I’ve asked a few different people for their recipe over the years, but I’ve never been able to get it from anyone.?
I would be so very grateful if you, or someone out there, would share their family recipe with me. It’s for my personal use, to make for the Holidays. I love to bake and this has always been one of my favorites that I have never been able to duplicate. Thank you so much!
Robyn, I love you and all of your recipes…I look forward to them everyday!
Thank you and Happy Holidays!?
I make shortbread from my Scottish aunts recipe. It is a little different recipe then yours, but I do know why you cut out the center. The dough would rise in the center just like when you prepare a pie shell. I make my shortbread on a cookie sheet and poke holes in it with a fork to keep it from rising.
This is the exact recipe my sister uses to make her shortbread. I leave the baking to her cause she is the best and we all benefit. The mail lady especially is appreciative 😉
Nothing quite like a tasty, buttery shortbread cookie and a cup of good British tea. Thanks for the reminder of something to look forward to this Christmas.
Thanks so much, Barb. So sweet of your sister to share her love of baking! I always look forward to shortbread, too!
I only have an 8 inch cake pan…..what would be the bake time adjustment?
Just took a bite of fresh baked shortbread, it is sooo good. Thank you for sharing your recipe. The cutout center part filled-in while baking, did I do something wrong?
Betty, I don’t think this would hold up for cookies.
hi Robyn, does this recipe do well if I roll out the dough and cut with cookie cutters?
I absolutely adore shortbread. I’d love to try this recipe.
Shortbread is one of my most favorite things, ever! Love that it was something special you shared with your Mama. Thanks for sharing! 🙂