Scottish Shortbread
My traditional Scottish Shortbread recipe is made with just a handful of ingredients for a rich, buttery biscuit with the perfect texture. A true Scottish baking classic, it’s easy to make and perfect for enjoying with a cuppa, gifting at Christmas, or sharing with family & friends all year round.
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Traditional Scottish Shortbread
If there’s one recipe that instantly takes me back to growing up around my Mum’s baking, it’s her traditional Scottish Shortbread. Alongside her famous Empire Biscuits, it’s one of the recipes she’s best known for and one she’s been making (and perfecting!) for literal decades. Made with just a handful of simple ingredients, these buttery Scottish biscuits have the iconic crumbly texture and are actually surprisingly easy to bake at home.
While every Scottish family seems to have their own version of shortbread, this is ours.
It’s the same recipe I’ve both watched Mum make and made myself more times than I can count. It always makes an appearance at birthdays, weddings, Christmases and countless cups of tea over the years. And it, of course, features in my debut cookbook, Scottish Bakes, alongside my other shortbread recipes, Highlander Shortbread and Petticoat Tail Shortbread. In fact, the smell of shortbread baking in the oven is enough to transport me straight back to my childhood!
More Than Just a Biscuit
One of my favourite things about Scottish Shortbread is just how versatile it is.
Whether you shape it into traditional fingers, rounds or petticoat tails, or use shaped cookie cutters, it’s a recipe that can be adapted for almost any occasion or celebration, especially Burns Night, St Andrew’s Day and Hogmanay. It’s even something I considered having as wedding favours – a popular choice here in Scotland, alongside little bags of Scottish Tablet!
I also like to mix things up from time to time by adding chocolate or nuts, orange or lemon zest… In fact, my Chocolate and Orange Shortbread and zesty Tantallon Cakes are another couple of popular butter shortbread favourites here on Baking with Granny.
Butter vs Margarine in Shortbread
If you look at traditional Scottish Shortbread recipes, you’ll often find butter listed as the fat of choice. Historically, that was undoubtedly the case. But like many traditional recipes, shortbread has evolved over the years depending on what ingredients were available and affordable.
Generally, my Mum would try to use butter when making shortbread if money allowed. But over the years, I’ve made it with both butter and block margarine, and I can honestly say that both produce delicious results. Modern block margarines are also much closer to butter than they used to be, making them an excellent choice for baking (and my preference in many recipes). They also tend to be a little more budget-friendly, without too much compromise on texture or flavour, especially when there’s a good amount of sugar, like in Scottish Shortbread.
It’s also worth remembering that most shop-bought shortbread is not made with butter. A lot of big brands and supermarket-own shortbread biscuits are made using vegetable fats or butter blends, which is why the more premium and expensive versions will be labelled obviously with “all-butter shortbread”.
So whether you choose butter or block margarine, you’ll end up with a delicious homemade Scottish Shortbread. If you love the richness of butter, go for it. If you’re looking for a more economical option that’s been tried and tested, block margarine works well too.
A Recipe That’s Been Tried and Tested
What really sets my Scottish Shortbread apart is how thoroughly it’s been tested over the years. The perfect balance of butter, sugar, and flour gives rich, buttery shortbread that’s also deliciously sweet & crumbly, yet sturdy enough to hold its shape.
It’s a traditional Scottish Shortbread recipe that has been baked, shared, and enjoyed by our family for decades, and one I’m delighted to share with yours now too!
Top Tips for homemade Shortbread:
- Use Butter or Block Margarine: My shortbread recipe relies on the fat from butter or a high-fat/low-water block margarine for its rich flavour and bitey texture, so for the best results avoid using a spreadable margarine from a tub.
- Don’t Overwork the Dough: Mix it just until everything comes together. Overmixing causes the gluten in the flour to start developing, which will make your shortbread less crumbly and less melt-in-the-mouth.
- Chill Before Baking (if needed): If your kitchen is particularly warm or your dough feels too soft, pop it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before baking to help it keep its shape.
- Prick with a Fork: Those little fork marks aren’t just decorative! They help steam escape while baking, as well as giving that traditional Scottish Shortbread appearance.
- Don’t Overbake: Good shortbread should stay pale with just the slightest hint of golden colour around the edges. Don’t worry if it still looks underbaked – it will continue to firm up as it cools.
- A Spoonful of Sugar: For a truly traditional finish, sprinkle over a little extra caster sugar while the shortbread is still warm. Not only does it add a little more sweetness, but it also adds to the texture.
- Leave to Cool Before Moving: Fresh from the oven, shortbread can be very delicate. Let it cool on the tray until it’s firm enough to handle without breaking.
Scottish Shortbread Recipes:
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Scottish Shortbread
INGREDIENTS
- 75 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)
- 150 g Block Margarine or Butter (at room temperature)
- 200 g Plain Flour (All-purpose Flour)
- 25 g Cornflour (Corn Starch)
EQUIPMENT
- Fork
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 180°c (160°c for a fan-assisted oven, Gas Mark 4 or 350°F). Grease a couple of baking sheets with a little excess butter/margarine and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter/margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Sift in your flour and cornflour, mixing until a stiff dough starts to form. Use your hands if needed. Turn the dough onto a floured worktop and gently knead until smooth.
- Roll your dough to around 5mm-1cm (¼-½ inch) thick and cut into your desired shapes. Transfer each biscuit to your prepared baking sheets and prick the tops with a fork.
- Bake in your preheated oven for around 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops appear dry.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle a little sugar over each shortbread biscuit. Leave to cool on the baking sheet until cool enough to touch, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won’t always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
NOTES
Storage:
Store your Scottish Shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. It actually tastes even better after a day or two, once the flavours have had a chance to develop (hard to believe it is even possible, I know!).Freezing:
For the best results, I would recommend freezing your shortbread dough, as opposed to the baked biscuits. Simply wrap the dough in cling film, then tin foil and keep in your freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, simply remove the dough from the freezer and allow it to defrost at room temperature, before using as normal.Substitutions:
- Butter or Margarine: This recipe works well with either butter or block margarine. Butter gives a richer flavour, while block margarine creates a slightly lighter texture. Avoid using spreadable margarine from a tub, as it contains too much water and can affect the end result.
- Sugar: I would recommend using caster sugar when making shortbread as the finer sugar crystals disperse nicely in the dough. Golden caster sugar is a nice alternative which gives a more caramel flavour. You can use granulated sugar in a pinch.
- Cornflour: My Mum has always used cornflour in her shortbread recipe, but I do know some families prefer to use riceflour.
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Tag @bakingwithgranny or use the hashtag #bakingwithgranny!Frequently Asked Questions:
Scottish Shortbread is a traditional Scottish biscuit made from just a few simple ingredients – butter (or block margarine), sugar and flour. Unlike many other biscuits, it doesn’t contain eggs or raising agents, giving it a signature richness, buttery flavour and delicate, crumbly texture. It’s a classic Scottish bake that’s enjoyed all year round but is especially popular at celebrations like St Andrew’s Day and Hogmanay.
The word “short” in baking refers to a crumbly, bitey texture. The high proportion of butter or margarine coats the flour, preventing too much gluten from developing and creating the characteristic melt-in-the-mouth texture that makes Scottish Shortbread so irresistible.
Yes! This recipe works well with either butter or block margarine. Butter gives a richer flavour, while block margarine creates a slightly lighter texture and is often a more budget-friendly option. Just be sure to avoid using spreadable margarine from a tub, as it contains too much water.
There are countless versions of Scottish Shortbread, and different families have their own traditions. Some recipes use rice flour for a slightly sandy texture, while others, like my family’s recipe, use cornflour to create a lighter, more delicate crumb that melts in your mouth. Neither is more “traditional” than the other-– it’s simply a matter of personal preference and family tradition.
Traditional Scottish Shortbread should still be quite pale when it’s ready. Look for just the slightest hint of golden colour around the edges, while the middle remains light in colour. It will still feel soft when it comes out of the oven but will firm up as it cools, creating that perfect crumbly texture.
If your Scottish Shortbread has spread more than you’d expect, the dough was likely too warm before baking, or a spreadable margarine was used instead of butter or block margarine. If your kitchen is particularly warm, chilling the dough before rolling or chilling shaped dough for 20-30 minutes before baking can help it hold its shape as it bakes.
Free-from & Vegan:
Gluten-free Options:
To make this a gluten-free shortbread recipe, you can simply use a gluten-free plain flour. These can be slightly drier than wheat flour, so add it gradually or hold back on the cornflour, adding only if you feel it needs a little more flour for the dough to come together.
Nut-free Adjustments:
This recipe contains no nuts, but as always, be sure to double-check the allergen lists for your individual ingredients.
Dairy-free Swaps:
To make this recipe dairy-free, simply use your favourite dairy-free block margarine in place of the butter. Be sure to avoid spreadable varieties, as they contain too much water and can affect the finished texture.
Egg-Free Adaptions:
This recipe contains no eggs, but as always, be sure to double-check the allergen lists for your individual ingredients.
Vegan Substitutions:
As above, to make this recipe dairy-free and vegan, simply use your favourite dairy-free block margarine in place of the butter. Be sure to avoid spreadable varieties, as they contain too much water and can affect the finished texture.
Allergy Disclaimer & Resources:
Any advice or suggestions to make recipes “free-from” or vegan are purely suggestions. Please double-check all packaged ingredients individually, taking extra caution when baking for those with allergies or intolerances.
For official guidance on food allergies, please see Food Standards Agency (food.gov.uk) | For more info on coeliac disease, please see Coeliac UK (coeliac.org.uk) | For more info on a vegan diet, please see The Vegan Society (vegansociety.com)
