Scottish Shortbread
If there’s one smell that takes me back to growing up in the home that housed Granny’s baking, it is shortbread. Alongside her Empire Biscuits, Shortbread is one of the recipes that Granny is best known for. Delightfully Scottish, these sweet buttery biscuits are what dreams are made of. And let me tell you, Granny…
If there’s one smell that takes me back to growing up in the home that housed Granny’s baking, it is shortbread. Alongside her Empire Biscuits, Shortbread is one of the recipes that Granny is best known for. Delightfully Scottish, these sweet buttery biscuits are what dreams are made of. And let me tell you, Granny has got the art of Shortbread mastered!
Possibly my favourite thing about Shortbread is just how versatile it can be. Be it cut into a variety of shapes; circles, fingers, petticoat tails, hearts…you can literally dress them up for any occasion! Or there’s the option of adding a little something extra; chocolate chips, ginger or Granny’s favourite of raisins soak in orange juice & drained, with some dark chocolate chips through them too. Shortbread can be dressed up (or down!) for whatever your needs. It’s even something that I have considered as wedding favours, when that day finally comes.
The best part about Granny’s Shortbread and what sets it apart from most other recipes is just how tried and tested it is. It’s crumbly, it’s buttery, it holds it shape and it’s oh-so sweet. Look no further folks, this is all the shortbread knowledge you will ever need!
More Scottish Shortbread Recipes:
• Petticoat Tail Shortbread
• Highlander Shortbread
• Chocolate Orange Shortbread
• Tantallon Cakes
Scottish Shortbread
PRINT RECIPEINGREDIENTS
- 150 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)
- 300 g Butter or Block Margarine (at room temperature)
- 400 g Plain Flour (All-purpose Flour)
- 50 g Cornflour (Corn Startch)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 180°c (160°c for a fan assisted oven) or Gas Mark 3 and grease a couple of baking trays with a little butter.
- Cream together the butter & sugar in a large bowl until it becomes light & fluffy.
- Sift in your flour & cornflour and mix to form a stiff dough. Tip the dough onto a floured worktop and gently knead until smooth.
- Roll your dough to around 1cm thick and cut into your desired shapes. Transfer each shortbread to your pre-greased baking trays and prick each one with a fork on top.
- Bake in your pre-heated oven for around 15-20 minutes until the edges of the shortbread are golden.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle a little sugar over each shortbread. Leave to cool on their tray for around 10 minutes before transferring 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.
Amy, the recipe says pre-heat the oven at 180c but then later it says bake at 160c, which temperature is it? Also could the cornflour be replaced with semolina or ground rice?
Regards……Maria
The 160 degree temp is for a convection oven!
Hi, thanks for recipe can you use unsalted butter.
Thank you
You can use unsalted butter just add a little pinch of salt;)
I don’t understand what the hell im doing- I’m following this to a t and still my dough is waaayy to soft to even handle let alone cut shapes from.
Try putting your dough in fridge. Had same problem as house was warm ,so butter got too soft.
Only takes 10 minutes
Delicious shortbread. Recipe was spot on. I kept mine in oven for a few more minutes to get quite brown as that’s my personal preference. A Scottish taste sensation!
First time I’ve ever made shortbread. So many recipes about but I’ve tried other recipes from this site that have been great so went with this recipe.
It didn’t disappoint. Easy to follow. Mine needed to cook for around 10 mins longer but tasted amazing