Scottish Shortbread
Traditional Scottish Shortbread recipe made with just a handful of simple ingredients to create a rich, buttery biscuit with a beautifully crumbly texture. Perfect with a cup of tea, for gifting at Christmas, or simply enjoying as a classic homemade Scottish treat.
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Servings: 12
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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