Scottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something Savoury (2024)

Jump to Recipe

This Scottish shortbread recipe is very easy to follow and so delicious – follow all my tips and tricks for making the perfect buttery, crumbly shortbread that melts in your mouth.

Scottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something Savoury (1)

I have always loved shortbread but I didn’t attempt to make it myself until my late twenties.

I always felt that I didn’t need to make it when I could buy Walker’s delectable shortbread (which I still adore!) But when I started to bake properly I was determined to master the art of making good shortbread.

After all, my Grandmother and Great Grandmother were both known for making delicious Scottish shortbread and my Mother’s signature bake is shortbread, so I couldn’t let the side down!

It took me a while to achieve that perfect balance of light yet crumbly and crisp shortbread that melts in your mouth when you take a bite. I’m now pleased to say I’ve found a keeper recipe that I’m happy to share with you!

This is old fashioned home baking that will never go out of style.

More old fashioned Scottish baking

I am very passionate about “old school” Scottish baking – and I’m definitely not the only one!

I also have recipes for Empire biscuits, Dundee cake, treacle scones, gingerbread loaf cake and drop scones (Scotch pancakes.)

If you have a very sweet tooth, you might want to check out my Scottish tablet recipe!

Scottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something Savoury (2)

While the method of making shortbread always remains the same, using different ingredients will give you slightly different results. I’m going to take you through all the options!

cornflour and icing sugar

Some shortbread recipes use cornflour and icing sugar to make a feather-light melt in the mouth shortbread.

Cornflour isn’t actually a traditional ingredient in Scottish Shortbread, but it does make a lovely light, melting texture. Plus my Mum has always used cornflour, so I do the same!

rice flour or semolina

Other shortbread recipes use a small amount of rice flour, ground rice or semolina for a slightly coarser, crumbly textured shortbread.

Scottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something Savoury (3)

There is no right or wrong way here – use whatever ingredients you prefer or have on hand.

petticoat tails

I love both kinds of shortbread, but if I’m making short bread fingers or Queen Mary of Scots favourite (allegedly!) petticoat tails, I tend to use rice flour for that slightly grainy, crumbly texture.

If I’m using cornflour/icing sugar, I prefer to roll out the dough and cut it into shapes. This is just my personal preference.

Scottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something Savoury (4)

ingredient list

  • Plain (all purpose) Flour. Don’t substitute with self raising flour- the raising agents in the self raising flour will make your shortbread puff up and mess with the texture.
  • Caster Sugar or Icing Sugar. While using caster sugar is more traditional, the icing sugar will give it a slightly lighter, soft texture. I’ll leave it up to you to decide which one to use!
  • Rice Flour or Corn Flour (corn starch) Using rice flour will give you a slightly grainy, crunchy shortbread.
  • Corn Flour will give the shortbread a soft, melt in the mouth texture. Both are delicious!
  • Salted Butter.I’m not a fan of using unsalted butter in shortbread – I really think you need the salt to give the shortbread a “lift” in taste.
  • In addition to using salted butter, I also add a pinch of salt to the dry ingredients. If you would rather not add extra salt, its fine to leave it out.

How TO MAKE Scottish Shortbread

(Ingredient amounts and detailed instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!)

  • Place the flour, sugar, rice flour or cornflour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.
  • Using a wooden spoon or your hands (I find it easier to use my hands if I’m honest) work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture turns into a dough.
  • Place the dough in a greased and lined 23cm Square tin. Using your hands, press the dough into the tin, trying to make it as even as possible.
  • Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly mark out 20 squares of shortbread, then using a fork, prick the dough all over, making sure you go right through the dough.
Scottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something Savoury (5)
  • Bake at 160C/140Fan/320F for 35-40 minutes or until the shortbread is beginning to turn a very pale golden around the edges. When it’s ready, you will smell it!
  • Remove the shortbread from the oven and sprinkle with caster (superfine) sugar. Leave the shortbread in the tin – if you attempt to remove it it will crumble and break into small pieces.
  • After about 20 minutes, cut the shortbread into fingers, using the lines you made as a guide.

Variations

You could also bake the Shortbread in two 18cm round tins to make “petticoat tails” , just like the picture below!

Scottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something Savoury (6)

If you prefer, you could also roll out the dough and cut it into shapes of your choice.

However, please keep in mind that the baking time will differ depending on the size of your cookie cutters. As as rough guide, I would check your shortbead shapes after 15-20 minutes.

looking for an even easier shortbread recipe? Try my three ingredient shortbread cookies!

Scottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something Savoury (7)

recipe notes

  • A simple recipe like this needs the best quality ingredients you can find – if you use good butter and flour, you will be able to taste it in the shortbread.
  • I wouldn’t recommend swapping the caster caster for granulated. Granulated sugar crystals are too large and won’t cream with the butter properly.
  • It’s important that the butter is the correct consistency – it must be at room temperature.
  • You definitely don’t want the butter fridge cold or so soft that it is beginning to melt. It should be soft enough to just spread on a piece of bread without tearing it, but certainly not so soft that it’s oily.
  • Please don’t overwork the mixture – if you do then this will activate the gluten in the flour and your shortbread will be tough.
  • Initially, it will seem like the dough isn’t going to come together – it does take a few minutes for the butter to absorb all the dry ingredients, especially if you are making the shortbread by hand. But trust me, it will.
  • Cut the shortbread into fingers while it is still a little warm, but don’t attempt to lift it from the tray until it is completely cold.
  • Don’t worry if your shortbread crumbles and breaks a little – mine often does! The taste is what really matters – and this is home baking, it’s not meant to look like it’s been made in a factory!
Scottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something Savoury (8)

If you love Scottish Shortbread and caramel, then you simply have to try this indulgent Millionaire’s Shortbread Recipe. It’s amazing!

Scottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something Savoury (9)

How to store shortbread biscuits

Shortbread is best kept in an airtight tin at room temperature. It will keep for up to a week, but it doesn’t tend to last that long in our house.

Can you freeze shortbread?

If stored correctly, shortbread can be frozen for up to three months. Wrap in baking parchment and tin foil or store in freezer bags.

Defrost the shortbread at room temperature. If you like, shortbread can be warmed up in a low oven for a few minutes before serving.

Scottish Shortbread makes such a lovely present – my Mother makes a few batches every Christmas to pop in gift bags. It’s always much appreciated!

want to see more scottish recipes?

  • Scottish Cranachan
  • Cullen Skink
  • Tattie Soup
  • Haggis, Neeps and Tatties Cottage Pie
  • Steak Pie
  • Mince and Tatties
  • Vegetable Scotch Broth
Scottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something Savoury (10)

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment and let me know how you got on with it, or if you have any questions or need help, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

If you would be so kind to give the recipe a rating by clicking on the stars in the recipe card, I would really appreciate it. Thank you!

Scottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something Savoury (11)

Scottish Shortbread

Yield: Makes 20 shortbread fingers

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

This homemade Scottish Shortbread Recipe is so much better than anything you can buy in the shops. It's buttery, crumbly, light and absolutely delicious with a cup of tea. This is simple home baking at its best.

Ingredients

  • 250g Plain Flour
  • 100g Rice Flour or Corn Flour (See Recipe notes below)
  • 100g Caster (super fine) Sugar or Icing Sugar (See Recipe Notes Below)
  • 225g Salted Butter, atRoom Temperature (See recipe notes below)
  • Pinch of Salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 160C/140Fan/350F/Gas Mark 3. Grease and line a square 23cm tin, making sure the baking paper comes above the tin by a couple of centimetres so it's easy to lift out of the tin later. If you're making cut out shortbread, grease and line and couple of baking sheets.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, rice flour or corn flour and caster sugar or icing sugar.
  3. Using a wooden spoon or your hands, work the butter into the flour mixture until you have a smooth dough. It might take a little while to come together, but it will eventually - so keep going! However, please try not to overwork or knead the dough or your shortbread will be tough, not meltingly light!
  4. Press the dough in the lined baking tin, coaxing it into the corners and trying to make it an even thickness all over. Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly mark out twenty even sized pieces. Prick the shortbread all over with a fork, making sure you go right through the dough. Alternatively, you can roll the shortbread out on a lightly floured surface and cut into shapes.
  5. Place the shortbread in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the shortbread is lightly tinged golden around the edges. If you're making shortbread biscuits, they take about 20 minutes to bake depending on their size. When the shortbread is ready, you'll smell it! Remove from the oven and sprinkle with caster sugar. Leave for 20-30 minutes before carefully cutting the shortbread into fingers, using the lines you marked out as a guide (if you cut the shortbread when it is very cold it will shatter and crumble very easily.) Leave the shortbread to cool completely before placing in an airtight tin.

Notes

For the best shortbread, the butter should be at room temperature before beating into the butter. It should be soft but not too soft!

Using icing sugar instead of caster sugar will result in a slighty finer textured shortbread. Both ways are delicious! There's no right or wrong here - why not try the recipe both ways to see which one you prefer?

Rice flour will give the shortbread a slightly crunchy texture. Cornflour will give soft, melt in your mouth shortbread, Again, both ways are divine!

I use salted butter and I also add a small pinch of salt to the dough, but you can omit the extra salt if you prefer.

If you are cutting the dough into shapes, please note that the shortbread will take less time to bake - around 15-20 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 20Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 187Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 80mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 2g

Calories and nutritional information are provided by a third party application and should be viewed as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

Take a picture and tag @somethingsweetsomethingsavoury on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook! I love to see what you've been making!

Scottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something Savoury (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making good shortbread? ›

Tips To Make the Best Shortbread Cookies
  • Choose High Quality Butter. No matter what brand of butter you buy, if it's real butter, you can rest assured that it's the best. ...
  • Keep Ingredients Simple. ...
  • Add Flavor. ...
  • Don't Overwork. ...
  • Shape Dough. ...
  • Chill Before Baking. ...
  • Bake Until Golden. ...
  • Add Finishing Touches.

What is the difference between English shortbread and Scottish shortbread? ›

Traditional Scottish shortbread is a simple recipe made with sugar, butter, flour, and salt. Other shortbread styles will include leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda, which makes them crisp instead of crumbly like traditional Scottish shortbread.

What are common mistakes when making shortbread? ›

Most Common Mistakes

Overworking the dough - If you mix the dough too much you will develop the gluten in the flour and your shortbread might turn out dense and chewy. Just mix it until combined and no more. This is another reason why I recommend making this recipe by hand rather than with a mixer.

Why do you poke holes in shortbread? ›

The holes allow the moisture to escape during baking and more even heat distribution. This helps dry out and crisp up the cookies.

Why do you put cornstarch in shortbread? ›

Cornstarch provides the shortbread with structure, but its biggest job is keeping the cookies extra soft, tender, and light. I love adding a small amount to chocolate chip cookies too. Optional Coarse Sugar Topping: For an optional sparkly crunch on your shortbread wedges, add a sprinkle of coarse sugar before baking.

Should butter be cold or room temperature for shortbread? ›

Fine Cooking explains that the butter should be at refrigerator temperature. While many cookie recipes call for softened butter or at room temperature, if your butter isn't cold when making shortbread, it's likely to turn out greasy or be difficult to roll out.

What happens if you don't chill shortbread before baking? ›

Chilling the dough before baking will help the shortbread keep their shape while cooking. In the oven, the dough will spread as the butter in the mixture melts, but baking it from chilled helps reduce this effect. It's most important to do this if you are baking the shortbread in individual biscuits.

Can you over knead shortbread? ›

Don't over-knead the dough, it will develop the proteins which can make the biscuit tough and dense. Only mix until ingredients are just combined.

Why do you put shortbread in the fridge before baking? ›

Why do you put shortbread cut-out cookies in the fridge before baking? This is to resolidify the butter. The butter is at room temperature when making the dough resulting in a soft dough. If baked straight away, the butter would melt away immediately when hitting the hot oven and the shortbread would spread.

Why do you put an egg in shortbread? ›

Shortbread cookies, butter cookies, and sugar cookies are all light in color and buttery, but there are a few key differences: Eggs: Butter cookies and sugar cookies typically contain eggs, while shortbread cookies can be made with or without eggs. The egg makes the dough more pliable and less crumbly.

Should I chill my shortbread dough? ›

As Leiths also recommend chilling the dough before baking, although only for 15 minutes, I make another batch of their recipe with soft butter, stick it straight in the oven without passing the fridge, and end up with thinner, crunchier biscuits – presumably because the mixture spreads as the fat melts.

How do I know when shortbread is done? ›

The longer it cooks the darker it will get, sort of caramelising the sugars contained in the dough. It shouldn't be brown, but golden, and it should be firm to the touch. If it's still soft, doughy or malleable/pliable, it's undercooked. If it starts turning brown, it's overcooked and will be hard to eat.

What are the qualities of a successful shortbread biscuit? ›

Shortbread has so few ingredients that you can't get away with cutting corners; good quality butter and sugar are essential, and plenty of them. Rice flour gives it that special sandy texture that sets it apart from the common biscuit, and a pinch of salt helps to balance that rich, delicious sweetness.

Does shortbread use the rubbing in method? ›

FOOD PROCESSOR / RUBBING BUTTER: Instead of creaming softened butter, the other method is to rub the butter in. This yields a more crumbly shortbread but the surface is rougher – see comparison photo in post.

What makes shortbread extra short? ›

Shortbread is so named because of its crumbly texture (from an old meaning of the word "short", as opposed to "long", or stretchy). The cause of this texture is its high fat content, provided by the butter. The short or crumbly texture is a result of the fat inhibiting the formation of long protein (gluten) strands.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Horacio Brakus JD

Last Updated:

Views: 5965

Rating: 4 / 5 (51 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Horacio Brakus JD

Birthday: 1999-08-21

Address: Apt. 524 43384 Minnie Prairie, South Edda, MA 62804

Phone: +5931039998219

Job: Sales Strategist

Hobby: Sculling, Kitesurfing, Orienteering, Painting, Computer programming, Creative writing, Scuba diving

Introduction: My name is Horacio Brakus JD, I am a lively, splendid, jolly, vivacious, vast, cheerful, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.