Classic Scottish Shortbread
Rich, buttery Classic Scottish Shortbread comes together with just five simple ingredients and is oven-ready in less than five minutes!
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Anyone who knows me (or has been following Five Heart Home for even a short while) has probably figured out that I love chocolate. But can I let you in on a little secret? There are certain desserts that I will {gasp} actually choose over chocolate.
For example, if at a wedding reception, I'm given the choice between a slice of white wedding cake and a slice of chocolate groom's cake, I will always choose the white cake (unless "both" is an option, in which case my arm can be twisted to eat a slice of each...since I wouldn't want to hurt the feelings of either cake, of course). And if you offer me a square of decadent fudge alongside a piece of buttery, sugary shortbread? I'm going to pick the shortbread, hands down. Once you try this Classic Scottish Shortbread -- chocolate-lover or not -- I think you will do the same!
While there are a few pretty tasty brands of shortbread to be found at the store, they come in fairly small boxes and they can be rather pricey. But guess what? That need no longer be an obstacle to you eating as much shortbread as your little butter- and sugar-loving heart desires. Because today I'm going to show you how to have a pan of fresh, homemade shortbread popped into the oven in less than five minutes...no lie!
In the past, I have always made my shortbread by cutting my butter into my dry ingredients by hand, either with a fork or pastry blender. But it recently occurred to me that as much as I love using my handy-dandy food processor to make pie crust and other doughs, why wouldn't it also work for shortbread? And sure enough, it was so easy. Plop the ingredients in the food processor, pulse a few times, dump out, form into a ball, press into a pan, and into the oven she goes!
There's only one problem with all of that. As effortless as this shortbread is to make, and as much as I enjoy eating it, having this recipe in my arsenal is downright dangerous. After all...Butter + Sugar = Samantha's Kryptonite
(Incidentally, queso and margaritas are also my kryptonite, but on an entirely different night of the week.) 😉
What makes these cookies utterly delicious is their simplicity. After all, how can you go wrong with flour, butter, sugar, and salt? The result tastes like, well, butter and sugar...and when you're talking about a crunchy piece of shortbread, that's a good thing indeed! And just as wonderful is that you can have this yummy treat in your oven zippity-quick. A recipe that's as easy as it is delicious is always a winner in my book. Enjoy!
Classic Scottish Shortbread Recipe
Classic Scottish Shortbread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, DIVIDED
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, sliced and softened
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Measure flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and salt into the bowl of a large food processor. Pulse until blended. Add butter and pulse in long pulses until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Pour the mixture onto a lightly floured board and, with floured hands, gently form it into a ball. Press dough into the bottom of an ungreased 9-inch baking pan with a removable bottom, or a 9-inch springform pan. Use the tines of a fork to make impressions around the border of the dough, and then evenly prick the surface. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until pale golden brown with a firm center. Remove from the oven and cut into 8 to 12 wedges with a sharp knife. Allow to cool completely before removing sides of pan and lifting out cookies. Store in an airtight container.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Nutrition
Originally shared at Love Grows Wild
More Simple Sweet Treats
I love shortbread so much I buy the big tins from Costo during the Christmas season. Like you, I'd often pass up something gooey and sweet for shortbread. I had to try yours after having the recipe for a couple of years. I didn't expect too much as I think maybe the butter was too soft and/or I over processed it, it was a smooth dough instead of crumb-like. The shortbread is delicious, as good or better than any I've made before or that friends have made. I'm going to make batches of the dry ingredients, store it in plastic bags, and when I want shortbread (often) all I have to do is add butter and mix. Thank you so much for a delicious easy recipe! Oh, by the way I used European butter and added 4 oz of the "regular" butter I keep for every day use, cookies taste very rich. And I used a glass pie pan, as my Scottish mother in law taught me there's so much butter in the dough it doesn't stick at all.
I’ve made this a few times now. It’s my husband’s favorite shortbread recipe. Thank you.
Really good!! Thank u.
https://www.fivehearthome.com/2014/03/05/classic-scottish-shortbread/
found this recipe via https://recipes.sainsburys.co.uk/articles/cooking/11-surprising-things-you-can-make-with-a-slow-cooker/
but nothing about a slow cooker here. is it a typo?
Hi Cliff! Isn't that the strangest thing? I have no idea why my recipe is listed in that slow cooker round-up..I'm just as perplexed as you are! This shortbread is definitely not a slow cooker recipe so I apologize for any confusion.
Love love love this stuff! Sometimes the simple things are best!
Deb
I totally agree, Deb. I think the simple, unadulterated flavors are why I love this recipe so much! Happy Friday!