Shortbread

Tips

It is easy to perfect the shape of your shortbread biscuits. For round biscuits, use a cookie cutter one size larger than the cutter used for the dough. Right after baking, gently rotate it around each biscuit on the tray to refine its edges. For square or rectangle shapes, bake the dough as one large piece, score your desired shapes before baking, and carefully recut along these lines immediately after baking. This ensures sharp, clean edges.

When you prepare the dough, handle it gently and with care. Overworking the dough can lead to tough biscuits, as it activates the gluten in the flour. For the best texture, mix the ingredients until they are just combined and gently press the crumbly dough together. This ensures your shortbread remains light and crumbly, melting delightfully in the mouth with each bite.

Make easy shortbread rounds

Shortbread has a delightful melt-in-your-mouth texture that is simply irresistible. With only a few ingredients, you get delicious shortbread rounds or fingers with a subtle flavour and traditions that go back a long time. It is a treat deeply rooted in Scottish tradition and is especially cherished during festive occasions like Christmas and the Scottish New Year celebration known as Hogmanay.

These delightful biscuits, recognised for their rich, buttery flavour, are now a favourite year-round treat enjoyed worldwide. So, whether you are baking a batch for a special occasion, gift giving, or simply satisfying a craving, shortbread offers a simple yet satisfying sweet indulgence.

A simple dough with 3 ingredients

Shortbread’s irresistible texture and rich flavour show just how far you can come with a few simple ingredients. Butter is what gives the biscuits their richness and sweet, buttery flavour, while sugar adds a subtle sweetness and tenderises the biscuits. Flour gives structure, balancing the richness and sweetness, and ensuring the dough can be easily shaped without spreading too much during baking. Working together in perfect harmony, these ingredients ensure the crumbly, airy texture, giving you shortbread that is crisp on the outside and tender inside.

Enjoy these shortie biscuits as an afternoon treat

The best way to enjoy this classic treat is at teatime. Shortbread is a staple for afternoon tea with its rich, buttery flavour and crumbly texture. It is an excellent companion for the lightness of tea, making it a perfect snack in the mid-afternoon. You can also serve them with a cup of coffee, the bold and rich flavour delightfully complementing the light, crumbly biscuits.

These shortbread biscuits are also ideal as a dessert accompaniment. Serve them with desserts, particularly those with sweet fruit or cream, as well as creamy desserts like mousse or custard, adding a nice textural contrast.

Our zesty lemon drizzle cake, classic apple crumble with custard, or Victoria sponge with berries are all great examples of easy desserts to put on a festive dessert table next to your shortbread biscuits. So, get baking and try our recipes to create the perfect sweet serving of impressive, tasty cakes and treats,

Put your own spin on it

Transform your simple shortbread recipe into something more. Add citrus zest like lemon, lime, or orange to imbue the dough with a refreshing, tangy kick that brightens the rich buttery taste. Vanilla extract lends a sweet, floral aroma that complements the shortbread’s simplicity, while a sprinkle of ground spices such as cinnamon or cardamom introduces a warm, aromatic quality.

For a floral twist, add dried lavender to create a subtly sweet and elegant flavour. Rosemary, on the other hand, adds a savoury note that surprisingly balances the sweetness of the buttery shortbread, making it a delightful appetiser option. For another savoury appetiser, add finely grated cheese like Parmesan or aged cheddar. It not only tweaks the flavour but also introduces a denser texture, making the shortbread more substantial to bite into.

Introduce nuts like chopped pecans or almonds to give the biscuits a pleasant crunch and enrich the overall flavour with their earthy tones. Chocolate chips contribute a beloved richness and create pockets of melty goodness in each bite, contrasting beautifully with the shortbread’s crumbly texture.