Traditional Butter Shortbread
This is a three-ingredient baseline. The quality of your butter dictates the outcome entirely, as there is nowhere for subpar ingredients to hide.
Temperature is the foundation
Use butter that is cool to the touch but pliable. If it gets warm or oily during mixing, the cookies will spread into puddles rather than holding their shape.
- 9-inch round cake pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Fork
- Kitchen scale
- Pricker or fork
What goes in.
- 225gunsalted butter, softened
- 100gcaster sugar
- 300gall-purpose flour
- pinchfine sea salt
Even Density
Use the palm of your hand to press the dough firmly and uniformly into the pan. This eliminates air pockets and ensures a consistent snap throughout the whole round.
The method.
Cream the fats and sugars
Beat the butter and sugar together using a fork until smooth. Do not over-aerate; you want a paste, not a fluffy cloud.
Incorporate flour
Add the flour and salt. Mix until the dough just barely clumps together. It should look like coarse breadcrumbs before you press it into the pan.
Form the round
Turn the mixture into the cake pan. Press it down with your palm until level, then smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
Dock and score
Prick the entire surface with a fork to allow steam to escape. Use a sharp knife to score the surface into 16 wedges.
Bake
Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 45 to 50 minutes. Pull them when the edges show a hint of pale straw color. They will firm up as they cool.
Other turns to take.
Lemon Zest
Rub the zest of one lemon into the caster sugar before mixing with the butter.
Salted Almond
Fold in 50g of finely chopped toasted almonds and finish with a sprinkle of flaky salt immediately after baking.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Score the dough while it is raw; it will be too brittle to slice cleanly once baked.
If the dough feels greasy, put the pan in the fridge for 20 minutes before putting it in the oven.
Let the shortbread cool completely in the pan before removing; the residual heat helps the butter set the crumb.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why are my cookies greasy?
The butter was likely too warm during the mixing process. Ensure it is cool and malleable, not melted.
Can I use salted butter?
You can, but omit the extra pinch of salt in the ingredient list to keep the balance.