Traditional Buttery Shortbread
There is no leavening here, no eggs to add structure, and no water to toughen the gluten. You are essentially baking a block of butter held together by flour, yielding a biscuit that shatters when you bite into it.
Temperature dictates the crumb
Use room-temperature butter that is soft enough to indent with a finger, but not greasy or melted. If your kitchen is warm, chill the cut shapes on the baking sheet for twenty minutes before they go into the oven.
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer
- 9-inch round cake pan or baking sheet
- Rolling pin
- Fork
What goes in.
- 1 cupunsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cupsuperfine or granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1/4 tspfine sea salt
Avoid overworking the gluten
Mix only until the dough begins to clump together. If you knead it like bread, the shortbread will become hard and chewy instead of melting away.
The method.
Cream the butter and sugar
Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until the mixture is pale and smooth. Do not aerate it too much; you want a dense base, not a fluffy cake batter.
Incorporate the flour
Add the flour and salt. Mix on low speed, or use your hands, until the dough just comes together. It will look shaggy at first.
Shape the dough
Press the dough into a 9-inch cake pan lined with parchment, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon. Alternatively, roll it out to 1/2-inch thickness and cut into fingers.
Dock the surface
Prick the dough all over with a fork. This allows steam to escape and ensures the biscuit bakes evenly.
Bake
Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 30 to 35 minutes. It should be firm to the touch and barely turning a pale straw color. If it browns deeply, the butter has scorched.
Cut and cool
If you baked it in a round pan, slice into wedges while it is still warm from the oven. Let it cool completely in the pan to set the structure.
Other turns to take.
Lemon Shortbread
Add one tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest to the butter and sugar before adding the flour.
Salted Almond
Fold in a quarter cup of toasted, finely chopped almonds and sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over the top before baking.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use high-quality butter; since it is the primary flavor, the difference between a standard block and a cultured, high-fat butter is significant.
If you find the dough is too soft to roll, chill it for 15 minutes before handling.
Store in an airtight container for up to a week; the texture actually improves on the second day.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my shortbread tough?
You likely over-mixed the flour. Mixing develops gluten, which creates a bread-like chewiness instead of the desired crumbly snap.
Can I use salted butter?
You can, but omit the extra salt from the recipe. Taste your butter first to ensure it isn't overly briny.
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