Buttery Shortbread Rounds
Shortbread relies on the ratio of flour, sugar, and fat, handled minimally to maintain a sandy, melt-in-the-mouth texture. By chilling the dough twice—once before rolling and once before baking—you prevent the biscuits from spreading into shapeless puddles in the oven, ensuring they hold their crisp, pale edges.
Temperature is your primary tool
If your kitchen is warm, your butter will soften too quickly, leading to a greasy dough. Keep your hands cool and work quickly to ensure the butter stays in small, solid pockets until it hits the heat of the oven.
- stand mixer or large mixing bowl
- rolling pin
- round biscuit cutter
- parchment-lined baking sheet
What goes in.
- 1 cupunsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature
- 1/2 cupgranulated sugar
- 2 cupsall-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/4 tspfine sea salt
Minimal friction
Work the flour into the butter only until the dough just comes together. Overworking develops gluten, which turns a sandy, crumbly shortbread into a tough, chewy cracker.
The method.
Cream the fats and sugar
Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until the mixture is pale and smooth, but not fluffy. Avoid incorporating too much air.
Incorporate dry ingredients
Add the flour and salt in three additions, mixing on low speed until just combined. The dough should look like shaggy, damp sand.
Chill the mass
Press the dough into a flat disc, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the butter fats.
Roll and cut
Roll the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch on a lightly floured surface. Cut into rounds and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Final chill
Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes. This prevents the edges from spreading during the bake.
Bake
Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 15 to 18 minutes. The edges should be pale gold, not brown.
Other turns to take.
Lemon Zest
Add one tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest to the butter and sugar during the creaming stage.
Vanilla Bean
Scrape the seeds of one vanilla bean into the butter before adding the sugar for deep aromatic depth.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a bench scraper to lift the cut rounds onto the baking sheet to keep their shape.
If the dough becomes too sticky to roll, refrigerate it for another 10 minutes.
Store in an airtight container once completely cool to maintain the crispness.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why are my cookies spreading?
The butter was likely too warm. Always chill the shaped rounds in the freezer immediately before they go into the oven.
Can I use salted butter?
You can, but omit the added sea salt to prevent the cookies from becoming too sharp in flavor.