Description
Scottish Shortbread Cookies are a delightful treat that comes together with just butter, sugar, and flour. Crisp, buttery, and wonderfully simple, these traditional cookies will become your go-to recipe for quick and delicious homemade sweets.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies Essentials:
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
Sweeteners:
- ½ cup (60 grams) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Soften 1 cup of unsalted butter at room temperature until perfectly smooth and creamy.
- Blend the softened butter with ½ cup powdered sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture becomes airy and pale.
- Gradually incorporate 2 cups all-purpose flour into the butter mixture, stirring carefully until a tender dough develops.
- Shape the dough into either a compact log or a flat circular disk on a clean surface.
- Slice the dough into uniform ½-inch thick rounds or use decorative cookie cutters to create delicate shapes.
- Arrange the cookie pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart to allow even baking.
- Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and position the rack in the center for consistent temperature.
- Bake the shortbread for 20-25 minutes, watching for delicate golden edges as your doneness indicator.
- Remove the baking sheet and allow cookies to rest for 3-4 minutes, which helps them firm up without breaking.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack, letting them reach complete room temperature before serving or storing.
Notes
- Room temperature butter blends much smoother and creates a more tender cookie texture.
- Sifting flour before mixing prevents clumpy dough and ensures a delicate, fine crumb.
- For gluten-free options, swap regular flour with almond or coconut flour, which work beautifully in shortbread.
- Chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking helps cookies maintain their shape and develops richer flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 11 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg