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very close up shot of the side of round shortbread cookies to show thickness.
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5 from 1 vote

Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread Cookies: do not sleep on this classic! You might think shortbread sounds boring, but that's because you haven't watched Rebecca's face as she eats it on Ted Lasso yet. I'm telling you guys, classic shortbread is to-die-for. It's simple, it's easy, there's not much to it...but that's not an apology. Sometimes the simplest things are the most divine. I will show you all my tips and tricks for making the BEST shortbread that is moist and flavorful, with the perfect crumb and melt-in-your-mouth texture!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time13 minutes
Chill time35 minutes
Total Time53 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 20 cookies
Calories: 105kcal
Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter* slightly softened but still firm
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar you can use powdered sugar instead, see note
  • 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 and 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • granulated sugar for rolling the dough

Instructions

  • Make the dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer, add 1 cup slightly softened butter. Beat well until it is creamy and smooth.
  • Add 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, 6 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat well for about 2 minutes, scraping the edges and bottom of the bowl to make sure it all gets incorporated. After 2 minutes, the butter and sugar should be light and fluffy.
  • Add the flour. This step is super important, so look alive. Use a spoon to add the flour to a measuring cup, then level off the top with a knife. Add 1 and 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour to the bowl with the butter. Do not scoop the flour, or it will pack in, and you will have crumbly, sad, overly-floury dough.
  • Before you stir in the flour, add in 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (see note). Use the mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon to beat the flour, cornstarch, and salt into the butter mixture. Do NOT overmix. You want to stir until the dough is barely coming together. There should not be any flour streaks. Over mixing the dough will make your shortbread tough and not tender.
  • Chill. Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap that you have laid out on the counter. Press the dough together into a flat square using the plastic, then wrap it up tightly and chill in the refrigerator for about 30-45 minutes.
  • Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
  • Roll the dough. When the dough is slightly firmer from being chilled, take it out of the fridge. Lightly dust a work surface with flour (or use a pastry cloth. Use a rolling pin to slightly flatten the dough. Don't go too crazy! Shortbread is supposed to be rolled out THICK. Aim for dough that is about 3/8 inch thick, and yes, I ALWAYS bust out my ruler for this. You can make your shortbread up to 1/2 inch thick if you like (it will take longer to bake!)
  • Cut the dough. You can choose to cut the dough using a round cookie cutter (I like 2 inch rounds) or you can roll the dough into a square, slice off the uneven edges, and use a chef's knife to cut the dough into long rectangular cookies, lovingly called "fingers." See photos. Fingers are usually about about 1 inch across and 3 inches long.
  • Roll the dough in sugar. This step is optional. I like the additional sweetness and sparkle that comes from a little sugar dusting. Add granulated sugar to a bowl. Take each cut cookie, place it in the bowl, and toss the sugar around so it gets coated. Place the sugared cookie dough rounds or fingers on the baking sheet with at least 1 inch in between each cookie. These cookies do not rise much at all, but they still need a little room to bake properly on the edges.
  • Fork it. Once all the cookies are lined up on the pan, use a fork to make cute indentations in the cookie, if you like. This is traditional for finger-shaped cookies, and not so much for the rounds, but you do you.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Freeze the dough. Please, please do not skip this step. I know it's annoying, but clear out some space in your freezer. Freeze the entire pan of cookies for about 15 minutes, until they are frozen solid. Cold, cold butter going into a hot, hot oven is the secret for flaky, perfectly crumbly shortbread. Without freezing, you will miss out on the perfect texture. Chilling in the fridge works fine too, if that's where you have space. Chill for about 40-50 minutes.
  • Bake. Bake the chilled or frozen cookies at 350 degrees for about 11 minutes. They will still be soft and not at all golden.
  • Shape the cookies. Remove the pan from the oven and shut the oven door quickly. Use a butter knife to tap the edges of the cookies in toward the center. You can skip this step if you don't mind shortbread that is slightly misshapen. If you cut the dough into rounds, you can use a wide mouth drinking glass (or a large round cookie cutter) to place around the cookie and tap the edges to help them stay upright.
  • When are they done? Return the cookies to the oven and bake for another 2-3 minutes, watching carefully so they don't get too brown. I love shortbread that is still moist in the center, and not over baking is the best way to get this. Remove the cookies from the oven before the edges turn golden. The edges should not feel wet or mushy when you tap them with your finger. The cookies should be totally matte on top (not shiny). The total cooking time for 2 inch rounds or 3 inch long fingers is about 13-14 minutes.
  • Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  • Eat one of these shortbread directly out of the oven, if you know what's good for you. Warm, soft shortbread crumbling in your mouth, alongside a fresh glass of milk, is one of life's greatest treasures.
  • Storage: Add cooled cookies to an airtight container, and keep on the counter! They'll be good on the counter for about 7-10 days, but don't be like that. If you are a lightweight and know you won't eat them all in a day or two, I recommend freezing the baked cookies until you want them. Read on:
  • Freezing — two options here:
    Freezing baked shortbread cookies: If you have already-baked cookies that you know you won't eat in the next couple days, flash freeze them on a cookie sheet for about 30 minutes, then transfer all the cookies to a ziplock freezer bag. Squeeze all the air out and seal. Baked cookies that are frozen tend to get more stale and dry the longer they freeze, so use them within a month or so.
    To thaw, put the cookies on a paper towel lined cookie sheet and don't cover them - we don't want any condensation to get the cookies soggy. You can also put the cookies straight onto a cookie sheet (no paper towel) and heat them up in the oven for just a few minutes.
    Freezing the dough: The dough for these cookies also freezes beautifully, which makes it a great option to make ahead and then bake the day you need them. After making the dough, cut out/shape all your cookies and flash freeze the unbaked, shaped cookies on a sheet pan for about 30 minutes, then transfer to a freezer ziplock bag. Unbaked dough will be good for 1-3 months. Bake them straight from frozen and add one extra minute of baking time from the original recipe instructions.

Notes

BUTTER: I use salted butter for every baking project. I know, I know, Real Chefs don't do this. But I just like salt, you guys. You can use unsalted butter for this recipe, if you are salt shy!
BROWN SUGAR: I love the flavor of molasses, the addition of which is the only difference between white and brown sugar. Use all powdered sugar if you don't want that deeper molasses flavor! Your shortbread will have a little bit of a smoother texture that absolutely melts in your mouth. This sounds amazing, right? It is, and my testers were split almost evenly on this. MANY shortbread recipes call for all-powdered-sugar. I personally prefer the chewier texture that comes with using a granulated sugar, either white granulated sugar or brown sugar (which would also be described as "granulated"). 
KOSHER SALT: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt for everything I make in my kitchen. It is less "salty" than salt. If you only have table salt, use about half the amount. 

Nutrition

Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 284IU | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.03mg