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You are here: Home / Recipes / Cookies / Scotch Shortbread Cookies

Scotch Shortbread Cookies

December 17, 2019 10 Comments

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Stacked Scotch Shortbread with black background
Buttery melt-in-your-mouth Scotch Shortbread Cookies made with just 4 ingredients with a dip in semi-sweet chocolate and sliced almonds.
 
Stacked Scotch Shortbread with black background
 

These amazing, yet simple, cookies have been a holiday tradition in our home for years.  
 
 
 
I love these little cookies because they are so easy to make.  It’s kind of hard to mess them up.  Shortbread can be made several weeks in advanced, stored in a cool place in a tin with a tight fitting lid.

Mixing Scotch Shortbread Cookies

 
Four cubes of butter in a stainless steel bowl1
Beaten butter with added flour and cornstarch3
Bowl of shortbread dough with a hand holding a piece of formed dough5
Beaten butter in stainless bowl2
Shortbread dough in a bowl with paddle attachment4
  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the whopping pound of butter. 
  2. Beat the butter just a bit to loosen it up and make it all creamy. 
  3. Add the confectioners sugar, then add the flour and cornstarch, that has been sifted together, a spoonful at a time. 
  4. Beat the batter up until a smooth dough forms.
  5. The dough should be very pliable.  

Cutting and baking Shortbread

Hand pressing shortbread dough on a floured mat.1
large ruler and pizza wheel cutting shortbread dough into squares3
Scotch shortbread on a baking sheet5
Rolled out shortbread dough with rolling pin2
Cut shortbread cookies on a baking sheet docking with a fork4
Baked shortbread on a baking sheet6
  1. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. 
  2. Roll the dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. It doesn’t have to be an exact measurement or a perfect rectangle. 
  3. Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut into 1′ x 1 1/2′ rectangles.  Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet or an ungreased baking sheet. 
  4. Prick the cookies with the tines of a fork.
  5. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until just beginning to brown.
  6. Remove cookies from the oven.  Cool completely.  I like to store the baked shortbread in tins layered with waxed paper.  They will store for at least 3 weeks in a cool place and the flavor actually mellows as they age.   Shortbread can be frozen as well for over a month.
 
Tempered chocolate on a marble slab with dipped shortbread
Chocolate dipped edges of shortbread on a baking sheet to dry
  1.  Melt 8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate (be sure to temper the chocolate if it is couverture).  Dip the ends of shortbread in the chocolate.   
  2.  Dip in chopped nuts of your choice then place on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper.  Let the chocolate harden completely before storing. 

 
 
stacked chocolate dipped shortbread cookies
5 from 3 votes
Print

Scotch Shortbread Cookies

Buttery melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies. Dipped in semi-sweet chocolate and rolled in nuts.

Course Dessert
Cuisine English
Keyword butter cookies, Scotch Shortbread, shortbread
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 48 cookies
Calories 153 kcal
Author Janet Barton

Ingredients

Shortbread

  • 1 lb unsalted butter slightly softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch

Optional

  • 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate melted (temper chocolate if using couverture)
  • Chopped nuts ( assorted, such as sliced almonds, pistachio, macadamia, etc.) 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.    Remove cookies to rack; allow to cool. 

  2. In a large bowl cream butter.  Gradually add sugar creaming well.  Add flour and cornstarch (which have been sifted together) a little at a time, creaming until dry ingredients have been blended.

  3. With a rolling pin, roll out about ½-inch thick.  Cut into 1 ½ x 1-inch squares; prick top with fork tines; bake on ungreased cookies sheet for 25-30 minutes or until barely showing signs of browning.  Tops of cookies do not brown much nor do shapes of cookies change. 

  4. Store lined, tightly covered tin.  Shortbread may be eaten at once, but ripens and mellows with age. 

  5. Makes about 5- 6 dozen.

Chocolate dip

  1. After cookies have completely cooled dip one end of the cookie in melted chocolate and roll in chopped nuts.  Place on a sheet of waxed paper until chocolate hardens.

Nutrition Facts
Scotch Shortbread Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 153 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 6g30%
Cholesterol 21mg7%
Sodium 2mg0%
Potassium 50mg1%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 238IU5%
Calcium 12mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Previously published in 2012.  Updated photo’s, nutritional information, and printable recipe card have been added.

 

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Related

Filed Under: Cookies, Dessert Tagged With: butter, butter cookies, scotch shortbread, shortbread

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    November 29, 2016 at 10:54 pm

    How long should I bake shortbread in a mold

    Reply
    • Janet Barton says

      December 3, 2016 at 12:32 am

      I have never used a mold for shortbread. I would assume until the shortbread barely browns.

      Reply
  2. Anonymous says

    December 7, 2014 at 3:01 am

    Perfect! I can't wait to make these this weekend with my daughter. I haven't been in the mood to make cookies for the last few years but I'm feeling it this year! These recipes look delicious. I love your blog. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Janet Barton says

      December 9, 2014 at 3:43 am

      The holidays get so busy that I don't take the time to do what I enjoy the most…baking!

      Reply
  3. Janet@simplysogood says

    February 4, 2013 at 9:18 pm

    Hi Beth, I purchased my mat at a local kitchen store. I found this on Amazon and it is very similar. It's basically canvas fabric with the edges sewn. I hope this helps.

    http://www.amazon.com/Ateco-Canvas-Pastry-Cloth-Rolling/dp/B004M5H64W/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1360012610&sr=8-8&keywords=pie+crust+rolling+mat

    Reply
  4. Beth says

    February 4, 2013 at 5:01 pm

    Where can I find a flour mat like yours?

    Reply
  5. Ria Treur says

    January 21, 2013 at 12:14 am

    I'd like to tell you that I gave some little boxes filled with those shortbread cookies away as Christmas presents to friends and neighbours. They all told me how delicious those cookies were, and some of them asked for the recipe. I baked them a couple times since then, because my husband loves them too. Thank you again.

    Reply
  6. Ria says

    December 15, 2012 at 3:56 am

    I baked the shortbread cookies today, they are delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
  7. Chrissy says

    December 13, 2012 at 2:44 am

    Thank you so much for the cookies. They were delicious! The packaging was also beautiful! Thank you again.

    Reply
  8. Emily @ Life on Food says

    December 13, 2012 at 12:27 am

    These were amazing. I am definitely saving this recipe for another time. Thanks so much for sending me some 🙂 Merry Christmas!

    Reply

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Janet Barton

Hi I'm Janet and this is where I share my delicious made-from-scratch seasonal recipes that I make at home for my family every day.

I believe cooking from scratch, using unprocessed and whole foods is an important part of healthy eating. My goal is to help you create amazing recipes by providing easy step-by-step photos and instructions.

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