Best 6 Marthas Scottish Shortbread Recipes

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## Indulge in a Scottish Delight: Martha's Scottish Shortbread and Additional Shortbread Variations

Originating from Scotland, shortbread is a delectable treat with a crumbly texture and buttery flavor that has captivated taste buds for centuries. This beloved cookie has undergone various adaptations over time, resulting in a diverse range of recipes that cater to different preferences and dietary restrictions. Embark on a culinary journey as we explore Martha's Scottish Shortbread, alongside a selection of alternative shortbread recipes featured in this article.

### Martha's Scottish Shortbread: A Classic Recipe with a Personal Touch

Martha's Scottish Shortbread embodies the essence of traditional shortbread while incorporating a unique personal touch. This classic recipe combines simple ingredients like butter, sugar, flour, and a hint of salt, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth experience. With step-by-step instructions and helpful tips, you can effortlessly recreate this timeless treat in your own kitchen.

### A Symphony of Shortbread Variations: From Gluten-Free to Vegan Delights

Beyond Martha's Scottish Shortbread, this article presents an enticing array of alternative shortbread recipes that cater to various dietary needs and preferences. Embark on a culinary adventure as you explore:

- **Gluten-Free Scottish Shortbread:** This recipe reimagines the classic shortbread using gluten-free flour, ensuring that those with gluten sensitivities can indulge in this Scottish delight.

- **Vegan Scottish Shortbread:** For those embracing a plant-based lifestyle, this vegan version of shortbread utilizes dairy-free butter and other vegan alternatives to create a guilt-free indulgence.

- **Chocolate Chunk Shortbread:** Elevate your shortbread experience with the addition of rich chocolate chunks, resulting in a delectable combination of buttery shortbread and indulgent chocolate.

- **Lemon Shortbread:** Infuse a burst of citrusy freshness into your shortbread with the incorporation of lemon zest and juice, creating a delightful balance of sweet and tangy flavors.

- **Spiced Shortbread:** Embark on a journey of aromatic delight as you incorporate warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger into your shortbread, resulting in a cozy and comforting treat.

Prepare to tantalize your taste buds with these exceptional shortbread recipes, each offering a unique twist on the classic Scottish delight. Whether you prefer the traditional charm of Martha's Scottish Shortbread or desire a gluten-free, vegan, or flavor-infused variation, this article has something for every shortbread enthusiast. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and embark on a delightful baking adventure today!

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD



Scottish Shortbread image

For this Scottish variation of our Classic Shortbread, the dough is baked in a stoneware mold.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cookie Recipes

Yield Makes 8 wedges

Number Of Ingredients 4

1 cup all-purpose flour
5/8 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, soften, plus more for pan
3/8 cup confectioners' sugar

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with rack in upper third. Sift flour and salt into a bowl; set aside. Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl. Gradually add sugar; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture all at once; mix until just combined.
  • Using plastic wrap, press dough into an 8-inch shortbread mold coated with cooking spray. With plastic on dough, refrigerate 20 minutes. Prick all over with a wooden skewer. Bake 45 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Unmold; cut into wedges. Let cool completely.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD



Scottish Shortbread image

Scottish settlers first came to this area over 150 years ago. My mother herself was Scottish, and-as with most of my favorite recipes-she passed this shortbread recipe on to me. I make a triple batch of it each year at Christmas, to enjoy and as gifts. -Rose Mabee, Selkirk, Manitoba

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 35m

Yield about 4 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 3

2 cups butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325°. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add 3-3/4 cups flour; mix well. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead for 5 minutes, adding enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Roll to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut into 3x1-in. strips. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Prick with fork. Bake until cookies are lightly browned, 20-25 minutes. Cool.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 123 calories, Fat 8g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 20mg cholesterol, Sodium 62mg sodium, Carbohydrate 12g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.

EASY BASIC SHORTBREAD



Easy Basic Shortbread image

This buttery cookie gets better with age: It can be stored up to a month, and over that time its flavor deepens. Dip the tips of the cookies in melted chocolate for a decorative touch.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cookie Recipes

Yield Makes 36 bars

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 1/3 cups (2 sticks plus 6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-by-1-inch baking pan, and line bottom with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add salt and vanilla, and beat to combine. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed until just combined.
  • Press dough into prepared pan, leveling and smoothing the top. Using a dough scraper or the back of a knife, cut dough lengthwise into nine strips, each slightly less than 1 inch wide. Cut the strips crosswise into thirty-six 3-inch bars. Using the tines of a fork or a wooden skewer, create a decorative pattern on the surface.
  • Bake shortbread until evenly pale golden, but not browned, 70 to 85 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. Invert pan, and remove parchment. Turn shortbread over, and carefully break, or cut with a serrated knife, into bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

CLASSIC SHORTBREAD



Classic Shortbread image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cookie Recipes

Yield Makes 32 rectangles

Number Of Ingredients 4

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Sift together flour and salt into a medium bowl. Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add sugar gradually, beating between additions; continue to beat until mixture is very pale, about 2 minutes total. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture; beat until just combined.
  • Press dough evenly into a parchment-lined 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet; refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Cut dough in eighths lengthwise, then quarters crosswise, making 32 rectangles. Evenly pierce all over with a skewer.
  • Bake until shortbread is firm in center and golden brown, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack; immediately recut rectangles with a paring knife. Let shortbread cool completely in pan.

CLASSIC SHORTBREAD 101



Classic Shortbread 101 image

Long ago, a Scottish baker turned elemental ingredients into shortbread. For the modern cook, the master recipe is open to endless variations.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cookie Recipes

Yield Makes 8 wedges

Number Of Ingredients 4

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with rack in upper third. Sift flour and salt into a bowl; set aside. Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl. Gradually add sugar; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture all at once; mix until just combined.
  • Butter a 10-inch round springform or cake pan. Using plastic wrap, press dough evenly into pan. With plastic on dough, refrigerate 20 minutes.
  • Cut dough into 8 wedges with a paring knife. Using a wooden skewer, prick all over at 1/4-inch intervals.
  • Bake until golden brown and firm in center, about 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack. Recut shortbread into wedges; let cool completely in pan. Can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

MARTHA'S SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD



Martha's Scottish Shortbread image

A touch of rice flour is the secret to perfectly crisp shortbread. With such a short ingredient list, it's important to use the best-quality salted butter you can find.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cookie Recipes

Yield Makes one 8-inch round

Number Of Ingredients 5

Vegetable-oil cooking spray, for mold
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature
3/4 superfine sugar
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rice flour

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Coat an 8-inch ceramic shortbread mold with cooking spray; set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar until well combined. Add flours and mix until just combined and a shaggy dough forms.
  • Firmly press dough into mold in an even layer. Bake until edges just begin to turn golden, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove from oven; turn oven off. Let shortbread cool in mold 10 minutes.
  • Invert a parchment-lined baking sheet onto back of mold. Carefully re-invert, turning mold onto sheet; lift off mold. Using a sharp knife, cut shortbread into wedges. Separate wedges, then return sheet to oven until shortbread is dry, at least 1 hour. Let cool completely.

Tips:

  • Use unsalted butter: Salted butter can make your shortbread too salty, so always opt for unsalted butter when baking this classic Scottish treat.
  • Chill the butter and flour before baking: This will help to create a more crumbly texture.
  • Don't overmix the dough: Overmixing will make the shortbread tough, so be sure to mix the dough just until it comes together.
  • Prick the shortbread with a fork before baking: This will help to prevent the shortbread from puffing up in the oven.
  • Bake the shortbread until it is golden brown: The shortbread should be golden brown around the edges and slightly darker in the center.
  • Let the shortbread cool completely before cutting: This will help to prevent the shortbread from crumbling.

Conclusion:

Martha's Scottish shortbread is a delicious and classic treat that is perfect for any occasion. With its simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, this recipe is sure to become a favorite in your kitchen. So next time you're looking for a sweet and satisfying snack, be sure to give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!

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