Best 20 Scottish Shortbread Recipes

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

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.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD IV

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Cream butter and brown sugar. Add 3 to 3 3/4 cups flour. Mix well.
• Sprinkle board with the remaining flour. Knead for 5 minutes, adding enough flour to make a soft dough. Roll to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into 3x1 inch strips. Prick with fork and place on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Knead dough until smooth, about 6-10 times. Pat dough into an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Pierce with a fork. , Bake until lightly browned, 25-30 minutes. Cut into squares while warm. Cool on a wire rack.

GRANDMA'S SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Combine flours; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Press dough into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking pan. Prick with a fork., Bake until light brown, 45-50 minutes. Cut into 48 bars or triangles while warm. Cool completely on a wire rack.

SCOTTISH SHARP-CHEDDAR SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Using electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat together butter, salt, black pepper, and cayenne at low speed just until blended. Add Cheddar and flour and mix at low speed just until smooth (do not overmix). Shape dough into disk, wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and chill 30 minutes.
• Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4- to 1/8-inch-thick round. Using 1 1/2- to 2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds and arrange 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Reroll scraps if desired (rerolled scraps will be tougher).
• Bake shortbread until lightly golden and beginning to brown on edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place butter in mixer and beat with paddle until soft and light. Beat in sugar in a stream and continue beating 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture is very light and whitened. Stir in the flour by hand until it absorbed, no more or the dough will toughen.
• Scrape the dough onto a floured surface and flour the dough with pinches of flour. Press the dough out with your hands, then roll over once or twice very gently with a rolling pin until the dough is about 1/2-inch thick. Cut the dough with floured cutters and transfer the cut pieces to a paper lined pan.
• Bake the shortbread for about 15 minutes until it is very lightly colored. Cool the shortbread on a rack.
• To use a shortbread mold to shape, press the mold into the floured dough and cut around it. Transfer the cut and molded dough to a paper lined pan and chill about 1 hour until firm. Bake as above.

TRUE SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Sift/sieve the flour into a bowl and add the pinch of salt. Put aside for the moment.
• Make some space in the fridge, if necessary, for the bowl you're about to use in case you quickly need to chill the mixture.
• Using butter, grease the baking tray well and put it aside for the moment. Yield for fingers (much preferred) is around a 7 to 8 inch square. For Petticoat Tails it will yield a chunky 8 inch circle.
• Pre-heat the oven (Gas Mark 3 (325F / 165C degrees)).
• Put the butter (if using unsalted butter then ADD a pinch of salt to it) into a medium-size mixing bowl and mash it with a fork until it is soft and creamy without lumps. But don't let your hand heat warm it so much it starts to get runny. If you do, then put the bowl complete with butter & fork into the fridge for 5 - 10 minutes to cool it, then take it out and mash quickly again until smooth and creamy with no lumps.
• Add the sugar and mix it in well, and quickly.
• Add the salted flour a VERY little at a time - mixing it in with the fork to start with, but do this quickly.
• Knead well (on a very lightly floured surface). I was advised: knead for several minutes, and that the longer you knead, the better the shortbread will be. I usually aim for kneading for anything up to 10 minutes as I was told to, but get fed up after 7 minutes and reckon it can't make THAT much difference! What is very important is: Don't allow the mixture to become too warm from your body heat whilst kneading. If it does, as before, put it into the fridge for a couple of minutes to chill it slightly before resuming. If you do find the need to chill it, as I often do on a hot day, then do knead it for at least a minute or so before rolling it.
• Something I should add despite the copious over-instruction here: I've never owned a rolling pin until a couple of days ago. I don't know if using one will affect the texture, but I always used to pat it down as best I could with my palms.
• Roll the mixture out to shape and size of the tray. For fingers, roll out to about 1/2 inch thick or perhaps even slightly thicker (this sounds awfully thick I know!, but it is important as if you go thinner it will affect the texture, and amazingly, the taste). For petticoat tails it needs to be a little under 1/2 inch thick to yield a chunky circle of about 7 to 8 inches.
• For fingers: prick all over with a fork and put it into baking tray. Do try to use one that can fit exactly, or one that at least three sides of the mixture fit snugly against, as any outer edges that don't butt right up against the sides of a tray tend to get a bit over-baked.
• For petticoat tails: using fork prongs, from the outer edge towards the centre, indent the top about a 1/2 inch all the way round to give it a nice crinkly edge - sort of like the teeth on a cogwheel, then prick all the way round the middle ideally rotating the fork or the pastry (or yourself!) to give a pretty effect when cut. Carefully lift and support the decorated circle and place and fit snugly into the circular baking tray. Score lightly (to about halfway downwards to bottom of the tray) into eight equal segments.
• Bake until golden brown for about 45 minutes at Gas Mark 3 (325F / 165C degrees). Do keep an eye on it! Petticoat tails seem to require a little less baking time. Hard to describe the colour to bake until. From experience I know what colour I'm looking for - you don't really want it to be undercooked, but when it's starting get a bit dark around the edges it's probably beginning to get a bit overdone already. Basically cook until it's just starting to darken round the edges then get it out quick and cool it - I usually place the hot tray on a very cold surface until cool.
• Whilst still quite warm in the tray, mark across and cut into finger-shaped pieces (if not making petticoat tails) - but leave them there in the tray, cut and together until fully cold.
• For petticoat tails it's customary to sprinkle liberally with castor sugar.
• Sorry to be such a pedant about this recipe! I feel a bit like a mother hen clucking about "must do this -- ", "should do that -- " :) But it is worth taking some care over as the resulting shortbread will be so good you'll be hassled to make it much more often by everyone you share the pieces with :).
• SERVING SUGGESTION:.
• Just on its own with a nice cup of tea or coffee, but also scrumptious on a plate with and/or dunked into a generous helping of creamy Cornish Dairy ice-cream and strawberries, jam (jelly) or fresh fruit.
• Personal Note:.
• I live an ultra low-fat, low-sugar (or at least low quantities of sugars at a hit), calorie-controlled lifestyle. (I'm on maintenance these days rather than reduction - I don't think I dare get any leaner or people would worry!).
• Notwithstanding, I still make and eat pieces of this shortbread occasionally despite the fact that there's nothing remotely low fat, low-sugar or low calorie about it. At least there's not much salt!
• You can make substitutions or add essences and flavourings and it'll probably work out fine but it won't be the same shortbread - it won't taste the same, it won't have the same texture, but the efforts you've put into making it (and clearing up afterwards) will have been the same. I reckon it's got to be worth trying it without substitutions first time around - you can always give the pieces that you know are much more than you really should be letting yourself scoff to friends and family who will bless you for it! And you don't NEED to eat them all at once! - they keep well in a biscuit tin or cookie jar in a cool, dark place for quite a long time (given half a chance!). I guess you could probably freeze them too (if enough left!).
• ADDITIONS SUGGESTIONS:.
• Occasionally just for a change, right near the end of kneading I have added glace cherries, or occasionally sultanas or raisins, sometimes with and sometimes without cinnamon. Cherries worked ok, but wasn't crazy about the fruit. You could even split the kneaded mixture in two and do half plain and half with extra stuff then nudge them together in the baking tray for baking. I've never tried dessicated/flakes coconut or chunky milk/dark chocolate chips or crystallized (candied) ginger pieces perhaps with a bit of ground ginger in with the mix though I've often been tempted to - do let me know how they turn out if you do!
• I do know that dipping the tops from above at an angle into good quality melted real chocolate (not baking chocolate) so that the bottom remains uncoated and only half of the top is coated then leaving to cool (that's the tough bit!) is absolute heaven on earth in the eating. It also occurred to me while choco-dunking one time to add some dessicated coconut into the chocolate first - but I didn't have any - bet it's nice though!
• Do enjoy and best wishes from England - and Scotland!

MARTHA'S SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

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.

EASY SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Gradually add flour and mix well. (Dough will be crumbly). Shape into a ball., On a lightly floured surface, press dough to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut out with a floured 1-in. diamond-shaped cookie cutter; place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Prick each cookie with a fork. Reroll scraps if desired. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until firm. Cool for 2 minutes before carefully removing to wire racks to cool completely.,

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD III

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Cream butter and sugar with mixer. Add flour and mix with a wooden spoon. Use hands to thoroughly mix.
• Press into a jelly roll pan. Prick to bottom all over with a fork being sure the fork hits the bottom and the pricks are close together.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 and continue to bake for 40 minutes more. Wait 2 minutes then cut into finger size bars. Cool thoroughly in pan.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. , Spread into an ungreased 11x7-in. baking pan. Prick several times with a fork. Bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

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 II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Blend all ingredients well. Dough will be stiff.
• Press into a 9 x 9 inch buttered dish. Prick top with a fork.
• Bake until pale golden brown on the edges. Cool and cut into squares.

TRADITIONAL RICH SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD BISCUITS - COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix the flour and sugar together in a large bowl, and then rub in the butter - as if you were making shortcrust pastry. Use the tips of your fingers and ensure that all the butter has been rubbed in -- it should resemble sand!
• Then start to knead the paste, pushing it together to form a smooth dough - the heat of your hands whilst kneading helps it form.
• Petticoat Tails:.
• Divide the shorbread dough into two equal parts and shape them into balls, then flatten them out into two rounds - using the heel of your hand, to about 7" in diameter and 1/4" thick.
• Mark the top into equal portions - triangular in shape, and then prick the tops all over with a fork - making patterns if you wish! Crimp the edges as you would a pie crust to make a decorative edge and place them onto a well greased baking tray or cookie sheet.
• (You can also use a greased and lined 7" or 8" fluted edged round sandwich/cake tin - preferably with a loose bottom for ease of taking the shortbread out. Press the dough into the tin and mark out as above).
• Shortbread fingers:.
• Roll out the shortbread dough, and shape into a rectangle, about 1/2" to 3/4" thick. Place onto a well greased baking tray or cookie sheet as before, and mark into "fingers" -- prick over with a fork again. You can also press the dough into an 8" square baking/sandwich/brownie tin - and then mark out the fingers as above.
• (Please Note: The fingers are always thicker than the petticoat tails and shortbread rounds).
• Shortbread Rounds:.
• Roll out the shortbread dough and using a biscuit or cookie cutter, cut into rounds of about 2" to 3" in diameter, about 1/4" in thickness. Place them on a well greased baking tray or cookie sheet.
• Wooden Shortbread Mould:.
• You can also place the dough into a decorative wooden shortbread mould, before turning it out on to a greased baking tray. Traditional Scottish wooden moulds can be bought online and usually have a Thistle design with heavily fluted edges.
• Bake the any of the above shortbread biscuits in a pre-heated oven 160C/325F/Gas Mark 3 for between 20 to 30 minutes, or until they are pale and golden - but NOT brown!
• Sprinkle extra caster sugar over the top as soon as they come out of the oven if you wish.
• Allow the shorbread bicuits to cool slightly on a cooling rack, before cutting into fingers or "petticoat tails".
• Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight tin or container. NB: These will last for about 10 to 14 days in a cool, dry and dark pantry. They can also be frozen with great results!

TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH PURE BUTTER SHORTBREAD COOKIES - BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325F degrees.
• Blend the confectioner's sugar into the butter, and then gradually add the flour, 1 cup at a time. Dough will be very thick. At this point, you may add crushed lavender flowers or rosemary, if you wish.
• Place dough on floured surface, pat down, and roll out into a square or circle 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares or Petticoat Tail wedges, and carefully place on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Prick the top of each square or wedge with a fork.
• Bake at 325F degrees for 25 to 30 minutes; cookies should be pale on top, but golden brown on the bottom.
• Remove from oven, sprinkle with sugar if you wish, and cool on wire racks.
• Store in an airtight container.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and the sugar. Slowly add the flour and salt, mixing well. Roll out dough with a rolling pin until it is 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheet and prick with a fork.
• Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until light brown at the edges.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD, GLUTEN-FREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place almond flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, ginger, and salt together in a large resealable bag; seal and shake well to combine.
• Mix butter and flour mixture together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined.
• Roll dough into walnut-size balls and place 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets; flatten balls slightly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden brown, about 27 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease a 9x9" or 7x11" baking pan.
• Combine flour, sugar, and cornstarch, mixing well.
• Slowly stir flour mixture into the melted butter, until well combined.
• Gently press dough into pan with knuckles.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
• Immediately cut into 1" squares and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
• Allow shortbread to cool before removing from pan.

BUTTERY SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to gas mark 2/300°F/150°C.
• Prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
• First of all, beat the butter in a bowl with a wooden spoon to soften it.
• Beat in the sugar, followed by the sifted flour and semolina.
• Work the ingredients together with the spoon, pressing them to the side of the bowl, then finish off with your hands until you have a smooth mixture that doesn't leave any bits in the bowl.
• Divide the mixture into 9, and shape each portion into a ball (dust the work surface with flour if you find the mixture too sticky to work with).
• Flatten each one slightly and prick the centre with a fork (but not all the way through).
• To make it look pretty, make a 1 cm crinkly border on the top by lightly pressing a fork making a slight indent working all the way around (working for the edge towards the centre).
• Make sure that the biscuits are at least 1/2 inch in thickness (with the indentations at the edges).
• Place onto the prepared baking sheet, very well spaced out as they will spread out quite a bit during baking.
• Bake them for 50-60 minutes on the centre shelf of the oven (keep an eye on it after 45 mins - the edges seem to colour more easily than the top) - it should have turned pale gold and feel firm in the centre.
• Remove from the oven and dust the top with caster sugar.
• Leave it to cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store in an airtight container.

REAL SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Sift cornstarch, sugar and flour together.
• Blend in butter until combined and then use hands to knead into a soft dough.
• Shape dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Place dough in the bottom of a greased 9x9-inch pan and bake at 300°F for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Cool completely in pan and cut into squares.
• Store in an airtight container.