Directions: |
Directions:Preheat oven to 325°. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. 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.
Special Tips:
Step 1: Make a Simple Dough
To make this shortbread recipe, you can break out your hand or stand mixer to make quick work of the prep. However, a wooden spoon and your favorite mixing bowl will do just fine—and it’s definitely traditional. Start by creaming together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. For a simple recipe like this that doesn’t call for additional flavorings or salt, be sure to use salted butter to bump up the flavor. And use the best butter you can—this is our favorite.
After you’ve creamed your butter and sugar, add in 3-3/4 cups of flour and mix until combined. Then turn the dough out onto a floured surface and add in the remaining flour until you have a soft dough.
Step 2: Shape the Shortbread Cookies
Lightly flour a work surface, and roll out the dough until it’s about a half inch thick. Cut into 3×1-inch strips. You can use a knife, a pizza cutter or a bench scraper to do this. Place about an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and prick with a fork to get that signature Scottish shortbread cookie design.
Step 3: The Secret to the Absolute Best Shortbread
After shaping the cookies, don’t rush to the oven! Instead, chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so (overnight is OK, too). A short stay in the fridge will firm up the cookies and solidify the butter. This will help keep them from spreading too much. Also, it helps concentrate those flavors for your best ever shortbread.
Step 4: Bake
Bake in a 325ºF oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Let the cookies cool on the pan for about five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
The result should be a nice, tender shortbread cookie. These cookies are good on their own, with a cup of coffee or, if you want to go the traditional route, a cup of tea.
Tip - For slices that are even and smooth, cut the shortbread while it is still warm. |
This recipe for Old-fashioned Short Bread Cookies is from