Sugared Shortbread Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Cynthia

I adore this recipe and have made it many times. I make my own rice flour by whizzing white rice in a Magic Bullet. I can't get it uniformly powdery, which is a good thing: I love the tiny bits of raw rice in the finished shortbread. They lend an irresistible crunchy texture. The other bonus to this recipe is how ridiculously easy it is. Be sure to slice the shortbread while it is warm. If you wait until it cools, you'll have a pile of shattered shards, albeit a delicious pile.

RLIZA

Easy and simple, delish. Next time, I'll rub some lemon zest with the sugar before mixing it in the flour for some fresh lemon flavor (a Dorrie Greenspan baking process I've tried).

Patsy

I can't stop making these. Is there a 12 step program to to help me with this? These are fantastic!

Nick

Great recipe. Call me crazy, but I'm certain the flavor and texture improved after I let the finished shortbread fingers sit in a sealed container overnight.

HK

Given that this recipe already calls for melted butter, I made this using Kate Zuckerman's method of browning butter with a vanilla bean (e.g. https://www.cookstr.com/recipes/whipped-brown-butter-and-vanilla-birthda.... It was spectacular.

Megs

Used fine almond flour instead of rice flour, and was delicious.Noticed description states sugar on top and bottom of cookie - should we also sprinkle pan before pressing dough?

lynn liccardo

easy to scale down (knew i couldn't trust myself with the whole thing:).

added a slug of vanilla extract to 1/2 recipe and baked in my 8-inch cast iron skillet for 25 minutes @ 350-degrees. perfect.

next time, i'm going to try it with a salted, cultured butter (see melissa's cultured butter cookies), and maybe sub turbinado sugar for granulated.

Linda

This is the easiest and best shortbread recipe I’ve tried. I don’t change a thing. I use parchment, lift it out of the pan immediately and then slice before they cool. I roll each piece in sugar while still hot and it sticks very well.

Dianne

I'm going to guess no, you were right not to add tahini on this occasion. And also yes, you should've gone ahead and bought rice flour. After a lot of delicious research I can tell you my favourite shortbread contains 100 percent rice flour. And butter and sugar. That's it.

John

Orange zest works also, and with the orange if you cut the finished shortbread into sticks, you can dip one end in dark chocolate, or just drizzle dark chocolate over the whole sheet

Donna

This is delicious and addictive as some have said. I added cardamom to the last batch and it was very good. I had a bit of lemon curd leftover so substituted for some of the butter and that was good as well.

Pudovkin

The original recipe (available on Amy Casey's web site) specifies a quarter cup, so I would go with that.

CraigR

I took lynn ricardo's suggestion and added a slug of vanilla. Wonderful. Will definitely be a regular for me.

Pamela

Very easy to make and good taste and texture. I buttered the dish instead of using parchment paper and had no issues with sticking. I added a half teaspoon of vanilla and some extra sugar to the mix. I sprinkled mine with sugar and sliced almost immediately after taking out of the oven, and transferred to another dish to cool. Lost some sugar in the process so resprinkled again. I guess the comment about sugar on the bottom of the cookies will be one of life's unsolved mysteries.

missn

First comment on a NYT recipe: prepared recipe as directed - delicious and ever so easy to make. Yum!

missn

First comment on a NYT recipe: prepared recipe as directed - delicious and ever so easy to make. Yum!

Meezon Plass

Amazing easy recipe. I've made it with plain melted butter and with brown butter, both incredibly delicious. It' amazing how much the flavor and texture improve the next day.

Vicki

Very dry

ruby delicious

Don’t melt the butter, or else cool it completely

ilovevt

Oh yum! A perfect recipe and so easy. Rave reviews and they kept beautifully.

ilovevt

Meant to add that I used almond flour instead of rice flour and added a hint of almond extract. Absolutely delicious.

shore cook

Try using cultured butter, it makes a difference in the flavor. I also added lemon zest and vanilla extract as others suggested, it was delicious!

flo

I think this is the best recipe I cut it in round shape, slightly thinner and this my view of what a perfect sugar cookie is. Forget the other sugar cookie with icing, which compared to this is like mini purgatory !! this is THE sugar cookie for ever. Best recipe, tons of thanks !!!!!

MarciaF

Can I cut the dough with cookie cutters and bake on parchment on cookie sheets, rather than baking in a pan and then cutting into bars?

MJ

I don't see why not.

Linda

This is the easiest and best shortbread recipe I’ve tried. I don’t change a thing. I use parchment, lift it out of the pan immediately and then slice before they cool. I roll each piece in sugar while still hot and it sticks very well.

Miranda

This recipe, as is, is my absolute favorite for an easy cookie/treat. If you want a stronger flavor, you can also add 1.5 tsp of almond extract, which is equally delicious

As a lavender farmer...

Added 1 tablespoon of ground lavender buds is a MUST otherwise as noted it is too bland. Increase sugar to 1/3 of a cup. Added ground lavender - only 1 teaspoon to the sugar before sprinkling on the top of the still warm shortbread. Delicious!!

josee

Made as written with the following flavorings: 1tbsp of culinary lavender seeds and 1tbsp of dried lemon peel, crushed together with mortar to release more aromas. Also stirred some of this in the sugar topping. Best shortbread I have ever had. Looking forward to experiencing with different flavorings.

josee

I made this as written and added culinary lavender and minced lemon peel for flavor. Will never try another shortbread recipe. It came out looking professional with divine taste and texture. I may experience with other flavorings.

Mary

Delicious! I baked 30 minutes and it was too long. Next time, I will check after 25 minutes. I added approximately a teaspoon of vanilla after reading reviews.

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Sugared Shortbread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the mistake in making shortbread? ›

The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour.

What is the trick to shortbread? ›

Tips To Make the Best Shortbread Cookies
  1. Choose High Quality Butter. No matter what brand of butter you buy, if it's real butter, you can rest assured that it's the best. ...
  2. Keep Ingredients Simple. ...
  3. Add Flavor. ...
  4. Don't Overwork. ...
  5. Shape Dough. ...
  6. Chill Before Baking. ...
  7. Bake Until Golden. ...
  8. Add Finishing Touches.

What's the difference between shortbread and sugar cookies? ›

The main difference between these two cookies is the ingredients and the ratios of the ingredients. Sugar cookies typically contain eggs, while shortbread cookies do not. Shortbread also has a higher ratio of butter to flour and are usually more crumbly and tender as a result.

What's the difference between Scottish shortbread and cookie? ›

Walkers Scottish cookies often have more ingredients than shortbread, including those that aid in leavening such as baking powder and baking soda. The leavening agents are responsible for the notable crunch and open texture of the Scottish cookie, which is not nearly as crumbly as shortbread.

What not to do when making shortbread? ›

The key with shortbread is not to overhandle it. Make the dough exactly as instructed, but don't mess around making shapes or over rolling the dough - you will end up with delicious but tough biscuits. Stretching and pulling the dough activates the gluten in the flour, making chewy cookies and not crisp ones.

Why is shortbread unhealthy? ›

Why is shortbread considered to be bad for you? Shortbread is considered unhealthy because of the high butter content. How long do gingerbread houses last before eating them could make you sick?

What's the difference between Irish shortbread and Scottish shortbread? ›

Irish Shortbread Is Distinct From Scottish Shortbread

As cornstarch is a potent thickener relative to flour, this creates a denser cookie. Whichever version of shortbread you prefer, though, the original -- which is often just called "shortbread" -- came from Scotland.

Is it best to chill shortbread dough before baking? ›

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.

What happens if you don't poke holes in shortbread? ›

Piercing the shortbread with a fork is not only for decoration, but it's meant for more even baking. Poking holes in the shortbread allows the heat to penetrate the cookie, hence more even baking. Notice I'm using powdered sugar here. You'll see lots of shortbread recipes using granulated sugar.

Why do you put cornstarch in shortbread? ›

A cornstarch shortbread cookie is a shortbread cookie that contains cornstarch along with all-purpose flour in the cookie dough. The cornstarch is used to give these buttery treats a crispy, melt-in-the-mouth texture. It also helps prevent the cookies from becoming too crumbly and breaking apart.

Why use unsalted butter in shortbread? ›

Unsalted butter for best results

Use unsalted butter for balanced flavour. Unsalted butter was traditionally used in baking because it was a superior product to salted - salt is used as a preservative so unsalted butter was thought to be fresher.

Why is it called Scottish shortbread? ›

Shortbread originated in Scotland. Although it was prepared during much of the 12th century, and probably benefited from cultural exchange with French pastry chefs during the Auld Alliance between France and Scotland, the refinement of shortbread is popularly credited to Mary, Queen of Scots in the 16th century.

What are the 3 traditional shapes of shortbread? ›

So while you lick your lips in anticipation, here are 10 fascinating facts to get you in the mood.
  • 3 ingredients is all you need.
  • Its butteriness gives it the name 'shortbread'
  • A 12th century dough experiment was the catalyst.
  • There are 3 shapes: fingers, petticoat tails, and rounds.
Jul 12, 2022

Did Mary Queen of Scots invent shortbread? ›

Shortbread may have been made as early as the 12th Century, however its invention is often attributed to Mary, Queen of Scots in the 16th Century.

Is shortbread the same as lady fingers? ›

Shortbread is a tight crumb, crisp, and buttery cookie, yet ladyfingers are light, airy, and meringue-based. So the two are very different cookies in several ways. However, both ladyfingers and shortbread are often used in trifles and other layered desserts.

What are the disadvantages of shortbread? ›

Sugar provides a fast source of energy. There are rarely any artificial additives. Cons: Shortbread is a weight watcher's nightmare because it is extremely high in saturated fat and calories.

What happens if you over mix shortbread? ›

It's important to avoid over-mixing shortbread dough, which will develop gluten and make the finished product tough, not tender. To make sure that the flour mixes completely with little effort, sift the flour first to get out all of the lumps.

How can you tell if shortbread is underbaked? ›

Begin checking at the tail end of the cooking time. Undercooked shortbread will be doughy and chewy. Slightly overcooked and it will become chalky, brittle and hard.

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