Three Easy and Delicious Shortbread Cookie Recipes
It Isn't Christmas Until I Make Shortbread Cookies!
To me, it is just not Christmas until I have made shortbread. My grandmother made shortbread every Christmas, and my first recipe is from her. I should add that she was from Paisley, Scotland, so this recipe is genuine shortbread.
Cook and Prep Time (With Stand Mixer)
Grandma's Shortbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound of butter (at room temperature)
- 1 cup (packed) icing sugar
- 4 cups of flour
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 275˚F.
- Beat and cream butter until fluffy.
- Add icing sugar and flour. Mix with your fingers (make sure your hands are clean) until all is well blended.
- Make into several balls and pat out on a floured countertop or wax paper.
- With a rolling pin, roll out to about ½ “ thick.
- Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. You can also make the dough into a pie shape and place it into a pie pan. Score a design into the shortbread pie.
- Bake in oven until set and very light brown. Every oven is different so time fluctuates. I just keep checking after about ten minutes.
- Remove shortbread cookies with a spatula, and set onto a cooling rack.
Tip: Refrigerate Dough to Cut It More Easily
Sometimes with this recipe, I will make the dough into logs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the next day. Then I simply cut into the cookies with a sharp knife and decorate with sprinkles, chocolate chips, or blended granulated sugar.
Using a Stand Mixer for Shortbread
This year, I decided to try this recipe using my stand mixer. It was so much easier than kneading with my hands, and with the time I saved, I was able to make some peanut butter banana cookies for the dogs.
Shortbread Bars Recipe
The next recipe comes from an old friend, and these are very good!
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 pound of butter
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup rice flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350˚F.
- Blend 1 cup of sugar in blender for 30 seconds.
- Add the sugar to softened butter and cream until fluffy.
- Combine flour and rice flour, and beat into butter gradually.
- Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
- Add up to ½ more flour if needed.
- Press into a 15 x 9” cookie sheet.
- Score into bars with a sharp knife. Prick surface with a fork up and down the dough.
- Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
- Bake to a golden brown, which takes 30–40 minutes.
- Cut along scored lines, cool and store in an airtight container. Makes 48 bars.
Whipped Shortbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound of butter
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups icing sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup corn starch
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325˚F.
- Beat butter until white.
- Beat in all the following as you add it. Add sugar and cornstarch gradually. Add vanilla, and then add flour gradually.
- Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12–18 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool the cookies on a cooling rack.
- Makes 100 cookies.
Questions & Answers
© 2010 Susan Zutautas
Comments
AUTHORThanks, Robbie so nice to see you here.
These are all nice recipes, Susan. The one I use is most similar to the last one you have here.
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Yes they all are authentic recipes. Hope that you enjoy the shortbread as much as we do.
I love shortbread. All these recipes look good! And if your grandmother from Paisley taught them to you, then they must be authentic. I will try one of these recipes for Christmas.
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Cris Sp, Thank you and Merry Christmas to you too!
I'll have to try this and will start from your Grandma's original recipe. I'm pretty sure my daughter will like it.
Well, we love shortbread cookies. Glad to have landed here.
Shared and pinned.
Merry Christmas!
- AUTHOR
Hi Val, So nice to see you here. Yes confectioners sugar is the same as icing sugar.
You certainly have a variety of recipes for shortbread. I am not familiar with icing sugar. Is that confectioner's sugar? My recipe is 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar (white or brown). It's all good.
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Thanks Patsy and I hope you enjoy the recipes.
- AUTHOR
Audrey, Thanks!
Deb, Thanks and I hope you like the recipes. Made my first batch of the season yesterday.
Wow, this is the authentic recipe. I look forward to trying this.
O wow these sounds so easy to make and great tasting. They also look so yummy. I am going to have to give these a try. Thanks for sharing! I am bookmarking this one and sharing too.
Oh yummy!!
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Thanks so much Peg, I really appreciate that. Hope that you enjoy the recipes.
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Thanks bravewarrior, they are great aren't they.
These are so pretty and festive. I can't wait to try them. Posted to Facebook for my sister, the baker, to try. And pinned for me to remember the recipe. Thanks for sharing your Grandma's finest shortbread recipes.
I love shortbread cookies because they're not too sweet. The baking season is fast approaching. Thanx for sharing these recipes, Susan!
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Vacation Trip, Nice to meet you and I hope you enjoy the shortbread as much as we do.
Interesting and easy.. Will try it soon.
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unknown, Thanks :)
sound so delicious!
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TT, Hope you enjoy the shortbread. This reminds me I need to start baking and hiding them myself :)
these are SO easy I am going to have to make these for Christmas...and I *might* share...ok, not really...I don't play well with others. ;)
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RH, We're going to make a baker out of you yet :) When I first started making my grandmothers shortbread recipe it took me several attempts to make them taste as good as hers.
Carol, I usually start making shortbread sometime in November to get ready for the Christmas season. Thanks for stopping by :)
Shortbread with the buttery taste..My tastebuds are dancing the jig. I rarely bake but this has brought some inspiration. Add a cup of coffee as realhousewife suggested and you have a sweet feast. Thanks for sharing.
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I LOVE shortbread...I did try to make it before and it was as hard as a rock! Lol. I'll have to try this I'd love to make them well...perfect as they go great with coffee!
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Frank, Hope you do, they are delicious.
Just Ask Susan I can't wait to trick my grandmother into making these so I can try them :) Frank
- AUTHOR
Thanks everyone and sorry for the delayed response.
I'm so hungry right now. I was just a little before. Wish I had time to make these right now.
I can't wait to try these, which one do I try first though, that is the question? Great Hubs, very well done.
This sounds delicious!
Great job on this Hub. Looks good and sounds yummy. Nice work. VOTE UP!!
Nice recipe, similar to the one I use to get the children involved in, see my hub.
thank you so much. I thought it might be but wanted to be sure. The recipe sounds so good I didn't want to mess it up. thank you also for the quick response.
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Yes nightbear it is powdered sugar just like the kind you use to make icing with.
I have never even thought about trying to make my own shortbread. As many of your readers already said, this seems simple enough to try myself. I am not sure what icing sugar is. Would another name for that be powdered sugar?
Hi Susan
Loved your hub ,so well set out and very easy to follow!
Cant wait to try them out as well ,especially your Grandmothers ,mine was from Scotland too,and I have a sneaking suspicion that we loved her shortbead for the same reasons as Ill love yours.
Merry Christmas xo
Oh yummy, I can't wait to try this! I'll start with your grandma's recipe and probably try them all, I love shortbread. Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you everyone so much! Johnny sorry to say that no I do not have a recipe for Black Bun and if I find a really good one I will let you know.
Excellent!
Do you have a recipe for Black Bun?
Voted UP and useful! I'm sure I could replace the icing sugar with some sort of sugar substitute for my diabetic relatives. Congratulations on your Hubnuggets win!
One of my favorite things - shortbread - thanks for the recipes. No wonder I love it - all the butter and sugar. Oh well, it is the holidays, right? Thanks for sharing and congrats on the nomination.
The recipes sound very good and the pictures make them look good. Congrats on your nomination.
Very yummy! Will definitely recommend to others.
I usually make shortbread on board ship as snacks. Sailors often whined; they like toasted bread to be dunked on hot coffee (hehe!). Congratulations on your HubNugget nomination. ;)
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Thanks so much Deborah. I am sure you will love them as much as I do!
Congratulations on your hubnuggets nomination. I can't wait to try these cookies.
Namaste.
- AUTHOR
Thanks so much Denise. Merry Christmas.
Nice recipes. I have a friend who LOVES shortbread. Congratulations on your nomination.
Hear Ye, Hear Ye...this hub is a Hubnuggets Nominee! Woohoo Be sure to check your email Just Ask Susan and the official announcement is there for you. Or you can follow me in a merry trail. This way to the Hubnuggets forum https://hubpages.com/forum/topic/61041#post1353813 and tell the world why you are excited about your nomination. Then follow the link to Zsuzsy Bee's hub to vote!
Looks like a great recipe. Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you Rosie Merry Christmas to you too!
WOW! Three great shortbread recipes.. I love shortbread. The recipes and the pictures look yummy.
Merry Christmas!
Rosie
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Thanks so much Patty!
Up and awesome! Photos look very nice with the recipes, too.
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All three recipes are easy to make cashmere and I look forward too seeing what you think.
Sounds simple enough for me to risk. Will post again once I try it out :)
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mmmm sounds good Princessa!
I love short bread, especially dunked in a good malt Whisky!
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Thanks so much Christy
Susan gives this shortbread out at Christmas time and it is the absolute best I've ever tasted! This hubber knows how to bake!
Sue - Now you have to make a hub about your Nuts N Fluff recipe(with the Shreddies), that's my second favorite!
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