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Buttery Shortbread Biscuits Recipe
Traditional all butter shortbread biscuits that are buttery, melt-in-the-mouth and perfectly sweetened. They taste absolutely incredible and pair exceptionally well with a nice cup of tea (or coffee).
Shortbread fans raise your hands!!!! This is the ultimate recipe for all butter shortbread biscuits that will leave you wanting more and more – I’m on my fourth as I write this!
Shortbread has always been one my favourite type of biscuits EVER, they’re buttery, crumbly and incredibly easy to make too. It’s a simple yet tasty bake that you wouldn’t believe only requires 3 ingredients.
If you’ve ever wondered how to make shortbread biscuits, wonder no more – this recipe will guide you through the whole process. These biscuits are so quick to make that you’ll find yourself tucking into them in no time!
A Quick Note On Shortbread
Shortbread is a type of biscuit (or cookie if you’re in the US) originating from Scotland. Shortbread biscuits are typically made from flour, butter and sugar – that’s it.
The texture is quite crumbly as butter first coats the sugar before flour is added forming the shortbread dough. This process is called ‘shortening’ and helps to create a delicious crumbly texture.
Why You’ll Like This Recipe
- It’s perfect for Christmas and all year round
- Easy to decorate and equally amazing plain
- It’s so versatile, you can add extra flavours like chocolate chips
- Perfectly crumbly, buttery and crisp
- Naturally vegan if you use margarine instead of butter
Watch How To Make It
Recipe Ingredients
Below are the few ingredients needed to make this recipe:
- Butter (or Margarine): As this is an all-butter shortbread recipe, you’re going to need some butter! Unsalted butter is generally used as you can control the amount of salt added, though I like to use salted butter. You can use margarine instead of butter (especially if you want it vegan), but butter is what gives these biscuits its authentic shortbread taste, you will taste the difference.
- Sugar: Use caster sugar, this is my go-to for making desserts. However, you can use icing sugar or granulated sugar instead.
- Flour: Use plain flour when making shortbread biscuits, it helps to create its iconic crumbly texture. Avoid using self-raising flour as this will alter the texture and make it rise.
- Optional Additions: You can add vanilla extract (or any extract) and salt to this recipe for even more flavour.
Do I Need To Chill The Dough?
Yes and no… you don’t have to chill the dough but I recommend that you do. It makes the dough easy to work with and it’s less likely to stick to the cookie cutter breaking apart.
If your dough is not sticky and is easy to roll, then you can skip chilling it in the fridge or freezer. Using cold butter straight from the fridge is a great tip to prevent the dough turning warm and sticky.
How To Make All Butter Shortbread Biscuits
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to make buttery shortbread biscuits. Full recipe instructions are on the recipe card. I used a food processor, but you can also make this recipe by hand using a mixing bowl.
Step One:
Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan, gas mark 4) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. You can do this with a food processor, electric whisk or by hand using the ‘rub-in method’.
TIP: Dice the butter into small cubes to ease the mixing process.
Step Two:
Add plain flour to the mixing bowl or food processor and mix together until a dough has formed. Use your hands to gather the dough together to form a ball.
Tip: The dough shouldn’t be sticky, but if it is, add more flour or cover the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
Step Three:
