Shortbread
Shortbread is a type of cookie which is traditionally made from one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three parts plain white flour, although other ingredients like ground rice or cornstarch are sometimes added to alter the texture. Shortbread is so named because of its crumbly texture (from an old meaning of the word short). The cause of this texture is its high fat content, provided by the butter. The related word "shortening" refers to any fat that may be added to produce a short (crumbly) texture.
Ingredients
- 380 g (1 ½ cup / 13 ½ oz) all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 220 g (1 cup / 8 oz) butter
- 110 g (½ cup / 4 oz) white granulated sugar
Ingredients for 12 servings (710 g) · the original recipe
Method
- 1
Preheat the oven to 140°C (275°F or Gas Mark 1).
Oven - 2
Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.
- 3
Sift the flour and salt into the mixture and work into the fat and sugar until completely amalgamated.
- 4
Shape the dough into a ball and roll out to about 1.3 cm (½ inch) thick. The dough may need to be chilled for 10–15 minutes for easier handling.
- 5
Cut into squares or rectangles and prick the tops with a fork in two parallel lines.
- 6
Bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes or until the shortbread is lightly browned.
Oven - 7
Leave them on a cooling rack to cool.
- 8
Store in a cool place in an airtight container.
Recipe from Wikibooks Cookbook, written by Wikibooks contributors. Used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; the ingredient list and method on this page are taken from that page and edited (its notes, tips and variations are not reproduced), and are available under the same licence. The macros, equipment tags and scaling are Ma Kitchen’s own and are not the source’s figures. Ma Kitchen is not affiliated with or endorsed by Wikibooks Cookbook. Copied on 2026-11-12.
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