THE BEST SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD COOKIES
Many of you know I spent my formative years living in Scottland and England as my dad was in the Air Force. While in a Scottish boarding school we learned how to make the easiest and most melt in your mouth shortbread cookies. The recipe I learned only had three ingredients! I’ve made shortbread since I was a little girl. Let’s make the best ( and most authentic and easiest) Scottish shortbread ever!
Today on Decorating Tips And Tricks we are talking about BEST TIPS FOR HOSTING THANKSGIVING DINNER. Oh, how yummy!!!!! We have the SO many tips today!
Listen to episode 124 below:
You can listen to any DTT episode HERE.
THE BEST SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD COOKIES
Ingredients
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 4-6 cups all purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheets with parchment.In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter together on high speed until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour one cup at a time up to 4 cups. Keep beating the mixture on low speed.If the mixture is too shaggy add more flour until a soft ball is formed.Take the dough and form it into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.Flour a working surface. Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch and cut it out with cookie cutters. Bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly golden brown on the bottom.
I hope you will make these easy and oh, so delicious Scottish shortbread cookies!
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oh boy Yvonne, thanks a million! CANNOT wait to make these, I love shortbread!
Me too Shelly!
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
I use salted butter. Because the recipe does not call for salt I like that the butter has a little in it.
I just finished listening to the DTT podcast about where to put the tree and stockings, and wanted to you know that we played the game “Pick” too. 🙂 It brought back fun memories of growing up. Blessings to you this holiday season!
And we thought we made up that game!!! Hi to another Pick-er! xo
Cool and drizzling here in N.C. A good day to bake cookies and these shortbread look delicious. Perfect with a cup of tea.Thanks Yvonne.?
I would live to try this recipe! How many 2 inch circle cookies ( or your ovals) do you think you could get from this? Thanks!
Not sure! Let me know when you make them, Chris!
I cannot seem to find the link to the episode 124 about Thanksgiving…..
Where is the thanksgiving tips podcast link?
These cookie r an all time favorite of mine! ?
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Shortbread!!! Thank you for sharing. I want everybody to try this. They won’t be sorry.
I love shortbread but usually take the lazy route and buy it. But, I think I’ll try these. What does “ if the mixture is too shaggy” mean?
Omg!! How is that!! I LOVE shortbread cookies! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Only 3 ingredients, that’s my kind of recipe ! These cookies look yummy.
I am always printing off your recipes Yvonne. These authentic shortbread cookies look like they will melt in your mouth. Can’t wait to mix up a batch.
Yum, shortbread cookies and a cup of tea!
Thanks!
I love shortbread cookies and I can’t wait to try your recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Yummy Yummy my Tummy is wanting
Is White sugar – granulated or 10X powdered? Definitely, want to try these…
I learned to make it with regular sugar. I know many recipes use 10X
Oh my goodness Yvonne thank you for sharing your recipe for Shortbread cookies. I can hardly wait to make a batch of these for our Thanksgiving dinner. My grandma use to make these,but I never got her recipe. Now I’m definitely going to try your recipe.Many thanks!
Thanks so much!
These are a family tradition. My grandmother was from Scotland. Every Christmas she would send them to us in NY from where she lived in Illinois. This goes back to the 1950’s. Now I send them to my grandchildren that are out of state. The only thing I do different is mix cake flour and all purpose flour to give it a texture that is more like hers.
I’ll try that Carol. Thanks for the tip.
Three ingredients??? This is one for my recipe box!
Yum! I can’t wait to make these. Thanks for posting!
How many cookies does this make?
Have you had success when halfing the recipe?
Could you freeze half the dough for later?
Lots of questions, but ALWAYS enjoy your recipes!
Thanks for sharing your recipe and what must be a lovely memory!
Depends, Nan! The number the dough will make depends on the cookie cutters you use.
My grandmother used to make shortbread, and I’ve been meaning to look up her recipe and give it a try. Your version may be the same — I’ll have to compare. It’s such a good little snack with a hot cup of tea. Not too sweet – just right. Thanks for the nudge to get baking!
Yum! I love shortbread. Do you think the roll could be frozen to slice and bake right before Christmas?
I’d make it into a log and cut them off the log and bake them. Genius!!!!!!
I have a recipe from a childhood friend from her grandmother who was Scottish. It has the same three ingredients, but you also add some rice flour to them. They are the best ever. I make them every year.
The simpler the better is the best! These look delish!!!! We make nutballs that are about the same ingredients (with the addition of pecans, of course). I adore everything about your blog.
I make them too, Ginger. Here’s my recipe: https://www.stonegableblog.com/russian-tea-ball-cookies/
I love shortbread but didn’t realize it would be so easy to make. I’m looking forward to making a batch of these.
Rebecca, you can add a pinch of sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla if you want to get fancy!
These look delicious. Can’t wait to try them.
Hi as im Scottish make them all the time and yeh they are delish hope all ur fans try this they will not be dissapointed. An old scottish tradition as well is to make them for the newyear set ur table with shortie on it and when all ur first footers ccome in after the bells it a drink and a bit o shortie lol ,Ps and to bring u luck throughout the year a first foot thats a person who come through ur front door after the bells has to have dark hair lol Thanks Jean xxx
Thank you so so much, Jean!
Mine didn’t turn into a dough, was i supppsed the melt the butter? It isn’t working
I received a wonderful shortbread pan last year and have to try it out. Hoping I can use your recipe! Thanks so much. Always a fan.
hi ,, it did not turn into a dough…..i had to add water ……just to make a dough and idk if it will keep to roll and cut out. i used the ingredients and measurements to a tee. can you post a video of you makin them?
Not sure why Candace. You should not have to add water. Sorry these did not work out for you!
i just finished mixing these up and it isnt dough…its like a coarse cornmeal? I jumped on here to see if anyone else had this problem and saw that a couple of others did. Iwonder what in the world! Followed the directions exactly. i think i will add some milk.strange!
The BEST,THANK you !
I am a baker and could tell as I added second cup of flour that the ratio was not right. I have a bowl of coarse flour right now. Hoping to salvage. Any tips,Yvonne…?
Oh, no! Let me see if I wrote this correctly. sorry!
Morning! I did the 1-2-3 ratio,kneaded for about 5 minutes,chilled and had a beautiful batch.Kneading was the key for me. As always thank you for a beautiful blog,especially at Christmas,Yvonne!!!
Thanks so much Susan. I’ve made this recipe for years and it works just fine. Aren’t shortbread cookies the best? YUM!
Love shortbread!!! Got to try it!!!
And now I have a second delicious looking and easy cookie recipe. Thanks!