Name: Shortbread
Yield: About 32 biscuits
Cuisine: Scotland
Ingredients: 250 g Unsalted butter Softened; 125 g Icing sugar Sifted; 350 g All-purpose flour Plain; 30 g Cornstarch; 2 g Fine salt Omit if using salted butter

Scotland · Cookies

Shortbread

Buttery, egg-free biscuits with a short, crumbly bite.

Include step photos when printing

Ingredients

Group	Ingredient	Amount	Preparation
Cream	Unsalted butter	250 g	Softened
Cream	Icing sugar	125 g	Sifted
Dry	All-purpose flour	350 g	Plain
Dry	Cornstarch	30 g
Dry	Fine salt	2 g	Omit if using salted butter

Tools & alternatives

Utensil checklist

Tick the tools you have ready. Choose the recommended tool or its workaround; keep the specified pan size and heat rating.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Mixer with paddle or beaters	Use a sturdy spoon and bowl for softened butter mixtures, or a hand mixer. Cream until lighter; do not replace beating with a quick stir.
Knife	A clean, sharp kitchen knife is enough; use a serrated knife where the method calls for one.
Two baking trays	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.

Timing & recipe details

Time & temperature

Baking temperature: 160°C conventional
Baking time: 16–20 min

Resting, cooling and chilling are additional to cooking time.

Makes: About 32 biscuits
Heat: 160°C conventional
Plan for: About 45 minutes

Method

01 · Prepare
5 min
Use: Equipment
Heat oven and line the trays.
Ready when: Trays ready.
01 PrepareHeat oven and line the trays.
02 · Cream
2–3 min
Use: Cream
Beat butter and icing sugar until creamy.
Ready when: Soft and pale.
02 CreamBeat butter and icing sugar until creamy.
03 · Make dough
Briefly
Use: Cream, Dry
Sift dry ingredients together, then mix into butter just until a dough forms.
Ready when: Dough holds when pressed.
03 Make doughSift dry ingredients together, then mix into butter just until a dough forms.
04 · Slice
5 min
Use: Make dough
Press into a compact rectangular log, about 4 × 6 cm across. Slice about 1 cm thick and space on trays.
Ready when: Slices keep their shape.
04 SlicePress into a compact rectangular log, about 4 × 6 cm across. Slice about 1 cm thick and space on trays.
05 · Bake
16–20 min
Use: Slice
Bake until set and just colouring at the edges.
Ready when: Pale centres with faint golden edges.
05 BakeBake until set and just colouring at the edges.
06 · Cool
Until cool
Use: Bake
Leave on trays until firm, then move to a rack.
Ready when: Biscuits become crisp and crumbly.
06 CoolLeave on trays until firm, then move to a rack.

What to look for

Stage	Look / feel for	Needs attention
Slice	Slices keep their shape.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Bake	Pale centres with faint golden edges.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Cool	Biscuits become crisp and crumbly.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.

Troubleshooting

If you see this	Likely cause	What to do now	Next time
Dough crumbles when sliced	It has not been compacted or is very cold.	Press it together firmly; let very cold dough soften slightly.	Mix just until cohesive and form a solid log.
Greasy spreading	Butter or kitchen too warm.	Chill cut biscuits before baking.	Use soft butter that still holds its shape.

Store airtight for up to 1 week.

Ingredient choices & substitutions

Ingredient	Specified type	Brand	Status
Unsalted butter	Softened	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Icing sugar	Sifted	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
All-purpose flour	Plain	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Fine salt	Omit if using salted butter	No required brand	Match the ingredient type

Ingredient	Alternative / ratio	Adjust handling	Likely outcome
Unsalted butter	Salted butter250 g	Omit the separate 2 g salt.	Similar biscuit; salt level depends on brand.
Cornstarch	All-purpose flour30 g	Add with the main flour.	Slightly less crumbly texture.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

Other approaches to this recipe

Cook / recipe	Use	What differs

The working ingredients and method form one recipe. Different formulas are compared without averaging their quantities or rise schedules.

Recipe

Shortbread

Buttery, egg-free biscuits with a short, crumbly bite.

Include step photos when printing

Ingredients

Group	Ingredient	Amount	Preparation
Cream	Unsalted butter	250 g	Softened
Cream	Icing sugar	125 g	Sifted
Dry	All-purpose flour	350 g	Plain
Dry	Cornstarch	30 g
Dry	Fine salt	2 g	Omit if using salted butter

Tools & alternatives

Utensil checklist

Tick the tools you have ready. Choose the recommended tool or its workaround; keep the specified pan size and heat rating.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Mixer with paddle or beaters	Use a sturdy spoon and bowl for softened butter mixtures, or a hand mixer. Cream until lighter; do not replace beating with a quick stir.
Knife	A clean, sharp kitchen knife is enough; use a serrated knife where the method calls for one.
Two baking trays	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.

Timing & recipe details

Makes: About 32 biscuits
Heat: 160°C conventional
Allow: About 45 minutes

How do I make it?

Prepare
5 min
Heat oven and line the trays.
Heat oven and line the trays.
Ready when: Trays ready.
Cream
2–3 min
Beat butter and icing sugar until creamy.
Beat butter and icing sugar until creamy.
Ready when: Soft and pale.
Make dough
Briefly
Sift dry ingredients together, then mix into butter just until a dough forms.
Sift dry ingredients together, then mix into butter just until a dough forms.
Ready when: Dough holds when pressed.
Slice
5 min
Press into a compact rectangular log, about 4 × 6 cm across. Slice about 1 cm thick and space on trays.
Press into a compact rectangular log, about 4 × 6 cm across. Slice about 1 cm thick and space on trays.
Ready when: Slices keep their shape.
Bake
16–20 min
Bake until set and just colouring at the edges.
Bake until set and just colouring at the edges.
Ready when: Pale centres with faint golden edges.
Cool
Until cool
Leave on trays until firm, then move to a rack.
Leave on trays until firm, then move to a rack.
Ready when: Biscuits become crisp and crumbly.

What can go wrong, and how can I fix it?

What you notice	Likely cause	What to do
Dough crumbles when sliced	It has not been compacted or is very cold.	Press it together firmly; let very cold dough soften slightly. Mix just until cohesive and form a solid log.
Greasy spreading	Butter or kitchen too warm.	Chill cut biscuits before baking. Use soft butter that still holds its shape.

Useful recipe notes

Store airtight for up to 1 week.

See the detailed method and ratios in , or follow ingredients through the .

Formula component	Grams	Flour = 100%
Unsalted butter	250 g	71.4%
Icing sugar	125 g	35.7%
All-purpose flour	350 g	100%
Cornstarch	30 g	8.6%
Fine salt	2 g	0.6%

Method

01 · Prepare

02 · Cream

03 · Make dough

04 · Slice

05 · Bake

06 · Cool

What to look for

Troubleshooting

How do I make it?

Prepare

Cream

Make dough

Slice

Bake

Cool

What can go wrong, and how can I fix it?

Shortbread at a glance