Easy Shortbread Cookies, a staple of Scottish culture and a global favorite, have the perfect blend of buttery goodness. These melt-in-your-mouth biscuits have a smooth and crumbly texture with a zesty citrus flavor. Rice flour added to all-purpose flour gives a slightly crunchy texture, while the refreshing lime zest and juice add a tangy twist. With its balance of sweet and tart, these cookies are ideal for any occasion and will leave you craving more. Enjoy these cookies with tea or coffee!
Although I have called shortbread a cookie, it is a biscuit. I called it a cookie because while my children were growing up in America, they used the word cookie for any “biscuit.” The only biscuits they were exposed to were those made with buttermilk and served in restaurants. They also tasted biscuits during our family visits to India and Singapore. So, as a matter of convenience, I called it a cookie rather than a biscuit.
I had traditional shortbread when I visited Scotland a couple of times. Many tea shops in Edinburgh serve these shortbread wedges or triangles with fancy tea sets. The cold, crisp air outside makes tasting a hot cup of English breakfast tea with plain shortbread an out-of-this-world experience!
Origin:
The essential ingredients in Shortbread are butter, flour, and sugar. Besides that, the history of Shortbread stems from allowing leftover bread dough to harden until it became a rusk. This leavening process was later replaced with butter, which is why it is called “shortbread”. In baking terms, “short” refers to fat (think shortcrust pastry), and the amount of butter used to make this dish crumbly is also named “shortbread”.
The British government legislated that something could not be called shortbread unless 51% of its fat came from real butter. As a matter of history, the Scottish Association of Master Bakers did not refer to shortbread as a biscuit but as a “specialty item of flour confectionery”, to avoid taxes.
While the Shortbread is commercially available throughout the year in the UK, it is a traditional celebratory dish. January 6th is the Scottish National Shortbread Day. The rich buttery dish was a luxury reserved for Christmas, Hogmanay (Scottish New Year’s Eve), and weddings. In fact, in the Shetland Islands, a decorated shortbread cake is broken over the head of a new bride on entering her new home.
Variations of Easy Shortbread Cookies:
Over the years, this simple but tasty baked good has increased in versatility and popularity. From cacao-based to toffee-based shortbread with jam in the center, it has always been a great platform to innovate. But in general, it is not common to find a citrus-based shortbread. I chose to use lime because I grow them in my backyard. For this recipe of Easy Shortbread Cookies, I have varied the flavors using homegrown grapefruit, pomelo, and orange zest.
The recipe below is the anthology of many years of sampling and reading about this perennial tea-time favorite. Grocery stores in England hand out coupons and free recipes. I have collected and taken notes on many British dishes. I have tweaked the recipe by adding lime zest and lemon juice and a dash of rice flour.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Should shortbread cookies be chilled before baking?
Chilling the dough for 20-30 minutes before rolling and baking helps.
2. Why are shortbread cookies pricked with a fork?
Pricking the cookies down to the tray helps prevent the butter from bubbling, which causes some bumps on the cookies and promotes even baking.
3. Are there other flavors that I can use in these Easy Shortbread Cookies?
I have made shortbread using orange peel, chocolate chips, lavender, and lemon. You can frost them with sprinkles, nuts, and candied peel.
4. Is there another method to make these simple Shortbread Cookies?
An alternate method of making shortbread is to work the butter and sugar with your fingers, instead of beating them in a stand mixer. Add the flour as you go to bring it together to create the short-crust pastry. Press the crumbly dough onto a lined tray, crimp the edges, prick with a fork, and bake until golden. Cut into desired shapes with a sharp knife, cool, and break the large round cookie into triangular pieces. This method does not call for rolling. You use your hands to press down the dough firmly onto the tray.
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Ingredients:
- Flour: all-purpose flour, rice flour (optional)
- Sugar: caster sugar or granulated sugar
- Butter: unsalted European butter
- Flavor: lime zest, lime juice (optional)
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to make this dish. Please refer to the recipe card below for the measurements.
How to make these easy Shortbread Cookies:
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light. Add the lime zest and lime juice and stir until combined.
2. Sift the flour and the rice flour with salt. Gradually, add the flour until the mixture looks crumbly. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
3. Take a lightly dusted rolling board and roll the dough to an oblong of 1/4″ thick. Use a cookie cutter of your choice and stamp out the cookies.
4. Prick them in the center and space each cookie 1/2″ apart on a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Let the cookies cool on the tray for 1-2 minutes. Lift them gently using a butter knife and place them on a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy these Easy Shortbread Cookies using my recipe with coffee or tea!
Tips:
- Cold butter helps keep the dough firm and gives the cookies a crumbly texture.
- Overmixing the dough will activate the gluten, making the cookies tough rather than light and tender.
- Refrigerating the dough for 20-30 minutes will prevent the cookies from spreading during baking.
- Prick the cookies to promote even baking.
- Cool the cookies on the baking tray for a few minutes before gently lifting them with a butter knife and cooling them on a wire rack to prevent them from breaking while still hot.
Serving suggestion:
While the traditional shortbreads are one large circle divided into triangular petticoat tails, these easy-to-make Shortbread Cookies can also be made into round biscuits or individual rectangular pieces. Serve them with hot coffee or tea.
Storage:
Store these Easy Shortbread Cookies in airtight containers and leave them at room temperature for a week or refrigerate them for 2 weeks. Freeze the cookies in airtight containers for 3 months.
Other cookie recipes that you might like:
Easy Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- stand mixer, baking trays
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsalted butter
- 2 oz cane sugar
- 4 oz all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 lime zest
- ½ tsp lime juice
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light. Add the lime zest and lime juice and stir until combined.
- Sift the flour and the rice flour with salt. Gradually, add the flour until the mixture looks crumbly. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Take a lightly dusted rolling board and roll the dough to an oblong of 1/4" thick. Use a cookie cutter of your choice and stamp out the cookies.
- Prick them in the center and space each cookie 1/2" apart on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool on the tray for 1-2 minutes. Then lift them gently and place them on a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy these Easy Shortbread Cookies using my recipe with coffee or tea!
Notes
- Place the cookies half an inch apart on the lined baking tray.
- Cold butter helps keep the dough firm and gives the cookies a crumbly texture.
- Overmixing the dough will activate the gluten, making the cookies tough rather than light and tender.
- Refrigerating the dough for 20-30 minutes will prevent the cookies from spreading during baking.
- Prick the cookies to promote even baking.
- Cool the cookies on the baking tray for a few minutes before gently lifting them with a butter knife and cooling them on a wire rack to prevent them from breaking while still hot.
Nutrition
I didn’t change a thing for this recipe. The proportions were perfect. Love the addition of lime!
these cookies are so cute! and i love the lime!