Traditional Scottish Shortbread

Name: Traditional Scottish Shortbread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 225 g Unsalted butter; 100 g caster sugar; 225 g Plain flour; 75 g rice flour; 25 g cornflour; 0.5 tsp Fine sea salt; 1 tbsp extra caster sugar; 1 tsp demerara sugar; 0.5 tsp Vanilla extract

Rich, crumbly Scottish shortbread baked until pale golden and dusted with sugar. A timeless classic with a melt-in-the-mouth texture.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· Central Belt

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 285 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

225 g Unsalted butter — softened at room temperature
100 g caster sugar — fine white sugar
225 g Plain flour — sifted
75 g rice flour — for traditional crisp texture
25 g cornflour — cornstarch, for tender crumb
½ tsp Fine sea salt — enhances buttery flavour
1 tbsp extra caster sugar — for dusting after baking
1 tsp demerara sugar — optional coarse sugar for extra crunch
½ tsp Vanilla extract — pure vanilla extract

Equipment

•20 cm square baking tin
•Greaseproof paper
•Mixing bowl
•Sieve
•Fork
•Palette knife

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 285 kcal
fat: 16 g
carbs: 34 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 3 g
calories: 285 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 150°C (130°C fan) and line a 20 cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper.
2
Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together in a mixing bowl until pale and creamy.
3
Sift the plain flour, rice flour, cornflour, and fine sea salt directly into the bowl.
4
Add the vanilla extract if using.
5
Bring the mixture together gently with your hands to form a smooth dough without overworking it.
6
Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking tin using the back of a metal spoon.
7
Prick the surface evenly all over in neat rows using a fork.
8
Bake on the middle shelf for 45 to 50 minutes until firm and pale golden, without browning.
9
Remove from the oven and immediately score into fingers with a sharp knife while still warm.
10
Dust the hot shortbread evenly with the extra caster sugar and demerara sugar.
11
Allow the shortbread to cool completely in the tin before snapping into individual fingers.

Chef's tips

Handle the dough as lightly as possible to keep the shortbread tender. Traditional Scottish shortbread should remain pale rather than browned, so keep your oven at a gentle heat. Adding rice flour gives the authentic sandy crunch.

Ingredient substitutions

rice flour → fine semolina or extra plain flour
unsalted butter → slightly salted butter (omit the extra pinch of salt)

Storage

Store in an airtight tin lined with greaseproof paper for up to two weeks at room temperature.

Reheating

Shortbread is best eaten at room temperature, but you can warm it in a low oven at 140°C for 5 minutes if desired.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Overworking the dough, which makes the shortbread tough instead of crumbly.
•Baking at too high a temperature, which browns the edges before the centre is cooked.
•Attempting to slice the shortbread after it has gone completely cold, causing it to shatter.

Serving suggestions

Serve with a hot cup of Scottish breakfast tea.Pair with a dram of single malt whisky at Hogmanay.Serve alongside fresh raspberries and whipped double cream.