Shortbread, 10 Ways

By Melissa Clark

Updated Feb. 29, 2024

Shortbread, 10 Ways
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour, plus cooling
Rating
5(1,915)
Comments
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Shortbread is not only one of the easiest desserts you can possibly make, it’s also one of the most adaptable. As long as you keep the butter-to-flour ratio constant (1 stick butter to 1 cup flour), everything else is negotiable. You can reduce or increase the sugar and salt, or mix in any type of flavoring from citrus zest to vanilla to herbs and spices. You can even alter the type of flour, swapping in some rice flour for all-purpose flour for increased crunch, or cornmeal for a nubby texture. Just be cautious about adding liquid to the dough; any more than one tablespoon could interfere with the texture. Here we give a master recipe and nine variations to play around with.

Featured in: The Simplest Shortbread You Can Bake

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Ingredients

Yield:24 servings
  • 2cups/250 grams all-purpose flour
  • ⅔cup/150 grams granulated sugar
  • ¾teaspoon fine salt
  • 2sticks/1 cup/226 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (24 servings)

130 calories; 8 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 61 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 325 degrees. Pulse together flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse to fine crumbs. Pulse a few more times until some of the crumbs start to come together, but don’t overprocess; the dough should be somewhat crumbly. (You can also mix the dough in a bowl using two knives or a pastry cutter.)

  2. Step 2

    Press dough into an even layer in an ungreased 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan, or a 9-inch pie pan. Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake until golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes for the 9-inch square or pie pan, 45 to 50 minutes for the 8-inch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into squares, bars or wedges while still warm.

Tips
  • Here are nine variations for the master shortbread recipe above.
  • Scottish Shortbread: Use 1½ cups all-purpose flour and ½ cup white rice flour.
  • Tender Shortbread: Substitute confectioners' sugar for the granulated sugar, and ⅓ cup cornstarch for ⅓ cup of flour.
  • Vanilla Bean Shortbread: Split a vanilla bean in half lengthwise and use the back of a knife to scrape out the pulp. Pulse the pulp into the flour-sugar mixture before adding butter. Or add up to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract with the butter.
  • Citrus Shortbread: Add 1 to 1½ teaspoons finely grated lemon, lime or orange zest with the flour. Add up to 1 teaspoon orange blossom water with the butter if desired. These are classic with poppy seeds.
  • Nut Shortbread: Grind ½ cup toasted nuts in the food processor with the flour before combining with remaining ingredients.
  • Spice or Seed Shortbread: Add up to 1 teaspoon spices, like ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or cardamom, or seeds like caraway or anise. Or add up to 3 tablespoons poppy or sesame seeds.
  • Brown or Maple Sugar Shortbread: Substitute ⅓ cup light or dark brown sugar or maple sugar for the granulated. This yields a slightly softer shortbread.
  • Cornmeal or Whole Wheat Shortbread: Substitute up to ½ cup cornmeal or whole wheat flour for ½ cup of all-purpose flour. Season with spices, seeds, citrus or rosemary if desired.
  • Buckwheat Shortbread: Substitute up to ⅓ cup buckwheat flour for ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,915 user ratings
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Comments

Julia Moskin

Hi Myrna, please note: It's one STICK butter for each cup of flour. That's what the headnote says and it is correct.

irene

what gives? the headnote states 1 cup flour to 1 cup butter, yet the recipe calls for TWO cups flour to 1 cup butter. ????????? which is it?

J John

11th Variation - Replace 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons Dutch cocoa for Chocolate Shortbread. 12th Variation - Dip in melted chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy canes for Peppermint Chocolate Shortbread. 13th Variation - Don’t make 13th Variation. It is unlucky and will bring pestilence upon your household.

Liz

Add Lime! The grated zest of two limes added with the butter, plus a dusting of powdered sugar over the warm bars.. it tastes like a margarita. I have made this over and over. It gets raves every time. But the lime variation is the one where people kind of lose their minds and have six at a time.

Elizabeth

I’ve never made this independently (always as the base for blueberry pie bars) but reduced the sugar to 100g and thought that was plenty. I just make it in a bowl with a pastry cutter and it’s super easy. Perfect and delicious!

Liz

So easy, and so good. My husbands friends literally tripped over each other grabbing these. A whole pan disappeared in less than 10 minutes. It’s fine because the cookies prep time is less than five minutes. This recipe went straight into my favorites folder!

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