Traditional Shortbread Cookies

These traditional shortbread cookies combine butter, flour, granulated sugar, and salt for a buttery, crumbly texture. The dough is pressed into one pan and baked without eggs or chilling.

Recipe Developer-Estefania

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 10

Ingredients

▢ 600 g all-purpose flour
▢ 400 g unsalted butter at room temperature
▢ 200 g granulated sugar
▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 320°F / 160°C. Line a 12 × 10-inch (30 × 25 cm) rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place 600 g all-purpose flour, 400 g unsalted butter at room-temperature, 200 g granulated sugar, and ⅛ tsp salt in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to work the ingredients together for 4–5 minutes, until a soft dough forms.
Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet in small chunks. Spread it across the pan and flatten it into an even layer with a small rolling pin or the side of a glass.
Score the dough into 32 equal rectangles with a knife or cutter. Prick the surface of each rectangle lightly with a fork.
Bake the traditional shortbread cookies for 40–45 minutes, until the edges are just lightly golden.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately cut along the scored lines to separate the shortbread fingers. Cool them on the sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Weigh the Ingredients: I recommend using the gram measurements when possible. They preserve the recipe’s 3:2:1 balance of flour, butter, and sugar and make the dough more consistent.

Use Softened Butter: Room-temperature butter blends into the flour and sugar more evenly, helping the dough come together within the stated mixing time.

Keep the Layer Even: I take time to level the dough across the pan because thinner areas will brown sooner than thicker sections.

Watch the Edges: The shortbread does not need to become deeply golden. I remove it when the edges develop a faint golden color so the fingers retain their tender, crumbly texture.

Nutrition