Christmas dinner · adapted traditional recipe
Buttery Shortbread (3 Ingredients Plus Salt)
Classic pan shortbread: butter, powdered sugar and flour pressed into a pan, pricked with a fork and baked low until pale gold. It keeps for a week, tastes better after a day or two, and freezes, so it is a gift you can make early.
An adaptation of a traditional recipe, written in our own words. Ovens vary, so go by the doneness signs as well as the times.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr 30 min
- Makes
- 16 bars or wedges (one 9-inch round or 8-inch square pan)
Ingredients
- 2 sticksunsalted butter, 1 cup, cool room temperature
- 1 cuppowdered sugar, about 113 g
- 2 cupsall-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, about 240 g
- 2 tspvanilla extract
- ¾ tspfine salt, use ¼ tsp if your butter is salted
- ¼ tspalmond extract, optional
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round or 8-inch square pan and line it with parchment.
- 2
Beat the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and almond extract (if using) until smooth. Add the flour and keep mixing until a stiff dough forms. It may look dry at first; if it will not come together, add up to 1 tablespoon of water.
- 3
Press the dough evenly into the pan. If it sticks to your fingers, cover it with plastic wrap and press through the wrap.
- 4
Prick the dough all over with a fork so steam can escape and the top stays flat.
- 5
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is light golden and the edges are a deeper golden.
- 6
Cool in the pan 5 to 10 minutes, then lift out and cut into 16 bars or wedges while still slightly warm: cooled shortbread breaks instead of cutting. Move to a rack to cool completely.
How to know it is done
The surface is a light, even gold and the edges are deeper gold. The center should look dry, not shiny or doughy. It firms up as it cools.
Make ahead
Bake up to a week ahead: the flavor improves after a day or two. Wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw wrapped at room temperature.
Storing and freezing
Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 1 week. Keep dipped-in-chocolate shortbread in a cool place.
Tips
- Use butter that is cool to the touch and only just soft: very soft butter makes greasy, spreading shortbread.
- Cut the shortbread while it is still slightly warm. Wait until it is cold and it will crumble.
- For a gift box, dip half of each bar in melted semisweet chocolate and sprinkle with flaky salt or chopped nuts; let it set before packing.
- Spoon and level the flour: too much makes shortbread dry and sandy.
Allergens
- Wheat/gluten
- Milk (butter)
- Check the vanilla and almond extract labels
Always check the labels of the products you buy.
Questions
How do you make classic shortbread?
Beat 1 cup butter with 1 cup powdered sugar, vanilla and salt, mix in 2 cups flour until a stiff dough forms, press into a pan, prick with a fork and bake at 325°F for 35 to 40 minutes until pale gold.
Why is my shortbread dry or crumbly?
Too much flour (scooped straight from the bag) or too little butter. Spoon and level the flour, and if the dough will not come together add a tablespoon of water.
Can you make shortbread ahead of time?
Yes. It keeps a week in a tin, and the flavor improves after a day or two. Wrapped well, it freezes for about 2 months.
When should shortbread be cut?
While it is still slightly warm, 5 to 10 minutes out of the oven. If you wait until it cools it will break instead of cutting cleanly.
Can I use salted butter?
Yes, and then cut the added salt to about ¼ teaspoon. Unsalted butter lets you control the salt.