Grandma's Scotch Shortbread Recipe, a Christmas Tradition
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Scotch Shortbread, Grandmother, and Scotland
Scotch Shortbread is delicious any time of year, but my memories are of my grandmother making it each Christmas. She came here from Scotland when she was 12, and each year at Christmas my grandparents would be at our home for the holidays, and she made a very simple, but delicious, Scotch Shortbread. It is simply butter, flour and sugar, but in just the right amounts and cooked JUST RIGHT!
After she passed away, I took over the tradition...a Nutritionist making something so rich, with sugar...and white flour, you ask? YES! Just once a year. I hope you enjoy taking a look at the following things related to Scotch Shortbread and the land of my maternal ancestors, Scotland.
Flag image courtesy of Scotland-UK.org
Claudia a/k/a happynutritionist
Updated 1/26/12
Shortbread ~ Book of Recipes
Shortbread
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My Recipe for Scotch Shortbread
So Easy and So Good
The following should make you enough 2 x 2 squares to feed...well, I don't know exactly how many, this isn't an exact science for me, but it will make you a lot!
You'll need a couple of greased and lightly floured sheet cake pans. If you prefer using a cookie cutter and making cookies, you can do that too. It's a little more work, but fun.
Ingredients:
4 Cups Sifted All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Confectioner's Sugar
2 Cups Butter (softened to room temperature)
1/2-1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to about 325 F
2. Use a mixer at medium speed and cream your butter.
3. GRADUALLY add sugar, and beat until fluffy
4. Mix the flour and salt, and sift into the butter mixture, blending with your hands as you add
5. Take the mixture and press it into your pans. This is a thick mixture, so you will not be pouring it, but "pressing" it into the pan(s), to about 1/2" thick.
6. Pinch all around the edge to form a "fluted" rim.
7. Prick the surface at even intervals with a fork.
TIP: If you don't use a Shortbread Cutter, use a sharp knife to mark out your squares, don't cut completely through, just enough so they break nicely after baking.
Baking:
Recipes tell you about 50 or so minutes, and remove when firm (but not hard...it "hardens" after it is removed and cooled) but I want you to look for this sign that your shortbread is just right. The fluted edge and a little way in from the fluted edge should be a nice light brown, the rest of it should be a golden color, from just in from the edge to the center. It should be firm, but not brown all over.
Cool in the pan, then cut where marked.
Now you're going to have times when you don't do this perfectly, it will still taste good, it's just "yummier" if it is still a nice golden color after baking.
TIP: If you use a glass pan, put it in the center of the oven, aluminum, a lower shelf.
My Shortbread Photo Gallery
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In an old metal round pan, ready to cook
Girl Making Scotch Shortbread Cookies
So Cute!!
Holiday Shortbread Mold ~ Round
Sassafras Round Holiday Shortbread Mold
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Shortbread Cutter
Fox Run Shortbread Cookie Cutter Tin
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Beautiful Scotland
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More Scottish Shortbread Items
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CatJB
Dec 16, 2011 @ 6:16 am | delete
- Oh YUM!! My mum and later on myself used to make shortbread from what was, from memory, a very similar recipe. Might have to make some for Christmas, mmm mmmm.....
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vallain
Sep 19, 2011 @ 12:20 pm | delete
- I'm not much of a baker these days, but my background is Scottish too. Haven't had these in years.
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blanckj Jun 1, 2011 @ 8:50 am | delete
- Looks yummy. My husband loves shortbread
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---Chazz
May 29, 2011 @ 9:04 pm | delete
- Shortbread is such a richly decadent treat! Glad to have an authentic recipe to try. Blessings from a visiting Squid Angel on the Memorial Day Squid Angel Tour Bus quest. (As soon as we complete the tour, your lens will be featured on "Wing-it on Squidoo," our lensography of some of the best lenses we've found.)
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23squidoo
Jan 1, 2011 @ 10:43 pm | delete
- This shortbread looks so delicious! I also learned some things about Scotland that I didn't know. Thanks for providing this information.
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happynutritionist
Jan 29, 2011 @ 9:32 pm | delete
- I'm glad you enjoyed your visit...it is delicious...hoping for better "after it's baked" pictures next time, but for now, these will have to do. Thanks again for the visit.
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WordCustard
Nov 23, 2009 @ 4:29 pm | delete
- This is a really nice lens and your recipe looks great. Thanks very much for the lensroll!
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LensbyLisa
Nov 3, 2009 @ 8:12 pm | delete
- This looks yummy! I will have to try this shortbread recipe. Thanks for the lensroll...I lensrolled this to my Christmas Cookie Cutter lens. 5*s!
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WindyWinters
Oct 8, 2009 @ 4:53 pm | delete
- I love shortbread, too! It's become a family tradition to make it at Christmastime! :)
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watkins-lady
Jan 21, 2009 @ 12:11 am | delete
- I really must try this next year for the holidays, less fuss than making rolled cookies. I agree a little butter and is ok as a treat once in awhile.
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WorldTravelers916
Jul 22, 2008 @ 5:09 pm | delete
- shortbread is my favorite, we always have it for thanksgiving!
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myyeastinfectioncure
Jun 12, 2007 @ 8:21 am | delete
- mmm shortbread to begin with is great but with scotch mmmmmm!
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Neville Inggs
May 29, 2007 @ 11:29 am | delete
- My paternal great-grandmother, born of Scottish emigrants to New Zealand; one of the first of the settler babies born in NZ. At 6 she went to Scotland for her education. At 18 she sailed home. On the ship she met her husband
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CrossCountry
Feb 9, 2007 @ 8:09 am | delete
- Mmmm. Scotch shortbread ~ my sister loves to bake. Hope you don't mind if I send her the recipe [so she can make me some cookies].
Linda Hall
Cross Country Bookkeeping Service
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Table of Contents
- Shortbread ~ Book of Recipes
- My Recipe for Scotch Shortbread
- My Shortbread Photo Gallery
- Girl Making Scotch Shortbread Cookies
- Holiday Shortbread Mold ~ Round
- Shortbread Cutter
- Beautiful Scotland
- % Donated to Food for Everyone
- More Scottish Shortbread Items
- Thumbs Up Appreciated if you Enjoyed Your Visit
- This is an Angel Blessed Lens
- My Guestbook...
- Random unrelated lenses you might like
- Follow Me on Twitter
by happynutritionist
Some family traditions should never die, and Grandma's Scotch Shortbread at Christmas is one of them.
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