Scottish Shortbread Family Recipe
This page features a family recipe for Scottish Shortbread plus everything you need to make some great cookies.
This was one of my favourite treats at Christmas and the New Year. This is a recipe my grandmother used to make. Traditionally it is one part sugar to two parts butter to three parts flour and shaped in a wooden mould carved with a thistle. At one time it was only served at Christmas and New Year because butter was so expensive. Now of course it is a popular modern biscuit (cookie) with lots of variations on the basic recipe. Below you will find recipes for some modern versions.
For me though, home made shortbread will continue to be a treat. My father made several shortbread moulds for my mother, sadly they didn't survive, but my memories do! I grew up in the 1950 when things were still difficult after the Second World War so shortbread, being rich in butter, was a treat we didn't get often.
Image credit: shortbread mold on Amazon
Scottish Shortbread Recipe
family recipe
- Serves: 4
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
Traditionally Scottish shortbread is 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter and 3 parts flour. My grandmother always used a mix of flour and cornflour which gives the shortbread a lovely smooth texture while the rich butter mix makes it deliciously crumbly enough to melt in the mouth. Do not over-handle and make sure your hands and your bowl are cold when you work the dough.
If you don't have a mould, just press down onto a baking tray and cut into fingers or cut into rounds with a cutter. It should be at least half an inch deep for the best results.
Store in a tin - for some reason it always tastes better when stored in a tin rather than in plastic. Will keep for long periods.
Ingredients
- 2 oz caster sugar
- 4 oz butter
- 5 oz flour
- 1 oz cornflour
- pinch salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 140°C (280°F or Gas mark 2).
With a wooden spoon, in a large bowl cream sugar and butter until it is pale and creamy.
Sift flour and cornflour and salt into the bowl and mix completely.
Press into wooden mould - use the back of a wooden spoon to even it out
Turn it out onto a greased baking tray or greased proof paper
Bake in slow oven - 140°C (280°F or Gas mark 2). for 30 minutes or until golden brown
Shortbread Molds
USA and Canada
Traditional Scottish Shortbread Mould
Buy it from Amazon by clicking on the link
A Biscuit Tin for your Shortbread
Vintage Blue & White Dancing Ladies Pattern - Biscuit Tin - Made In England
Amazon Price: (as of 06/04/2012)
Any biscuit or cookie made with lots of butter keep better when kept in tin rather than plastic, time allows the flavors to blend and mature. This is a great biscuit tin to keep your Scottish shortbread in.
Scottish Shortbread
history
Shortbread started in medieval times and was known as "biscuit bread" - leftover dough was baked again in a low-heat oven until it was hard - hence the name 'biscuit' for 'twice baked'. If the yeast was replaced with butter, the result became shortbread. For many, including my family in the 1950s, shortbread was a luxury because butter was expensive. It used to be served only for Christmas and New Year, being a traditional gift to bring to someone's house when you visited during the holidays. Some say that the shortbread round symbolises the sun. Are you a baker?
Take this poll
Walkers Shortbread
Available Around the World
Scottish Recipes
British food
More vegetarian recipe from AnnMackieMiller
check them out!
- The Autumn Vegetarian
- Vegetarian recipes for the colder days of Autumn.
- A Vegetarian Christmas Menu
- ideas and recipes for a vegetarian Christmas menu.
- Vegetarian Celebration Dessert
- This is a wonderful light pudding with champagne and exotic fruits. Makes a great alternative to Christmas pudding.
- Vegetarian Soup Recipe: Sweet Potato Soup
- Sweet potatoes make an ideal soup.. this is a recipe that evryone is sure to enjoy.
Cookie Tins
Biscuit tins
Biscuit tins
cookie tins
please leave a little loving
please give me a thumbs up
This module only appears with actual data when viewed on a live lens. The favorite and lensroll options will appear on a live lens if the viewer is a member of Squidoo and logged in.
Do you like the traditional recipe
or do you prefer modern additions?
Brown Sugar Shortbread
Gluten Free Hazelnut Shortbread
Strawberry Shortbread
Chocolate Millionaires Shortbread
Raspbery and White Chocolte Shortbreads
Heart shaped Purse Hanger on Amazon
So you like the traditional recipe?
Of course
cffutah says:
traditional is where it all starts.
Brite-Ideas says:
It does sound very good
OhMe says:
Sounds delicious!
jptanabe says:
Yes, indeed! Happy memories of my childhood.
nancycarol says:
Ahhh, I love the traditional recipe. So rich, smooth and buttery. Nothing needs to be added to that! Thank you for sharing a great lens and recipes.
I like to add something extra to it
NidhiRajat says:
something extra is important for better taste
JJNW says:
I want to choose "ALL OF THE ABOVE" lol - Any shortbread!!!
clouda9 says:
I like to add a touch of good quality vanilla extract to my recipe...well, grandma's recipe ;)
Review
have you enjoyed visiting my Scottish shortbread page?
Don't worry if you don't see your comment immediately, I have to approve it first to weed out spammers.
-
-
KimGiancaterino Feb 25, 2012 @ 2:43 pm | delete
- I love Walkers shortbread, but it's a rare treat. I'd weigh 20 pounds more if I indulged my sweet tooth. I have a friend who is from Scotland and she uses a similar shortbread recipe. She also makes amazing scones. I'll have to try this on a rainy day -- my mould is a sunflower and up 'til now it's just been a decoration.
-
-
-
desertdarlene Jan 29, 2012 @ 9:29 am | delete
- Yum! I have to try this. I wish we could still bookmark and favorite pages Squidoo because I would add this one to my favorites.
-
-
-
cffutah
Jan 20, 2012 @ 9:13 am | delete
- I wish I was a baker, I'm more of the cooker where I throw alot of stuff together and bring all the tastes together but wish I had the patience to bake, that's usually my wife's role.
-
-
-
Upon-Request Jan 20, 2012 @ 8:01 am | delete
- I've always loved shortbread, not sure if I've had it with corn flour but it sounds like a good ingredient to add.
-
-
-
- I've always loved shortbread, not sure if I've had it with corn flour but it sounds like a good ingredient to add.
-
- Load More
Please give generously
The BuckHawk Center is a nonprofit organization providing rescue, rehabilitation and adoption where possible for animals in need, located in Southern Missouri.
About AnnMackieMiller
Scot, writer and photographer
Brought to you by OCHO Candy
This GoodVeg page written by
annmackiemiller
Welcome to my Scottish shortbread recipe. This is a recipe handed down from my Grandmother. I hope you enjoy it.
I'm also a photographer! You can find...
more »
GoodVeg Recipe Finder
-
Got the Munchies? Bake Healthy Beet Chips (only 4 ingredients)!
Ditch the bagged chips and make these super-simple crisps! »
GoodVeg: Mainstreaming vegetarian and vegan lifestyles since 2011.
Connect with GoodVeg
This author recommends...
-
Finding Vegetarian Webpages
Whether you are looking for vegetarian recipes for one, vegetarian soup recipes... -
Low Fat Recipe: Vegetarian Bake
This page features a tasty, attractive vegetarian dinner recipe that is also ext... -
Traditional Scottish Dessert Recipe: Vegetarian Cloutie Dumpling:
Clootie Dumpling is a traditional Scottish steamed fruit pudding which was once... -
Homemade Soup Recipe: Pumpkin and Potato Soup
Homemade soup never goes out of style so if you are looking for a tasty way to c... -
Vegetarian Recipe: Homemade Sweet Potato Soup
Soups are a wonderfully healthy dish to serve up, easily incorporating some, or... -
Vegetarian Celebration Recipe: Exotic Fruit and Champagne Pudding
This is a delicious recipe for a vegetarian fruit pudding that is lighter than t...
Scottish recipes on Amazon
Scottish Traditional Recipes: A Celebration of the Food and Cooking of Scotland: 70 (Check!) Traditional Recipes Shown Step-by-Step in 360 Colour Photographs
Amazon Price: $15.07 (as of 06/04/2012)
Cookie Recipes on Amazon
Milk & Cookies: 89 Heirloom Recipes from New York's Milk & Cookies Bakery
Amazon Price: $12.95 (as of 06/04/2012)
Vegan Cookie Recipes
Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar: 100 Dairy-Free Recipes for Everyone's Favorite Treats
Amazon Price: $9.73 (as of 06/04/2012)
