Scottish Shortbread
Please scroll down to view the photo tutorial and printable recipe for this deliciously simple dessert!
Dear friends, I have always had a sweet spot for a nice “crumbly on the outside and chewy on the inside” bar of Scottish shortbread! I have tried many recipes over the years for this comfort food treat and found one by Martha Stewart that was close to what I was looking for (here). However, as is my way, I did tinker with it a bit to adapt it to my own taste! I hope that you like it as much as I do. It’s cooked at a lower temperature for a longer period of time to render the perfect texture and pale golden hue! You probably won’t have too many of these bars left once you prepare them, but, just in case, they do store for up to a month in an airtight container and they also freeze very well!
Scottish Shortbread
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature (2 sticks plus 6 tablespoons)
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3⅓ cups all purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275°. Butter a 9 x 13 x 1 inch baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until a light and fluffy mixture forms (about 2 minutes). Add the salt and vanilla and beat just to combine. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed, until just combined.
- Press dough into the prepared pan, leveling and smoothing the top (I just use my palms to do this). Using a dough scraper or a small sharp knife, cut dough lengthwise into nine strips (slightly less than an inch each). Cut the strips crosswise into thirty six 3 inch bars. Using the tines of a for, create a decorative pattern on the surface.
- Bake shortbread until evenly pale golden, but not too browned (about 70-85 minutes). Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. Carefully cut the bars with a serrated knife. Store in an airtight container for up to one month. They also freeze very well.
