Classic Shortbread Cookie Bars Recipe
Easy Shortbread Cookie Recipe: these are pressed into a cake tin and baked making them quick and easy. Cut into squares or fingers.
This easy shortbread cookie bar recipe is a family favourite. Quick and easy to make and the perfect not too sweet traditional shortbread taste and texture.
It’s day five, the final day of COOKIE WEEK! And what a delicious week it’s been! Today I’m sharing one of our favourite shortbreads. This is a really yummy recipe. Great with a nice hot cup of tea. Check out all the other cookie recipes here:
- Chocolate Almond Biscotti
- Cherry Snowball Cookies
- Eggnog Cookie Recipe
- Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
Pressed Cookies
These pressed shortbread cookies have that great shortbread-y, kind of crumbly texture that you’re looking for. These are traditional Scottish shortbread cookies. They’re made with just butter, sugar, flour and cornstarch. They don’t contain any leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder like some other traditional shortbread styles of cookie do. That leavening agent makes a shortbread cookie that is crisp, instead of crumbly like these ones are.
And, it’s easy, since you just make the dough and press it into one pan. That really saves a lot of time. No fiddly rolling out and cookie cutters or rolling into balls, and cookie sheets. Just put all the shortbread dough into one brownie pan to bake, and then cut into squares or fingers and enjoy. This also helps you to not overwork the dough, like can sometimes happen with rolled out shortbread cookies. Overworking the dough can result in a tough cookie. Be sure when your making the dough to combine the wet ingredients and dry ingredients just until it comes together and not to overwork it at this stage either. The less you work the shortbread dough for these cookies the more melt-in-your mouth the final cookies will be.
These buttery shortbread cookies are made from simple ingredients. Just 4 ingredients to worry about in this simple recipe. You must make sure you use real butter for shortbread recipes though. This isn’t the recipe to substitute margarine in, because it just won’t make the buttery sweet shortbread cookies you’re looking for. For the best results, be sure to use real butter in the cookie dough.
Measurements
This recipe is adapted from an old British cookbook into North American measurements. I think that explains the kind of odd measurements. Scant means not quite. So when you’re measuring out a scant cup, it means not quite full.
Cutting The Shortbread Cookies
I love it cut into nice little fingers. Just remember to cut it up when it’s still warm, but not hot out of the oven. It messes up the texture if it’s too hot when you cut it, and you can’t cut it up without it breaking if you wait until it’s too cold.
Easy Shortbread Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsps butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp superfine sugar -plus extra for sprinkling on top
- 2 scant cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 scant cup of cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter a 9 inch square baking pan, or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cream butter and sugar in the large bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment at medium speed until it's pale, light and fluffy.
- Add the flour and cornstarch. Combine into a smooth dough, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula at least once.
- Press dough in an even layer into the prepared pan. Prick all over with a fork, and bake 50 mins. or until golden brown.
- While it’s still warm, sprinkle the whole thing with a generous dusting of white sugar. Allow the shortbread to cool slightly, then cut into fingers or squares.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 103Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 12mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 2g
This shortbread is so good, and easy, you’ll never feel the need to buy a box of store bought shortbread bar cookies again. These are perfect for the holiday season, as a traditional Christmas treat. But I really love them any time of year. These buttery cookies are a very good thing to serve for a tea party.
Store these shortbread cookie bars or fingers in an airtight container, or wrap the baking dish firmly with plastic wrap. Store these cookies at room temperature, not in the refrigerator.
With an Easy Shortbread Cookie Bar Recipe like this, life really is a party!
More Cookie Recipes
You might also like Chocolate Chip Shortbread recipe here.
Also check out our Toblerone Shortbread with Browned Flour Cookies here.
You might also enjoy our Brown Sugar Shortbread Caramel Thumbprint Cookies here.
