Buttery Crumbly Shortbread Cookies (Printable)

Melt-in-mouth buttery crumbly shortbread, perfect for teatime or a delightful treat.

# What You Need:

→ Base Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - ½ cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - ¼ cup cornstarch
05 - ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
03 - Sift in the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and fine sea salt. Mix gently until a soft dough forms, avoiding overworking.
04 - Press the dough evenly into an 8x8-inch baking pan or shape into a ½-inch thick rectangle on the prepared baking sheet.
05 - Score the dough into wedges or fingers using a sharp knife, then lightly prick each section with a fork.
06 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the edges are pale golden without browning.
07 - Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then cut carefully along the scored lines. Cool completely before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dough comes together in minutes, but tastes like you've been baking all afternoon.
  • These cookies stay soft and buttery for days if you hide them well enough.
  • There's something deeply satisfying about scoring the dough by hand and watching it break cleanly along the lines.
02 -
  • Overworking the dough is the quickest way to end up with tough, dense cookies instead of tender ones—mix just until the dough comes together, then stop.
  • Room-temperature butter creams smoothly and incorporates air; cold butter will fight you and won't mix properly.
  • Baking at 325°F instead of a higher temperature is what creates that pale, delicate color and soft texture that makes shortbread different from other butter cookies.
03 -
  • Measure your flour by spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling it off, rather than scooping directly from the bag—this prevents packing flour and making the dough too dense.
  • If your dough feels sticky or warm while working with it, refrigerate it for 15 minutes before pressing it into the pan, and it'll be much easier to handle.
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