Today let's dive into the realm of shortbread. You are probably here because you want to know ‘how shortbread is made’ or how long shortbread takes to bake. How to store shortbread or even how many calories does shortbread have? Let us get these questions answered for you! 

As a child and well into my adult years I have always loved shortbread biscuits. There is just something about their buttery goodness I probably wasn't thinking that as a child just that they tasted good, very good. For this reason, I taught both my daughters how to make shortbread and that’s how we started the business. As a lifelong shortbread enthusiast, I'm excited to share my knowledge with you.

Table of Contents: Feel free to jump to whatever section you need

How shortbread is made: Ingredients and Origins

Shortbread - How to make them Step-by-Step: (with images)

Expert Tips For Perfect Shortbread

Shortbread - how long does it keep? Shelf Life and Storage

Shortbread - how long to bake, baking times and getting it just right!

Shortbread - how many calories

Shortbread Variations and Creative Ideas

How shortbread is made: Ingredients and Origins

Shortbread is made using a few key ingredients and it is baffling how such few ingredients can make a tasty and delicious treat leaving you with nostalgic childhood memories. 

Shortbread uses 3 ingredients and these include flour, butter and sugar. This combination creates a buttery, crumbly texture that has delighted taste buds for generations. Nowadays more ingredients are sometimes added like cornstarch or different types of flavours to give the shortbread a varied taste to meet the desires of the consumer. The classic base for any traditional shortbread are 3 ingredients. The way how shortbread is made is by combining these ingredients to form a dough (don't worry we will look at this in detail in the next step) then baked on low heat in the oven to a perfect shortbread biscuit. They are left to cool, then eaten, packaged or stored.

Interested in the history of shortbread? Check out our article on where shortbread comes from to learn about its fascinating Scottish origins.

Shortbread - How to make them Step-by-Step: (with images)

Now let’s see how to make delicious shortbread of your own. 

You will need these Ingredients:

Butter: 200g (7oz) unsalted, at room temperature

Sugar: 120g (4oz) caster sugar

Flour: 370g (13oz) plain flour

This Shortbread Recipe makes 15 rounds that are 7cm in diameter.

Method

Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 160°C (320°F) for conventional ovens, or 150°C (302°F) for fan ovens.   

Mix the Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, butter and sugar. You can also use a mixer or mix by hand until the mixture is crumbly. 

 

 

• Forming the Dough: Once mixed, bring the dough together forming one big ball using your hands. It should be smooth and hold together. 

• Chilling the Dough: Wrap the dough in film and chill in the fridge for about 20-25 minutes. This will help maintain the shape during the cutting stage.

• Rolling out the Dough: On a rolling mat, roll out the dough to about 5mm (¼ inch) thick or 10mm (⅜ inch) if you want the shortbread to be thicker. If the dough is a little sticky for whatever reason, dust it with a little flour.

 

 

• Cut the Shortbread: Use a biscuit cutter to cut the dough into desired shapes. Traditional shapes include rounds or fingers.

   

 

• Baking: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until they are pale golden brown. (some may cook faster than others.) 

• Cool and Serve: Once baked, transfer the biscuits to a wire rack or tray to cool completely before serving. Dust with sugar! 

 

          

Expert Tips For Perfect Shortbread

• Ensure the butter is very soft this will make it easier to mix the dough especially if you are making it by hand. Warm hands help too!
• If the flour is a lighter type you don’t have to sieve it. Since everything will be put together anyway. 
• Avoid Overmixing: Mix just until the flour is incorporated to keep the texture light and crumbly.
• Use a sheet of baking paper over the shortbread when rolling it out so it doesn’t stick to the rolling pin!
• Use different shapes for different occasions.

Shortbread - how long does it keep? Shelf Life and Storage.

If you are asking this question, then this section is for you. 

• If you leave the shortbread out, without any proper storage in a few days it will go soft
• In a plastic container, they will be ok for a couple of weeks
• In a more airtight container 4 weeks+
• Longer in a tin

Here at The Shortbread Company, our shortbread are baked to perfection and then packaged, sealed and stored correctly and last 8 months. 

How to store shortbread

With correct packaging and storage, your shortbread will keep fresher for longer and taste just as good. This way you can start Christmas shortbread baking early.

If you are thinking about Christmas shortbread gifts you can wrap them in fancy cellophane with ribbon and give them as gifts or stocking fillers.

Happy packaging!

On a general note, shortbread are to be stored in a cool dry place, a kitchen cupboard is probably the best option after they have been packaged correctly. 

Shortbread - how long to bake, baking times and getting it just right!

Baking time varies with size shape and thickness. I have also found the heat circulation may vary inside the oven with some cooking faster than others.

With this recipe in my home oven, the shortbread took between 20-30 minutes the first few were done in 20 minutes and then 5 minutes later a few more and by 30 minutes they were all done. I like the shortbread to all be as similarly cooked as each other so if I had left them all to cook at the same time some would be cooked and some wouldn't or some would be burned. I have a fan oven which I prefer, so don't worry if they don’t all cook at the same time the shortbread at the back might be ready first. 

How long it takes to bake your shortbread depends on size and shape if the shape has pointed edges like a star you may need to bake the shortbread on a slightly lower heat setting so that the edges don't burn. Thinner shortbread will take around 10-20 minutes. And smaller sizes that are thinner could only take 10-15 minutes. You should keep an eye on the shortbread, unlike cakes if you open the oven they won’t sink. 

Once you have found the size and shape shortbread you enjoy, keep note of the length of time by keeping a close eye on the shortbread when they are baking. 

Shortbread - How Many Calories

How many calories are in the shortbread? Good question. For this recipe, calories are 64 calories per shortbread biscuit. So if you are on a diet of any kind you can count these in. There will be more calories in the shortbread if you add other ingredients like chocolate or nuts there will be more calories!

Shortbread Variations and Creative Ideas

While traditional shortbread is yummy on its own, don't be afraid to experiment! Try adding:

• Vanilla extract for a classic twist
• Chocolate chips or chunks for a sophisticated treat
• Citrus zest for a refreshing flavour.
• Nuts for added crunch and nutritional value.

You Now Know How To Make Shortbread Biscuits. Yay!

Now you know how to make shortbread biscuits. Using a traditional recipe is always best, you can enhance the recipe from there adding tasty treats like chocolate or nuts or even citrus fruits like lemon or lime. Making shortbread is always a fun way to entertain children keeping them busy while learning. 

Knowing how to make shortbread biscuits can make you a favourite with loved ones 🙂

Happy baking!

If you have read this blog post and have decided you would rather buy some shortbread instead, head over to the shop at The Shortbread Company where you can see a range of flavours and packaging options of our treats.