How to make shortbread
Shortbread biscuits fill the kitchen with a wonderful buttery freshly-baked smell. So simple and easy to flavour with your own choice of chocolate chips, nuts and fruit zest. Kids will love making them too.
Ingredients
- 200g/7oz unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small cubes
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
- 300²µ/10½´Ç³ú plain flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
Method
Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3 and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Mix together the butter and sugar, either by hand or using an electric hand whisk, until pale and smooth. Gently mix in the flour until completely incorporated (try not to work the flour too much or the biscuits will not be so crumbly). Using your hands, squeeze the mixture together into a ball of dough. (See tip for additional fillings.)
Gently roll the dough out to about 5mm/¼in thick (dust the work surface with a little flour if the dough sticks). Cut into shapes using a biscuit cutter . Transfer the biscuits onto the baking tray and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest. (See tip for alternative method.)
Sprinkle each biscuit with a pinch of sugar. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until pale golden brown.
Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool and serve.
Recipe Tips
You can also roll your dough into a sausage shape, refrigerate until solid and then slice with a knife and bake.
You can also add a sprinkling of your favourite fillings such as chocolate chips, nuts and orange zest for different flavours.