These rich & buttery Traditional Scottish Shortbread cookies are a thing of beauty. The super easy recipe with just 3 ingredients is a holiday favorite you will crave all year long.
Why this Simple Shortbread Biscuit Recipe is Amazing: My authentic recipe is made just like they do in Scotland with just a few ingredients & cut into thick fingers - perfect for dunking!
These are a UK favorite & beloved at tea time. I admit they are fine to nibble on any time of day & I won't judge you if you grab one with your morning espresso (I do it & will never apologize for it!)
I've also like to make a cup of hot coffee with olive oil, oleato & enjoy a few shortbreads for a midday snack. If you want a small snackable version try my Easy Shortbread Bites. Ok, now we bake!
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Ingredients
Just 3 basic ingredients! Yes, you read that right. It's made just like the classic Walker's Shortbread fingers. It is my favorite egg-free cookie.
The texture will be slightly crumbly as you bite into the thick cookies. But don't worry, after much trial & error, they still hold together perfect for a dip into your teacup.
Here are the ingredients needed to make this traditional recipe:
- Salted Butter - instead of plain butter & adding salt, I find this works perfectly. (room temperature)
- Granulated Sugar - real Scottish shortbread uses granulated sugar does NOT use confectioner's or powdered sugar.
- All-Purpose Flour - sifted for a fine texture that makes these melt in your mouth amazing.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Traditional Scottish Shortbread
This recipe is the real deal. If you have watched Ted Lasso, this similar recipe is just like those infamous British cookies, "biscuits with the boss" that come in the cute pink box.
Because there are so few ingredients, technique is important when making shortbread from scratch. Make sure to follow the instructions & mix/whip, add, sift, and for how long it says. No shortcuts!
Here are the easy steps for making copycat Walker's shortbread cookies:
- Mix the Dough
- Knead & Score
- Bake & Cut
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Mix the Dough
Preheat the oven to 350°F. You will need a large mixing bowl, hand mixer, & 7x11 baking pan lined with parchment paper. Once the salted butter is at room temperature you can begin making the dough.
In a mixing bowl add the room temperature salted butter. Using the hand mixer, whip on medium speed for 2 minutes. You want it very creamy & air incorporated in it for fluffiness.
Next add the granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed for another 2 minutes, scrape down the sides as needed.
Sift in ½ cup of flour at a time & mix on low speed until just incorporated. Repeat until all the flour is just mixed in - DO NOT over mix.
The dough will look crumbly like large pieces of sand - just like this.
2 - Knead & Score
Once the dough has been mixed, it is time to gently knead it. The warmth & strength from your hands is what will bring the crumbly loose dough together. Trust the process -
Turn the dough out onto a cutting board or clean work surface that has been dusted with very little flour (too much flour will dry out the dough).
Using your hands press the dough together and knead it as you flip & rotate it best you can. It will still be a bit crumbly - that's ok as this will NOT be like kneading bread dough.
Continue to use your hands to press the dough together and flatten it out a bit similar in shape/size as the baking pan.
I like to place the baking pan over the cutting board & flip the dough into the baking pan. If it sticks a bit or doesn't flip just grab chunks and press it into the pan.
Make sure to distribute the dough evenly & that it is the same thickness in the pan.
TIP: top the dough pieces with parchment paper and use the bottom of plastic measuring cup or bottom of a glass to press the dough into place.
Next, score (cut ½ way down) the dough with a knife to make 12-14 thick rectangular slices as seen here.
Use a ruler or eyeball it so they are of similar size. Usually one long cut in the middle of the dough on the long side of the pan followed by 5-6 cuts along the short end of the pan.
Finish by pricking each cookie with a fork 4 times evenly along each top as seen here. Sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of sugar over the tops.
3 - Bake & Cut
Once the oven is preheated to 350°F, time to bake them on the center rack. They will take 30-35 minutes & will be ready when just the edges are slightly golden brown.
DO NOT over bake, they will be mostly white still.
Let them cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Then lift them out using the parchment paper and place on a cutting board.
Follow the scored lines with a sharp chef's knife to cut them all the way through.
Let them continue to cool or eat them slightly warm.
Serving Suggestions
These are great to bake for Christmas or any holiday to pair with a cup of Hot Chocolate made from Chocolate Chips.
They store well in a cool dry place like your pantry, kitchen counter, or cupboard in a container for up to a week.
What to Serve with Shortbread : The best way to eat them is with a cup of English breakfast tea or herbal tea. Plus serve with fresh fruit, tiny tea sandwiches, & a simple spinach salad.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here is my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, funny stories or bloopers, and more.
- #1 Tip - don't rush or skip steps, whipping for awhile & sifting is important for the best tender, buttery, & heavenly crisp bite.
- Make sure to prick with the fork so they come out flat & do not expand which gives it an uneven bake.
- This old-fashioned shortbread is also an English classic. What makes it different from regular shortbread is there is no leavening agent such as baking powder or soda.
- Walker's Shortbread has been around since 1898 so don't mess with something that works & is loved.
- Do not substitute any ingredients or the recipe will not work.
- While taking pictures I cut off the ends for clean looking straight lines. Those were immediately shared & eaten with my neighbor while still warm & OMG!
- Did you know that these cookies are not just for Christmas and Easter? They're also a Scottish Shortbread tradition for winter solstice, new years, & as a ritual they're broken over new brides for good luck.
FAQ
This is a great make ahead cookie recipe, especially for Christmas time when you may be doing a lot of baking. Since it has no eggs, it lasts longer than other raw cookie doughs. The mixed & kneaded dough stores well in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. Bring to room temperature before pressing & scoring in the pan.
This is meant to a copycat of the Walker's fingers. You can also roll & slice them into thin or thick sliced rounds but I have not tested this myself. Or try a petticoat tails recipe, so cut & fun.
Traditional Scottish Shortbread (Walker's copycat)
Equipment
- 7x11 pan
- Parchment Paper
- hand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter 2 sticks softened at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- additional sugar for the tops
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Also line your 7x11 baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl add the room temperature softened butter. Mix on medium speed using the hand mixer for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed. The butter should be fluffy & airy.1 cup salted butter
- Add the sugar to the butter & cream for 2 minutes using the hand mixer. Scrape down the sides as needed.½ cup granulated sugar
- Sift in ½ cup of flour at a time & mix on low speed until just incorporated. Repeat until all the flour is just mixed in - DO NOT over mix, it will be crumbly and that is ok.2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- Turn the dough out onto a cutting board or clean work surface that has been dusted with very little flour. Using your hands press the dough together and knead it as you flip & rotate it best you can. - DO NOT handle too much or use too much flour or the dough will be dry/tough.
- Press the dough into the prepared 7x11 pan. It will still be a bit crumbly so use another piece of parchment paper on the top and press down with your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass. Make sure it is even in the pan and the same thickness for even cooking.
- Score the dough to make 12-14 evenly sized rectangles. Use a sharp chef's knife to cut only half way down. I recommend cutting through the center of the dough along the 11' longer side straight down the middle. Then cut 5-6 evenly spaced lines to make two rows of 6-7 cookies each.
- Use a fork to prick 4 sets of holes evenly space across each cookie. Top with 2 tablespoons of sugar sprinkled evenly.
- Bake in the center rack of the 350°F preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. The edges will be slightly golden but most of the cookies will still be white. DO NOT OVER BAKE!
- Let them cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Then lift them out using the parchment paper and place on a cutting board.
- Follow the scored lines with a sharp chef's knife to cut them all the way through. Serve while warm.
Notes
- Store cookies in an air-tight container in a cool dry place like the pantry or cupboard for up to 7 days. They can also be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
- Shortbread freezes well for up to 3 months wrapped tightly with plastic wrap & sealed in a Ziploc bag. Defrost in the refrigerator for best results.
Nutrition
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becky says
Is there a brand or type of butter that's best for this recipe?
Angela says
I always use the Kirkland brand from Costco.
Christy says
Easy to follow recipe and turned out good. They are very thick and just what I was looking for so they slice and do not crumble.So glad I did a test run before Christmas and found this recipe. Thank you.
Have you tried adding nuts or dried fruits to this recipe before?
Angela says
I am glad you enjoyed them, I have not tried adding fruits or nuts. I know there are some good round slice & bake shortbread cookies out there and I am working on one to come out before next Christmas.
Cheryl C says
I have been baking this shortbread recipe for about 48 years (I double the ingredients as shown in your recipe), which was handed down by a Scottish great grandmother. This is the first time I have used parchment paper and also tried scoring the shortbread beforehand. Love these tips! Will continue doing this in the future. Thanks for sharing ☺️
Angela says
I love how classic this recipe is and how generations bake it and pass the yumminess down. I am happy to hear you learned a few new things to help keep your grandma's recipe alive.