Buttery Crumbly Shortbread (Printer-Friendly)

Buttery, crumbly shortbread with a tender texture perfect for teatime treats or sweet snacks.

# What You’ll 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 Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
03 - Sift the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and sea salt into the butter mixture. Stir gently until a soft dough forms, taking care not to overwork it.
04 - Press the dough evenly into an 8x8-inch baking pan or shape it into a rectangle about ½ inch thick on the lined baking sheet.
05 - Use a sharp knife to score the dough into wedges or finger shapes, then lightly prick each piece with a fork to prevent rising during baking.
06 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the edges turn pale golden. Avoid browning the cookies.
07 - Allow the shortbread to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before cutting along the scored lines. Transfer to a rack to cool completely before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're impossibly buttery and crumbly without being dry, that rare texture that actually melts on your tongue.
  • Takes barely forty minutes from start to finish, so you can have warm cookies before afternoon tea.
  • Minimal ingredients mean this recipe is forgiving enough for beginners but refined enough to impress.
02 -
  • Don't overbake—shortbread should look almost underdone when it comes out, because it keeps cooking on the cooling rack and hardens as it sits.
  • Room temperature butter makes all the difference; cold butter won't incorporate the sugar properly and you'll lose that signature light crumb.
  • If your dough seems dry, you used too much flour or sifted it too roughly—add just a teaspoon of softened butter if needed, but resist the urge to add liquid.
03 -
  • Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts for clean, neat wedges that look bakery-worthy.
  • If you're doubling the recipe, resist the urge to mix it all at once—split it into two batches so you don't accidentally overwork the larger volume of dough.
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