Desserts / Cookies, bars & fudge
Buttery Shortbread Cookies
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Five plain ingredients, a low oven and a little patience. Cut the bars while they're still warm, and they break into buttery, sandy pieces that are gone before the kettle boils.
The short version
Beat soft butter with two sugars and salt, work in flour and cornstarch, press into an 8-inch pan, prick, and chill 30 minutes. Bake at 300°F for 45 to 50 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm.
What makes ours better
the tricks Nonna pretends she never taught me
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Swap a little flour for cornstarch. Cornstarch has no gluten, so the bars turn out sandy and crumbly instead of tough. It is the difference between a good shortbread and one that melts.
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Two sugars, one of them powdered. Powdered sugar dissolves into the butter and gives a fine, even crumb. A little granulated sugar adds a faint crunch on the edges.
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Chill the pressed dough. Thirty minutes in the fridge firms the butter so the bars hold their shape and bake evenly instead of slumping at the edges.
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Cut while warm. Shortbread sets brittle as it cools. Slicing it in the pan the moment it comes out gives you clean edges instead of shattered ones.
What you need
the cast, in order of appearance
- Unsalted butter¾ cup
- Powdered sugar¼ cup
- All-purpose flour1¼ cups
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
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Heat the oven
Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 300°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with a strip of parchment that hangs over two sides, so you can lift the shortbread out later.
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Beat the butter and sugars
In a large bowl, beat the butter, both sugars and the salt with a wooden spoon or a mixer on low until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. You want it combined, not fluffy.
Don't whip it. Air makes shortbread puff and then spread.
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Work in the flour
Add the flour and cornstarch. Stir until the mixture looks like damp crumbs, then press and knead it a few times in the bowl until it holds together as a soft dough. Stop as soon as no dry flour is left.
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Press into the pan
Press the dough into the pan in an even layer, using the flat bottom of a measuring cup to level it. Prick it all over with a fork, going deep enough to touch the pan. Sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons of sugar if you like.
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Chill
Slide the pan into the fridge for 30 minutes, until the dough feels firm. Keep the oven on.
About 30 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Bake low and slow
Bake until the shortbread is pale gold on top and deeper golden at the edges, 45 to 50 minutes. It should smell toasty and look dry, not wet or greasy.
Pull it when the edges are golden, not brown. The center keeps setting as it cools.
About 45 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Cut while warm
Set the pan on a rack. After 5 minutes, lift out the shortbread by the parchment, then cut it into 24 bars with a sharp knife, pressing straight down. Cool completely before moving or stacking.
About 5 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
the stuff I’d tell you over the phone
- Butter is the whole flavor, so use one you like eating plain. If you only have salted butter, skip the added salt.
- For round wedges, press the dough into a 9-inch tart pan or cake pan, prick and score it into 16 wedges before baking, and bake for the same time.
- For a vanilla or lemon version, beat in ½ teaspoon vanilla or the zest of one lemon with the butter.
- Storage. Airtight at room temperature, 1 week. Freezes well in a sealed container for 3 months; thaw at room temperature.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
Why is my shortbread greasy?
The butter was too warm, or the dough was beaten until fluffy. Start with butter that is soft but cool, mix only until smooth, and don't skip the chill.
Can I use salted butter?
Yes. Leave out the added salt and the shortbread will taste the way it should.
How do I know when shortbread is done?
The top is pale gold, the edges are deeper golden and the surface looks dry. It will still feel slightly soft when you press it, then firm up as it cools.
Can I make shortbread without cornstarch?
Yes. Use 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour instead and expect a slightly firmer, less sandy bite that is still very good.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Press the dough into the pan, cover it and refrigerate up to 2 days before baking, or bake the bars and keep them airtight for a week.
From the table
Made it? I want the full report: first bite, best compliment, and who tried to take the leftovers home.
Made it?
be honest. I can take it. probably.
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Published October 29, 2026.