Butter Shortbread
By Joe
Source: King Arthur Baking — PJ Hamel, Shortbread Cookies.
Classic salted-butter shortbread pressed into a tin, docked, and baked until pale gold, with an optional melted-chocolate dip.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven and line the tin. Heat the oven to 165°C. Grease a 23 cm round or 20 cm square tin lightly and line it with baking paper.
- 2
Make the dough. Cream the butter with the icing sugar, vanilla, optional almond extract and salt, then work in the flour. It may look crumbly at the start; keep mixing until it comes together as a firm dough. If it stays loose, add up to a tablespoon of water, a few drops at a time.
- 3
Press and dock. Pack the dough into the tin in a level layer (a sheet of cling film over the surface stops it sticking to your hands). Peel the film away and dock the dough all over with a fork so steam can escape.
- 4
Bake and cut. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the top is pale gold and the edges are a shade darker. Rest in the tin for 5–10 minutes, then turn out and slice into 16 strips or wedges while still a little warm — once cold it shatters rather than cuts. Cool fully on a rack.
- 5
Optional chocolate dip. If you want a chocolate finish, melt the chopped chocolate slowly over low heat or in short microwave bursts, stirring until smooth. Dip one end of each piece, return to the rack, and add chopped nuts or flaky salt if you like. Let the coating set before serving.
Storage
Store well wrapped for up to a week at room temperature, or freeze for longer storage.
Free sugars
7 g per serving
14 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 28 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- 23 cm round or 20 cm square tin, lined
- mixing bowl
- fork
- cooling rack
Nutrition per serving Calculated from USDA FoodData Central
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 185 kcal |
| Protein | 1.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 18.6 g |
| of which sugars | 7 g |
| of which free sugars | 7 g |
| Fat | 11.7 g |
| of which saturates | 7.3 g |
| Fibre | 0.4 g |
| Salt | 0.32 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
0.9 g High protein needs ≥ 5 g per 100 kcal (20% of energy) and ≥ 10 g per serving
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
