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Classic Homemade Buttery Shortbread That Stays Tender for Days
Classic Homemade Buttery Shortbread is crisp on the edges, tender in the centre, and made with simple pantry staples for an easy homemade treat.
Easy Old Fashioned Homemade Buttery Shortbread Biscuits with Cornflour
Why You Will Love and Enjoy This Classic Homemade Buttery Shortbread
- It uses simple pantry ingredients but tastes like something from a proper bakery.
- The cornflour gives it that delicate soft bite that almost disappears as you eat it.
- It’s easy to make ahead and keeps beautifully in a biscuit tin.
Classic Homemade Buttery Shortbread
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Refrigerator Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 16–20 depending on size 1x
- Category: Cake Cupcakes Cookies and Tarts
- Method: Easy baking
Description
A proper buttery shortbread doesn’t need much fuss, just good butter, a little patience, and a light hand with the dough. This one bakes up crisp around the edges, soft in the middle, and somehow disappears from the tin faster than you’d expect.
Ingredients
- 225 g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 110 g caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 225 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 110 g cornflour
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 340⁰F (170⁰C).
- Lightly grease a 20cm square baking tin or line it with baking parchment. A shallow tin works best here, so the shortbread bakes evenly.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the 225g softened unsalted butter and 110g caster sugar until pale and fluffy, as it helps give the shortbread its soft, delicate texture.
- Sift in the 225g plain flour, 110g cornflour, and a pinch of salt.
- Mix gently until the dough comes together. It might look a bit crumbly at first, but keep mixing lightly and it’ll smooth out.
- Tip the dough into the prepared tin and press it down evenly to about 1cm thick. Use the back of a spoon first, then your hands to smooth it properly.
- Lightly dust a fork with flour and prick the top all over. This helps the shortbread bake evenly and gives it that classic homemade look.
- Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes, because warm dough spreads too much in the oven.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the edges are lightly golden, and the centre still looks pale.
- Shortbread shouldn’t go deeply brown, or it’ll lose that tender texture.
- Leave it in the tin for about 10 minutes before slicing into fingers or squares.
- Dust lightly with extra caster sugar while still slightly warm if you like a sweeter finish.
- Let the shortbread cool completely before storing.
- It crisps up more as it cools, which is always the hardest waiting part in any kitchen
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Preshana
Additional Information
- Why use Cornflour? Cornflour softens the texture and gives shortbread that delicate melt-in-your-mouth finish.
- Can I use salted butter? Yes, but reduce or skip the added pinch of salt so the flavour stays balanced.
- Why chill the dough? Chilling helps prevent spreading and improves the final texture.
- Why is my dough crumbly? Shortbread dough is naturally crumbly before pressing together. As long as it holds when squeezed, it’s fine.
Storage and Freezing
- Can this be frozen? Yes. You can freeze the baked shortbread in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Separate layers with baking paper so they don’t stick together.
- How long can it be stored and how? Store the cooled shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. It actually tastes even better the next day once the butter flavour settles.
Ingredient Substitutes
- Plain flour: You can use pastry flour for an even softer texture.
- Castor / Caster sugar: Fine granulated sugar works if needed.
- Unsalted butter: Salted butter can be used with reduced added salt.
- Cornflour: Potato starch works in a pinch, though the texture changes slightly.
These Buttery Shortbread cookies have that soft, crumbly texture that makes bakery versions feel disappointing. Curious how long a batch actually lasts in someone else’s kitchen
Classic Homemade Buttery Shortbread keeps everything simple while still delivering rich buttery flavour and a delicate crumb that practically dissolves with each bite. The recipe uses basic pantry ingredients, comes together without fuss, and bakes into tender slices that feel perfect beside tea, coffee, or straight from the biscuit tin while still slightly warm.
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Oops, I meant caster sugar (I think that is what we call confectioners sugar.
I have responded to Caster Sugar – let me know if you ok with my answer