All Butter Shortbread Biscuits

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All Butter Shortbread Biscuits – discover the secret to making a deliciously crumbly and buttery traditional shortbread. This timeless classic is popular all over the world and rightly so.

The best news is … it’s also one of the easiest biscuits to make. And who can resist a shortbread finger with a good cuppa ?

You only need a few ingredients to make the Best All Butter Shortbread Biscuits. And yes, you’ve guessed it, butter is the key ingredient. The best shortbread uses the best quality butter so no other flavouring is needed.

All Butter Biscuits on a table and in a biscuit jar.

The secret to the best shortbread is cornflour. Shortbread with cornflour creates a crumbly melt in the mouth feel and makes these popular treats extra tender.

Whether you call them shortbread biscuits or shortbread cookies you’ll love this All Butter Shortbread. We’ve always got a batch in the biscuit barrel and you can choose from rounds or fingers. My recipe makes 15 round shortbread biscuits or 12 shortbread fingers.

Shortbread cookies on a white tray and in a biscuit jar with a mug and broken cookie.

As well as being a biscuit barrel staple, shortbread features as Christmas Tree Shortbread in seasonal hampers for family and friends.

Our love of shortbread sees it featuring in my easy Alternative Mince Pie and Apple Crumble Shortbread Slice. If you fancy pursuing a floral note, try my Pink Peppercorn Shortbread.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Here’s why this is the Best Ever Shortbread Recipe

Shortbread rounds cooling on a wire rack.

Guaranteed favourite – shortbread is by far my most requested bake. Whether customers in France, Kitchen Shed visitors or distant family and friends, it’s even made an appearance at several weddings as wedding favours.
Easy to make – it’s a foolproof shortbread recipe made with only 4 ingredients you’ll probably have at hand.
Make ahead – shortbread dough can be kept in the fridge overnight or up to three days. The shortbread dough or baked biscuits are freezer friendly and can be frozen for up to three months.

What equipment do I need ?

Stand mixer (optional) – using a stand mixer or hand mixer means the shortbread is even easier to make. I used my Kitchen Aid. Equally, a wooden spoon and a mixing bowl will do the job nicely.
1 lined baking sheet / tray – I use a Lakeland baking sheet which has a great non stick surface. Also, because it’s thicker than many baking sheets you can buy, your biscuits get a good even bake.
Cookie cutter – I used a 6 cm fluted cutter.

What ingredients do I need ?

Butter, plain flour, cornflour and sugar on a work surface.

Salted butter – at room temperature for easy creaming. The key to the best shortbread is butter so buy the best quality you can. If using unsalted butter add half a teaspoon of salt.
Caster / superfine sugar – a finer sugar helps prevent graininess whilst still delivering a crumbly, soft, and light shortbread.
Plain flour / all purpose flour
Cornflour / corn starch – using cornflour reduces the gluten in the shortbread which is essential for a light tender crumb.

How to make All Butter Shortbread Biscuits

I use a KitchenAid stand mixer to make my shortbread dough as it makes quick and easy work of mixing. The short mixing time helps to give a tender crunchy shortbread. You can easily use a hand held mixer or a wooden spoon and a large mixing bowl instead.

Sugar being added to butter, then creamed, flour added and mixed.

Cream the room temperature butter and sugar until nice and smooth.
Add the cornflour and flour and mix on slow speed until the dough starts to come together.Bring the dough together with your hands and shape into a rectangle.
Wrap in cling film and pop in the fridge to firm up the dough.

Dough being brought together in bowl and shaped into a rectangle on cling film.

Roll out the dough to around 6 mm thick on a floured work surface.
Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough into rounds and place them on a baking tray.
Pop the tray of biscuits back in the fridge for the butter in the dough to firm up.
Bake for 15 minutes until a pale golden in colour.

Dredge with caster sugar whilst still hot and leave to cool.

Dredging shortbread with sugar using a small sieve.

How to make Shortbread Fingers

A traditional shortbread shape, shortbread fingers are a popular choice.

Rolling out dough, cutting rounds and shortbread fingers and pricking with a fork.

Make the shortbread dough and pop in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Roll out the rectangle of shortbread dough to about 1/2 inch.
Cut into 12 fingers and prick with a fork for even baking.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Recipe FAQs

What is the secret to making good shortbread ?

Use a good quality butter, it really does make a difference to the flavour and don’t be tempted to use margarine.
Handle the dough as lightly as you can, overworking makes the shortbread tough.
Using a small amount of cornflour or corn starch is the key to a tender melt in the mouth shortbread.
Chilling the shortbread dough before baking firms the butter up and prevents the butter melting straightaway. The result is perfect shaped biscuits and a shortbread that is light and flaky.

How can you tell when shortbread is cooked ?

Shortbread is cooked when the biscuits start to look golden around the edges and are pale in the centre. It is still soft when it comes out of the oven and will firm up as it cools.

Biscuits on a table and in a biscuit jar.

How to Store

Stored in an airtight container shortbread biscuits will keep for up to two weeks.

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