By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 8
367 cal · 240 min
Classic Butter Shortbread
Recipe GLPR273f3685c2bf43
A traditional British shortbread featuring a simple, elegant combination of butter, flour, and sugar that creates a tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookie. This timeless dessert requires minimal ingredients but delivers rich, buttery flavor with a delicate crumbly texture.
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Ingredients
9 ounces all-purpose flour
8 ounces unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
3 1/2 ounces confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes of mixing. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Do not overmix; the dough should come together but remain slightly crumbly.
Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan, using the back of a spoon or your fingers to create a uniform layer about 1/2 inch thick.
Using a sharp knife or shortbread cutter, lightly score the surface into 8 equal pieces (a 2x4 grid works well). This will make it easier to break apart after baking.
Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, until the shortbread is pale golden and set but still soft to the touch. The edges may be slightly darker.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. While still warm, re-score along your original lines to ensure clean breaks.
Turn the shortbread out onto a wire rack and cool completely, about 2 hours. Store in an airtight container.
Comments
Every ingredient is a staple at any Charlotte grocery chain, and a batch costs under $3 for eight cookies, making this genuinely cheap. The stated 240 minutes is honest only if you count chilling time; actual hands-on work is closer to 20 minutes, so don't plan this for a weeknight craving. The dough makes great leftovers—shortbread stays fresh in an airtight container for days—and the recipe rewards patience with a proper melt-in-mouth texture that justifies the wait.
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