The best cookies start with a great basic recipe like this Simple Crunchy Shortbread.
If you like crunchy cookies, you’ll love this twice baked shortbread.
Although traditional shortbread is a ratio of 3 parts flour, 2 parts butter and one part sugar, in this recipe equal parts flour and butter make a richer tasting cookie.
For extra flavor and crunch, we’re going to add vanilla, salt and a sprinkling of raw sugar.
Let’s bake!
Vegan or Dairy Free:
Use vegan butter
Gluten Free:
Try using 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour mix + 1/2 cup rice flour or cornstarch for a tender shortbread bar.
Flavor variations:
- Top baked bars with a sprinkling of raw sugar or mix either citrus zest or cinnamon with white sugar.
- Dip cooked shortbread bars in melted chocolate.
- Before baking, mix in 1/2 to 1 cup of your favorite dried fruits, nuts or candies.
- Savory version: reduce sugar to 2 tablespoons and add 1/2 cup dry cheese like parmesan + a handful of finely chopped rosemary or Italian herbs.
- Check out my savory shortbread recipe for more ideas.
Other uses
- Use as a pie or tart dough
- Freeze leftover baked shortbread crumbles. Use as a base or topping for ice creams, yogurts and puddings.
- Refrigerate unbaked shortbread crumbles. Use as a crumble base or topping for fruit cobblers, cakes and muffins.
Use a tart pan, half sheet pan or brownie pan (9 x 13) lined with parchment. No rolling or chilling required.
No eggs in the dough means no need to refrigerate. Just pat the dough into the pan, smooth with your fingers and an offset spatula ( or a flat spatula) and rest the dough at room temperature for 2 – 24 hours.
Be patient. Like bread, the longer this dough rests, the flakier and finer textured the cookie.
Cut into wedges, squares or bars and bake another 15 minutes.
Large or small?
Cut larger wedges and squares with a knife or use a small biscuit or cookie cutter for smaller squares.
Have fun!
Take time now before the crazy fall and winter holidays to practice your favorite shapes and flavorings.
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PrintSimple Crunchy Shortbread
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Yield: 36 large or 60 + small 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: English
If you like crunchy cookies, you’ll love this twice baked Simple Crunchy Shortbread. Remember this shortbread ratio: 3:2:1; 3 parts flour, 2 parts butter, 1 part sugar. Top with a sprinkling of raw sugar or dip baked bars in chocolate.
Ingredients
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and warm (8 oz/226 gm)
- *1/2 cup sugar (3 1/2 oz/90 gm)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or a few pinches of flaky sea salt
- 2 cups flour (10 oz/284 gm)
- Optional toppings:
- raw sugar
- white sugar mixed with citrus zest or spice like cinnamon
- chocolate melting discs for decorating cookies
- Mix ins before baking: 1/2 – 1 cup chopped dried fruit, nuts or candy
- *for a less sweet cookie use less sugar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together melted warm butter, sugar, vanilla and salt. Add flour and stir just until flour disappears. (The dough should have the consistency of clumped, wet sand.) Pat dough into prepared pan. Use an offset spatula or plastic spatula to smooth the dough evenly across top, sides and into corners of pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest between 2 – 24 hours. (The longer, the better.)
- Adjust oven rack to lower third of oven and preheat to 300 F. Grease a 9 x 13 brownie pan or half sheet pan and line with parchment.
- Remove plastic wrap and bake shortbread 45 minutes.
- While cookies bake, grease and line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
- Remove cookies from oven but keep oven on at 300 F.
- Lightly spread the surface of shortbread with raw or flavored sugar if using. Cool 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife or cookie/biscuit cutter, slice into squares, rectangles or wedges and place on the lined baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, then let cool on a wire rack.
- When completely cool, dip any plain cookies in chocolate, if desired.
- Place cooled cookies in a covered container. Cookies will last up to two weeks or more.
- The amount of cookies will depend on the size you make them.
- Makes about 36 large wedges or 60 + small (1 – 2 inch square) cookies.
- Prep and cook time does not include resting time.
- ENJOY!
Notes
Adapted from Alice Medrich’s Pure Dessert and Smitten Kitchen’s twice-baked shortbread
I love this! They look delicious. Cannot wait to start practicing for the holidays 🙂
★★★★★
Thanks Sarah! Tag your practice cookies #diginwithdana on Instagram or FB. Can’t wait to see your creative versions!
I really like what you guys are usually up too. Such clever work and coverage! Keep up the terrific works guys I’ve added you guys to our blogroll.
Going to try this for the base of homemade twix bars 🙂
Hope you like it Stella! Thanks for stopping by and keep visiting!
I still don’t get the ratio. How can 2 cups/284 gms flour and
2 sticks/226 gms of butter fit a 3-2-1 (flour/butter/sugar) ratio?
Hate to be dense, but what am I missing? Thank you!
Kelly, you are totally right and what I should have said was that while the traditional ratio is 3:2:1, in this shortbread I have used equal parts butter and flour because I prefer a richer tasting (not dry) shortbread. I appreciate your comments and will explain my variation better in this post! Thanks for keeping me honest and keep baking! ??????