This satisfying shortbread is as easy as it gets. It’s simultaneously crisp, crumbly and tender because we’ve added a little cornstarch to the flour. And granulated sugar gives the cookies their gorgeous golden color.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 55 min |
| Active: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 36 bars |
Ingredients
- 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook’s Note)
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-12-1/2-inch jelly roll pan and line it with parchment, then butter the paper.
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat on low until the dough is just combined; do not overwork.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, spreading it out as evenly as possible with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, then use your hands to press and flatten the dough into a smooth even layer. Remove the plastic and cut the dough with a sharp knife into approximately 1-by-3-inch bars. Use a fork to prick a decorative pattern into the tops.
- Bake, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through, until golden, 60 to 70 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes in the pan, then re-cut the bars along the previous cuts. Carefully lift the bars off the parchment with a small spatula and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 36 servings |
| Calories | 127 |
| Total Fat | 8 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 13 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Cholesterol | 20 mg |
| Sodium | 18 mg |
Reviews
This is the best shortbread recipe that I have used. A couple of minor tweaks… I used salted butter and held the additional salt, used a total of 1 cup of sugar, and added 1 tsp. of pure vanilla.
I have found that I need to bake anywhere from 50 – 60 minutes.
Definitely a keeper!!
These are perfect. I topped mine with a little sanding sugar before baking and they took about 45 minutes.
Cooked for 50 min after rotating pan at 25 min. Ovens vary so the main thing is to make sure the cookie is browned on the bottom and cooked through, especially in the middle of the pan. Added 1 tsp of vanilla and increased sugar by 1/3 cup. I sprinkled with kosher salt after removing from oven. If you don’t have unsalted butter, use salted and omit salt. I tried several versions of shortbread and this one with the corn starch was the overwhelming favorite for taste and texture.
I have not baked this yet but 60 -70 minutes seems like a long time to bake!?!
Later that same day: 45 min was plenty long in the oven! They are delicious!
Later that same day: 45 min was plenty long in the oven! They are delicious!
They tasted better than the expensive store brand, or any bakery I had been to before. This recipe is a keeper!
They came out so good.
My family loved them,,
My 18-month-old was starting a pre-nap meltdown. I happened to have one of these bars of buttery gloriousness on hand. Crying paused when I gave him a piece. As soon as the cookie hit his tastebuds, he was all smiles and happy baby wiggles. Definitely going in the rotation of frequently made cookies in this house!
This came out fantastic. I would perhaps add a bit more sugar as they are a bit flavorless.
Love it