Secret Shortbread

Secret Shortbread Cookies

There are fancier cookies and more colourful cookies, and there are certainly cookies with many more ingredients, but this simple, unassuming, four-ingredient cookie is my hands-down Christmas cookie favourite. (My daughter’s whipped shortbread is a close second.)

When I married into the Stewart name, I thought I should learn to make shortbread. This was the first shortbread recipe I tried. The original recipe came from a Scottish import shop in Winnipeg. I am not sure why they called it “Secret Shortbread” and the shop has been gone for many years. I do know it’s the best shortbread recipe I’ve tried.

You can roll the dough and cut out shapes or you can roll the dough into small balls and press each ball down with two fingers. I prefer to roll the dough and cut into small circles. I have tried other shapes, including stars and other holiday motifs, but the circle shape cooks most evenly and stands up best in storage. I use the smallest circle cookie cutter I have. It is 1½ inches in diameter. The size gives you a perfect bite of shortbread. If you decide to use a large circle, remember to allow more baking time.

You can store shortbread cookies stacked between sheets of wax paper in a tin for two or three weeks. You can also freeze them if you intend to keep them around for a month or two.

This little Scottish treat is a great addition to any holiday cookie tray and the perfect cookie for a sherry and shortbread get-together with friends.

MA’s Secret Shortbread

Four ingredients for shortbread

Preheat oven to 325° F.

1 lb unsalted butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup cornstarch
4 cups flour

Cream butter until fluffy.

Add icing sugar and cornstarch. (If you are mixing in a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, be sure to change from beater to dough hook before adding flour and kneading dough.)

Knead until cracks are visible

Add flour and knead until dough cracks. This happens in just a few minutes so be careful not to over process the dough.

Roll dough to ½ inch thick and cut with cookie cutter or roll into small balls and press down with two fingers. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

MA's Tip: Always use a room temperature cookie sheet to help prevent cookies from loosing their shape and browning too quickly on the bottom. If you'll be reusing a cookie sheet, be sure it's cooled before placing unbaked cookies on it. I like to wash each sheet between each of its visits into the oven.

Bake 20 to 30 minutes.

Makes 10 dozen 1½ inch cookies.

Printable Recipe for MA's Secret Shortbread

Shortbread and Sherry