I could eat this entire stack of shortbreads in one sitting, but will restrain myself. I must leave some for others.
With no Scottish thistles pressed into the surface or fancy rosette piping, these are the ugly ducklings of the icebox cookie set. They are also, in my opinion, the best old fashioned shortbread going.
Icebox cookies, aka slice-and-bake, freezer or even refrigerator cookies, are perfect for people who want to make cookies from scratch but don’t have much time. You can whip together the dough in a few minutes, roll it into logs and then pop it in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready to bake.
My family has been scarfing these buttery cookies since the 1940s when my grandmother got it from a neighbour. The recipe came with a demonstration of how to knead the dough with your wrists. My ever-practical grandmother took the recipe but skipped the kneading. Despite the omission the results are perfect.
So, here is my family shortbread recipe. I intentionally make these cookies square to distinguish them from other icebox variations I make — for example the eggnog cookies I promised to share. (Click the link to read the recipe at Accidental Hedonist.) Make them round or square or into Toberlone-inspired triangles. Just be sure you use salted butter. I’ve tried the recipe with sweet butter, adding my own salt, and it just wasn’t the same.
Old Fashioned Shortbreads
Printable recipe
Makes 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (use salted)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream butter until pale.
- Add sugar gradually and beat until well dissolved.
- Add flour, one half cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Divide dough in half. Form into logs about 2” in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper and chill until firm. (Dough can last in the fridge for up to 3 days and up to 3 months in the freezer if properly stored. Let refrigerated dough soften at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing. Frozen dough should be left at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.)
- Preheat oven to 300F.
- Slice dough 1/4″ thick. Place 1/2″ apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until slightly golden. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to a month.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
These look amazing! And easy — I’m definitely adding them to my baking this season.
Ah, a pure, naked cookie. I *love* the clean combination of butter, salt, and sugar, with nothing else to distract me.
Mmmm…. I’ll have to make some.
I don’t think these cookies are ugly at all. In fact, I like that they aren’t trying too hard. I can see them being perfect with a cup of milky earl grey tea. Yum!
Have you ever tried making shortbread with rice flour as part of the starch? I’m not a life long shortbread maker but some of my short bread lovin’ pals swear by the rice flour trick.
3 ingredients??? Brilliant! I love them already.
Darci, wonderful to hear from you. Let me know how they turn out. And Roxanne, same goes for you. Report back, please!
Cheryl, yes, it’s a most undistracted cookie. Good point.
Dana, perhaps I should have called them plain. They don’t have lovely lumps of chocolate or artistic swirls. And they are perfect with tea.
No, I haven’t tried rice flour. I might but I won’t tell my family. They would revolt at the mere suggestion.
Lisa, yes, just 3 ingredients. Sometimes simple is best.
mmmmm…shortbread, delicious! i have a recipe for brown sugar shortbread cookies that is very similar. it’s in my betty crocker cookie book from 1963.
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puglette
Thanks for this recipe, Charmian! My family really liked them – even though mine were overdone.
I still have some of the dough, so I’ll make a new batch tomorrow and be sure to check them more often. My oven is not very precise, and doesn’t even have the courtesy to be consistent in its inexactness! (But I can’t have it repaired or I would lose my scapegoat.
)
Puglette, I’ve never had brown sugar shortbread. Sounds wonderful, though.
Carolyn, my oven is a bit off, too. I bought an inexpensive oven thermometer and it’s helped. I can still blame my oven since it’s so poorly insulated the heat varies widely during any cooking session. Here’s to old ovens that constantly provide a fresh batch of excuses.
Okay, I made them again and they turned out perfectly. http://blog.carolynrerickson.com/wp-content/charmians-shortbread-cookies.jpg
Carolyn, I popped by your blog to take a peek and your cookies look perfect, absolutely perfect.
Thanks for taking the time to update here. I’m always thrilled to hear back.
Wow.. this looks amazing. I love it.
Tasty recipe.