Traditional Christmas Shortbread Cookies

Traditional shortbread is deliciously sweet and salty, crisp and buttery. This recipe is made with rice flour giving it that authentic crunch.

Each Christmas I make multiple batches of shortbread cookies. I like to give the scored shortbread rounds as gifts to neighbours and friends. The recipe I use is really simple to make and always works beautifully. These shortbread cookies are perfectly buttery and crisp with just the right level of sweetness. I've been using the same recipe since I was a teenager so I thought I would share it with readers today.

Original Shortbread Cookies Recipe

It may seem like a cheat, but this recipe is actually printed on the back of the McKenzie rice flour packet. It's been on the packet for the last 40 years that I know about. I've adjusted the method so that it can be made even more quickly and easily in Thermomix.

As someone who has made A LOT of shortbread over the years, trust me when I say this recipe is the best! I've tried other shortbread recipes which don't include rice flavour and I find they're missing the traditional shortbread cookie crunch.

Shortbread Tips & Watchpoints

• The shortness of the cookie comes from the butter-to-flour ratio. The ratio in this recipe is perfect and results in a crisp, rich, and buttery shortbread. This means the cookie dough is really delicate prior to cooking.
• If you find the dough too soft to work with simply wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. The butter will firm up and the dough will be easier to roll.
• The dough should always remain cold. If it gets too warm the butter seeps into the flour. (instead of coating the flour) This will result in a tough biscuit.
• I always roll my dough between two pieces of plastic wrap so that I don't need to add additional flour to the bench or rolling pin. This means there is no extra flour incorporated in the dough which may affect the butter-to-flour ratio.
• Using some plastic wrap on the bench also makes it easier to transfer the delicate cookies from the bench to the baking sheet.

Shortbread Hamper Presentation Ideas

These shortbread cookies were actually baked on mini pizza trays. I got the idea from the Traditional Petticoat shortbread which is presented in rounds like these. I scalloped the edges of the cookie by pressing my two thumbs into the edge and drawing them together to slightly pinch the dough together.

The result is this traditional style petticoat shortbread. I also scored the shortbread prior to cooking so it could be broken on the lines and shared. The fork pricks are both decorative and practical. They stop any air under the shortbread from producing a bubble and buckling the round.

By baking these on various size pizza trays they are easy to add to a gift hamper. If you would like some more Christmas hamper ideas, take a look at this Christmas Round-Up.

Last Minute Christmas Cooking

Some of my favourite last-minute Christmas treats to make are these Christmas Rum Balls. I make them every year with the kids. I coat mine in chocolate sprinkles because I prefer that to the coconut most people use.

The Reindeer Salted Caramel Fudge is another cute gift from the kitchen idea. Everyone I have ever given a reindeer to has been thrilled. PLUS the flavour of the caramel is amazing!

Traditional Gingerbread Cookies don't need to be in the shape of gingerbread men. Here I have made ornaments from gingerbread and threaded some Christmas ribbon through a premade hole.

Shortbread FAQ

All of these ideas would make lovely gifts from the kitchen over the festive season.

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year. Thank you for becoming part of my online family. I will continue to share more Thermomix recipes in the New Year. Feel free to leave comments or visit our lovely Thermokitchen group page and say hi.

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