Shortbread Bars Recipes

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. , Spread into an ungreased 11x7-in. baking pan. Prick several times with a fork. Bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

CLASSIC SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• 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.

SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Line a 13x9 pan with parchment paper (or foil)
• Preheat oven to 350F
• Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Slowly beat the dry ingredients in the butter mixture until it is fully combined and there are no lumps or dry flour in the dough.
• Spread the dough in the lined pan, patting it so that it is evenly spread across the pan.
• Prick the dough many times with a fork. Sprinkle the coloured sugar evenly across the cookie dough.
• Bake for 33-37 minutes. The edges should be starting to brown.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Cut into small 1 inch squares. Store in an airtight container for 2 weeks or in the freezer for 2 months.

SHORTBREAD SUGAR COOKIE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix flour, butter, confectioners' sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pat dough into a 9-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Cut into bars while still warm.

PECAN SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides.
• In a food processor, pulse pecans until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl; set aside. In processor, blend flour, sugar, butter, and salt until moist clumps form. Add reserved pecans; pulse 2 or 3 times, just to incorporate.
• Press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared pan (if dough is sticky, dip fingers in flour). With a floured fork, prick dough every 1/2 inch. Bake until lightly golden, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool 5 minutes in pan. Use foil overhang to lift shortbread from pan onto cutting board. With a serrated knife, carefully cut warm shortbread into 18 bars (6 rows by 3 rows). Remove from foil; cool bars completely on a rack before serving.

SHORTBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture. , Pat into an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Pierce several times with a fork. Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut while warm.

SUPER-EASY SHORTBREAD (3 INGREDIENTS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°.
• Cream butter and sugar together.
• Add flour and mix till texture is like clay.
• Press dough into ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan, prick all over with a fork, and sprinkle with sugar (tilt pan to cover the top evenly, then shake excess sugar back into the sugar canister).
• Bake for about 40-45 minutes (till very lightly browned--just golden around the edges).
• Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut into 24 squares while warm.
• Leave in pan to cool thoroughly. (Shortbread will not be crisp until cool.).
• Less easy method: Chill dough. Roll into 1-inch balls, then press balls to about 1/4-inch thickness on ungreased cookie sheets with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar (sometimes you can find a glass with a pretty design on the bottom, like a star). Bake at 300° for about 20-25 minutes (until edges are very lightly browned).
• Least easy method: Chill dough. Roll out to about 1/4-inch thickness, sprinkle with sugar, then cut with cookie cutters. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 300° for about 20-25 minutes (until edges are very lightly browned).
• Variation: Add 2 tablespoons dried lavender to the creamed butter and sugar before adding flour. It may sound strange, but the flavor is subtle and elegant. Food-grade lavender is usually available in herb bins at health food stores, and I recently found it at a great price from Atlantic Spice online (their Lavender #1).
• Variation: After cutting shortbread into squares (it will still be warm), scatter 1 cup of chocolate chips over the top, let the chocolate soften completely, then spread as a thin layer and let cool completely before removing from pan. (No need to sprinkle shortbread with sugar before baking if you plan to do this.).
• Variation: Stir 1 cup chocolate chips or butterscotch chips into the dough before pressing into pan. You can also try melting the butterscotch over the top, as above. In England, you'll find "caramel shortbread," which has a layer of caramel and a layer of chocolate on top of the shortbread. It's wonderful (of course!). I've tried various ways of doing this and various kinds of caramel, but it's been a while and I don't remember what works best. It can be tricky not to make a mess!

BUTTER TART SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat 7/8 cup butter and confectioners' sugar together with a spoon in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in flour and salt. Press mixture into a 9-inch square baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden, about 14 minutes. Remove to cool 10 for minutes, leaving oven on.
• Beat eggs, brown sugar, 3 tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Sprinkle raisins over cooled crust; pour egg mixture over raisins.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top springs back when touched, about 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.