We have been making this shortbread recipe for years! The dough is foolproof and creates a cookie that is both delicate and crumbly, but sweet, savory, and sturdy enough to cut without falling apart. Let’s get baking!
Ingredient Notes
5 simple ingredients are all you’ll need to make the best shortbread!
- All-purpose flour
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Fresh rosemary – it absolutely must be fresh, not dried!
- Kosher salt
Make the shortbread dough in a food processor!
How to Make Shortbread
This shortbread recipe is SO easy! Simply add all ingredients into a food processor fitted with blade attachment, pulse until the shortbread dough looks like clumpy, wet sand (see below), or until there are no streaks of flour visible.
Turn the dough out into an ungreased 8×8″ baking pan, then press down firmly with your hands to smooth into an even flat layer.
Finally, prick all over with a fork. Told you this was an easy shortbread recipe!
How Long Does Shortbread Bake?
Shortbread bakes at 350F for 45 minutes in an 8×8″ baking pan. If you’re using a 9×9″ baking pan, the shortbread bars will be thinner overall and take about 35 minutes to fully cook. We prefer the taller cookies in the 8×8″ pan.
Shortbread Variations
- Don’t have rosemary? Fresh thyme makes a perfect substitution!
- Want to add a little zing? Try adding 1 tsp lemon zest to the dough when adding ingredients to the food processor
- Feeling a little cheesy? Add ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan! A ⅛ tsp of cayenne would bring some heat if you’re into that!
Can You Freeze Shortbread?
Yes, you can freeze shortbread dough! We do not recommend freezing the baked bars, as they will lose their fantastic, crumbly texture in the freezing/unfreezing process. However, shortbread dough can safely be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Hooray!
Other Shortbread Recipes to Check Out!
Pretty much the only other shortbread recipe you could ever want are these salted chocolate chunk shortbread cookies by Alison Roman of NYTimes Dining. Widely acclaimed as the best of the best when it comes to sweet shortbread cookies, and for good reason! If you haven’t tried these yet, what are you waiting for?!
It’s hard for us to put into words just how much we love this homemade shortbread. It’s a simple, foolproof recipe that is seriously easy and will blow your guests away! Also? Makes for an amazing drop off, housewarming gift. Speaking from experience, people!
Pinky promise after one bite you’ll never look for another savory shortbread recipe!
If you make our Rosemary Shortbread recipe, please let me know by leaving a review and rating below!
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For more cookie recipes, check out the following Well Seasoned favorites:
- Homemade chocolate rugelach with raspberry jam
- Tri color cookies (rainbow cookies)
- Cookie butter cookies with dark chocolate chunks
- Best homemade biscotti with pecans and chocolate
- Magnolia banana pudding
Easy Rosemary Shortbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted cold butter cubed
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except butter in a food processor fitted with blade attachment and pulse 5x.
- Add cubed butter, then pulse until the dough starts to come together and looks like clumpy, wet sad (no dry bits of flour visible). It should not be smooth!
- Press into an ungreased 8" square pan, using your hands to flatten into an even layer.
- Prick the dough with all over with a fork, then bake at 350F for 45 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then slice into 12 bars and serve warm.
Notes
- Dough can be refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
- Shortbread will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
- If you don’t have rosemary, thyme makes a great substitution.
So delicious! And crazy easy to make. I added a bit of lemon zest – seriously you could bottle the aroma…
Love their crumbly texture! Not too sweet either. So good! xo, Ari
Try using powdered sugar for a soft, melt in your mouth shortbread. I have a recipe for Scottish Shortbread that uses powdered sugar and when friends taste it they are saying what is in this it’s so good.