While I have made shortbread variations over the years, I recently made my first official Scottish shortbread in pastry school. We formed the dough into logs and sliced it into discs to make cookies, rolling the dough to our desired size - so if someone preferred smaller cookies, rolling into a longer log before slicing. This was one of our introductory bakes, as shortbread is relatively easy to make but depending on the way you bring the dough together, you can practice different techniques that will help you grow into more technically difficult bakes. For example, in school, we didn’t use a mixer but instead, we rubbed the butter into the dry ingredients, which is a technique you might use in making a pie crust or puff pastry. Below, I’ve adjusted the recipe to cream together your butter and sugar, for ease and time, but if you prefer to do it all by hand, go for it (just make sure your butter is colder and in cubes).

After exploring all over Scotland while in school, I fell in love with the little town of Dunkeld, located just over an hour outside of Edinburgh. This charming little village is home to Aran bakery. The owner was previously on The Great British Baking Show (I know, automatic win for her) before opening the charming little bakery with her business partner in 2017. I ended up buying the Aran cookbook while in town - which I’ve now decided is an amazing souvenir for myself as cookbooks offer such an inside peak into the local culture through its cuisine. Long story short I compared her shortbread recipes - which feature ones from both her grandmother and her husband - to the one we learned in school and then put my own twist on them. Hence the below, perfectly delicious rosemary shortbread bars.

These are honestly the perfect cookie for anyone who loves sweet but not too sweet. Plus, making them in a pan and then cutting them into bards give them the perfect thickness for the best chew. I recently made these in some bakery boxes and they were the unexpected hero (by customers, not I who always knew their worth of course) of the whole set-up. I even brought a few to my aunt and uncle who then said they needed to learn how to make these. So here you go, family!

Equipment:

• Mixer 

• Spatula

• Parchment paper

• 8x8 baking pan

• Knife

• Fork

• Bowl

Yields: 14, 1”x4” bars

Ingredients: 

• ½ c (100g) Sugar

• 14 tbsp (200g) Butter, room temperature

• 1 ¾+ cups (240g) Flour

• ½ cup (60g) Cornstarch

• ¼ tsp salt

• 5 tbsp + 2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

• 1 ½  tbsp sugar

Directions: 

• In a bowl, cream together butter and 100g sugar

• In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients 

• Add dry ingredients and 5 tbsp of rosemary to butter/sugar mixture, mixing until just combined

• Grease and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper

• Press dough evenly into the pan

• Use a fork to drag lines in one direction across the dough, then place in the fridge for 10 minutes

• Preheat oven to 338F CONVECT 

• Bake the shortbread for 25 minutes, until you see a very light golden halo around the edges of the pan and it’s lightly golden on the bottom

• While in the oven, pour 2 tsp of sugar and chopped rosemary into a bowl and rub together with your fingers until well combined. The oils from the rosemary will be released as you rub it into the sugar, which you’ll be able to smell and see.

• When you remove the shortbread from the oven, immediately pour rosemary sugar evenly over the shortbread and allow it to cool for 15 minutes

• After 15 minutes, cut into 1”x3” bars in the pan and then allow to cool completely before removing from the pan 

Enjoy with a hot mug of tea or coffee or simply straight from the parchment paper, on their own. If you love them as much as I do, tag @accentgolden in your baking posts on social!

Also, if you’re considering an international cooking class, read my tips for booking them here!

Notes:

• Raw shortbread dough will last in the fridge for 1-2 days. You can also shape into a log after the dough has been refrigerated and slice into disks; freeze the disks for up to three months.

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