The Best Rosemary Shortbread Recipe
These are honestly the perfect cookies for anyone who loves sweet but not too sweet. Plus, the addition of fresh herbs in this rosemary shortbread recipe makes for a delicious twist.
Fun fact: Shortbread was one of our introductory bakes in pastry school. It’s relatively easy to make, but it allows you to practice different techniques that’ll help you grow into more technically difficult bakes.
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 also 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. Long story short, I compared the shortbread recipes from her cookbook to the one we learned in school, and made my own spin.
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ROSEMARY SHORTBREAD RECIPE
This easy cookie bar recipe is a twist on Scottish shortbread, with the additions of sugar, rosemary, salt, and some cornstarch. The rosemary should be fresh, for the best flavor, as those oils will permeate throughout the cookie dough.
While you can roll and slice these, I love making them in a pan before cutting them. The bars give them the perfect thickness for a delicious chew.
What is Scottish shortbread? The Scots keep their shortbread relatively simple, with a 3:2:1 ratio of flour to butter to sugar. Yielding a firm but crumbly shortbread, rich in buttery flavor.
INGREDIENTS
- Sugar: Sweetens the shortbread and helps create a tender, lightly crisp texture.
- Unsalted butter: Provides richness, flavor, and the classic melt-in-your-mouth shortbread texture.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the shortbread.
- Cornstarch: Softens the dough for a delicate, tender bite.
- Salt: Enhances flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Fresh rosemary: Adds aromatic, savory-herb flavor throughout the shortbread.
What’s the purpose of the cornstarch in shortbread? Swapping out a little of the flour for cornstarch will give you a soft shortbread with less crack and a more tender bite.
HOW TO MAKE THIS ROSEMARY SHORTBREAD RECIPE
Start by creaming together the unsalted butter and sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy. This forms the rich base of your rosemary shortbread.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and finely chopped rosemary. Then fold this dry mixture into the butter mixture until just combined.
Prepare an 8×8-inch pan by greasing it and lining it with parchment paper. Evenly press the dough into the pan before dragging shallow lines across the surface with a fork for the classic shortbread look.
Chill the pan in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to firm the dough before baking. While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 315°F.
Bake the shortbread for 22–27 minutes, until the edges form a very light golden halo. While it bakes, combine sugar and finely chopped rosemary in a small bowl, rubbing the mixture with your fingers to release the rosemary’s aromatic oils.
Once the shortbread is out of the oven, immediately sprinkle the rosemary sugar evenly over the top and allow the pan to cool for 15 minutes.
After cooling, cut the shortbread into 1×3-inch bars and let them cool completely before removing from the pan. This will maintain their shape and texture. Enjoy!
3 reasons you’ll love this easy rosemary shortbread recipe
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- You can easily omit the rosemary from this recipe for a deliciously buttery plain shortbread or swap it with another herb!
- If you prefer a shortbread with a little more crack, swap the cornstarch for extra flour.
- Make sure to just combine the dough, without overmixing it. To much mixing can create a tougher shortbread (not a tender one).
- While I love making these in a pan, you can also roll the dough into a 2.5-inch diameter log. Wrap in parchment paper and place in the fridge for 30 minutes before cutting into 3/4″ discs. Bake for 10-14 minutes until just golden around the edges.
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
Raw shortbread dough will last in the fridge for 1-2 days. You can also freeze it for up to three months.
Once baked, store in an airtight container at room temperature, where it will keep for a few days.
MORE SHORTBREAD RECIPES
- Earl Grey Lavender Shortbread
- Snickerdoodle Shortbread
- Coconut Shortbread Bars with Crackly Mango Glaze
- Salted Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate-Dipped Sesame Shortbread
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
Equipment
- Mixer
- Spatula
- Parchment Paper
- 8×8 baking pan
- Knife
- Fork
- Bowl
Ingredients
- ½ cup Sugar
- 14 tbsp Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups Flour
- ½ cup Cornstarch
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 5 tbsp Fresh Rosemary finely chopped
- 1 ½ tbsp Sugar
- 2 tsp Fresh Rosemary finely chopped
Instructions
- In a bowl, cream together butter and 1/2 cup 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 8×8 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 315°F
- Bake the shortbread for 22-27 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
