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    Home » Dessert Recipes » Cookie Recipes

    Published: Feb 27, 2023 by Renée · This post may contain affiliate links · 20 Comments

    Traditional Irish Shortbread

    Jump to Recipe
    Baked and broken Traditional Irish Shortbread Cookies with a rolling pin and napkins in the background.

    Traditional Irish Shortbread is rich and buttery. It's simply the best-tasting cookie that requires only four simple ingredients. This must be your lucky day!

    Two baked Irish Shortbread Cookie slabs on a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    As we near St. Patrick's day, I wanted to share with you this recipe for Traditional Irish Shortbread. 

    You can either cut it with cookie cutters or break it into rustic pieces as I did. Whichever way you cut it, this will be a recipe you'll make time and again, and not just for the Irish holiday!

    Table of Contents Found Here
    • The ingredient list:
    • Why this recipe works
    • Making the cut or taking a break
    • Tips for rolling the dough
    • This is how we roll
    • FAQs
    • Additional Irish-Inspired Recipes
    • Printable Recipe Card
    • Traditional Irish Shortbread
    • Please comment if you've made this recipe.

    The ingredient list:

    *Please note that the exact measurements along with a "shop the recipe" feature from Instacart and Walmart is available inside the printable recipe card.

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    ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR - My go-to all-purpose flour choice is unbleached. To most people, there are undetectable differences in taste and texture between bleached and unbleached flour, with the unbleached flour producing a slightly denser result. However, using bleached all-purpose flour is also an excellent choice.

    BUTTER - I typically use American salted butter for all my baking. It's controversial, but that's what I do. However, if you're using European butter, it has a slightly tangier taste, and you may want to cut back on the amount of salt called for in this recipe.

    GRANULATED SUGAR - The first step in this, and many other, cookie recipe is to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together long enough that the mixture is light, fluffy, and the sugar granules have thoroughly dissolved in the butter. This takes time (at least 3-5 minutes) of beating, so don't rush this process.

    SALT - I prefer the taste of kosher salt to iodized salt. Kosher salt does not include iodine and has a slightly milder flavor than table salt. I use kosher salt in both my cooking and baking. 

    Why this recipe works

    What I love the most about this recipe for Irish Shortbread (other than how rich, flaky, and buttery it is), is the ease with which this dough comes together and how simple it is to roll out.

    Subscribe to my Kudos Kitchen channel on YouTube. IT'S FREE!! Thanks, and I can't wait to see you there!!

    Making the cut or taking a break

    What I did with this Irish Shortbread dough is rolled it out into two separate blocks, and left them whole.

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    However, cookie cutters can certainly be used to cut the unbaked dough into any shapes you like.

    I decided I wanted to keep the cookies on the "rustic" side, so after the dough was baked, I broke them into random pieces. I really like the way it turned out. It's approachable and completely unpretentious.

    Broken and baked Irish Shortbread Cookies on a baking sheet with napkins.

    Tips for rolling the dough

    This shortbread cookie dough has a wonderful texture and can easily be rolled onto parchment paper making it a snap to transfer to a baking sheet when ready to bake.

    If you choose to use cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes the excess dough may be rerolled as needed.

    Make sure not to add too much additional flour to the rolling surface or dough when rerolling the scraps because that will toughen the dough and also texture of the final cookies.

    This is how we roll

    If you'd like to make rolling out cookie dough a lot more fun but without additional effort or fuss, check out this fun embossed rolling pin and get busy rolling!!

    FAQs

    Can this dough be frozen?

    You bet. Wrap it will in several layers of clingwrap (you may want to divide it in half, first) and it can be frozen for up to 3 months.

    Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight before rolling and baking.

    Can the baked cookies be frozen?

    Yes! Store them in an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months.

    How many cookies does this recipe make?

    I depends on how big your cookie cutters are, or how big you break the baked cookie dough sheets into. I've given 24 broken cookie servings as a rough estimate.

    Additional Irish-Inspired Recipes

    • Luck of the Irish Corned Beef Boxty  
    • St. Patrick's Day Recipe Roundup 
    • Dubliner Cheesy Potato Tart
    • Slow Cooker Corned Beef
    • Fried Cabbage and Leeks with Roasted Potatoes
    Some pieces of broken Irish Shortbread on a baking sheet with napkins.

    When you make today's recipe (and I hope that you will), I'd appreciate it if you'd take the time to come back and give it a star rating along with a comment on why you rated as you did.

    Search engines such as Google appreciate comments and ratings and, in turn, will show my recipes to more people. Please look for the pink star rating box within the printable recipe card. Thank you!!

    Printable Recipe Card

    A bunch of broken pieces of Traditional Irish Shortbread along with some Irish napkins in the background.

    Traditional Irish Shortbread

    Renee Goerger
    This rolled Traditional Irish Shortbread is rich and buttery. It's simply the best tasting cookie that requires only 3 simple ingredients. This must be your lucky day!
    Have you made this recipe?Please Comment and Rate
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save recipe Save this recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course cookies, Dessert, shortbread
    Cuisine Irish
    Servings 24 servings
    Calories 137 kcal

    Equipment

    • Rolling Pin
    • parchment paper
    • baking sheets
    • hand mixer optional
    • stand mixer optional
    • Pizza Cutter optional
    • cookie cutters optional
    • cooling rack
    • kitchen timer optional

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup softened butter (I always use salted)
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    Get Recipe Ingredients

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 175 degrees Celsius).
    • In a large bowl, using a hand mixer (or using a stand mixer and the paddle attachment), beat the butter and sugar until fluffy (approximately 3-5 minutes). 
    • Turn the mixer to low and slowly blend in the flour and salt until fully incorporated and the dough forms a ball.
    • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (or if baking in blocks, a piece of parchment paper) and roll to approximately ¼" thickness.
      Once rolled, use a pizza wheel or knife cut and even the edges of the dough, and transfer the cookie dough (parchment paper and all) onto a baking sheet.
      OR cut the dough with cookie cutters and place the cut cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
    • Bake in a preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until the cookies are a pale golden brown.
    • Cool completely on cooling racks, and break the blocks into shards.

    Notes

    Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
    These cookies may be frozen for up to 6 months stored in an airtight freezer container.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 137kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 116mgPotassium: 13mgFiber: 0gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 235IUCalcium: 4mgIron: 0.5mg

    Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to reach out to contact me. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back with you just as soon as I possibly can!

    Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you will come back and visit me often. Please know that there is always room for you around my kitchen table!

    Please don't forget to like and follow me across all of my SM channels, and while you're at it stop by and say hello! I'll be looking for you! 🙂

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    and PINTEREST

    Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!

    Selfie of Renee of Kudos Kitchen by Renee
    Custom Renee Signature

    I sincerely hope you've enjoyed today's recipe for Traditional Irish Shortbread as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you.

    Two rolled and baked slabs of Traditional Irish Shortbread on a baking sheet with a rolling pin.

    Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to reach out to contact me. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back with you just as soon as I possibly can!

    Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you will come back and visit me often. Please know that there is always room for you around my kitchen table!

    Please don't forget to like and follow me across all of my SM channels, and while you're at it stop by and say hello! I'll be looking for you! 🙂

    FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, YOUTUBE, KUDOS AMAZON SHOPPING,

    and PINTEREST

    Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!

    Selfie of Renee of Kudos Kitchen by Renee
    Custom Renee Signature

    More Cookie Recipes

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      Amaretto Coconut Biscotti Cookies
    • Red and green cherry slices cookies on a pretty holly berry plate.
      Festive Red and Green Cherry Slices
    • A stack of Peanut Butter and Jelly Potato Chip Cookies dusted with confectioners sugar.
      Peanut Butter and Jelly Potato Chip Cookies

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.42 from 17 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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    1. Noreen says

      July 21, 2024 at 11:03 am

      5 stars
      Such an easy recipe for such a delicious treat - am going to make another batch today

      Reply
      • Renée says

        July 21, 2024 at 5:19 pm

        Awesome! Thanks for letting me know, Noreen, and also for the 5-star rating.
        I appreciate it.
        Please visit me again.
        Fondly,
        Renee

        Reply
    2. Tess says

      March 19, 2021 at 7:59 pm

      5 stars
      This was incredible! I sent it to my family for St. Patrick's Day <3

      Reply
      • Renée says

        March 20, 2021 at 7:44 am

        Awesome, Tess!
        I'm sure your family was thrilled.
        I know I would be.
        Thanks for the comment and the star rating.
        I appreciate it!
        Have a great day,
        Renee

        Reply
    3. Karen Kehoe says

      December 19, 2019 at 4:28 pm

      5 stars
      My 5th grade grandson had to take an Irish dessert to school for a project. He was able to do it by himself with minimal supervision. We also had ideas for doing this in the future by cutting out with cookie cutters first and baking the shapes. A great recipe!

      Reply
    4. BeantheBaker says

      March 16, 2019 at 1:19 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, have to give these 5 stars; just finished making for St. Patrick's Day. I'm an experienced baker, have to admit that I was skeptical about the difference Kerry Gold butter would make -- but I'm sold. It made a huge difference in the consistence of the dough and the final baked cookies. I used small shamrock cutters, tinted half the dough a light marbled green, sprinkled with coarse sugar and reduced the bake time to about 12 minutes. You do need to watch the time as these will brown very quickly. Beautiful dough to work with; cookies held their shape and the taste and texture? Yes, "melt in your mouth". Thank you for this great recipe!

      Reply
    5. Taryn says

      January 03, 2019 at 5:01 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe! Shortbread is my fave!

      Reply
    6. Tayler Ross says

      January 03, 2019 at 4:41 pm

      5 stars
      I absolutely love shortbread! And that rolling pin is awesome! Can't wait to try this!

      Reply
    7. Isabelle says

      March 20, 2015 at 3:39 am

      I have total rolling pin envy right now. That is seriously the coolest gadget EVER!
      I'm also loving the idea of breaking up the shortbread into chunks. You can't go wrong with the lazy... errr.. rustic approach. 🙂

      Reply
    8. Kim Bee says

      March 19, 2015 at 4:26 am

      I am totally trying these, my grandma used to make these for us. But my goodness she never had such a cool rolling pin. I have to get one immediately.

      Reply
      • Eva says

        September 29, 2019 at 6:02 am

        5 stars
        I made these with one part all-purpose and one part corn flour. Delicious!

        Reply
        • Renée says

          September 29, 2019 at 7:05 am

          I love that! Good to know the addition of cornflour works well in this recipe.
          I'll have to try that sometime.
          Thanks, Eva!!
          Renee

    9. Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says

      March 18, 2015 at 10:42 pm

      Ack! That rolling pin is the coolest baking gadget that I've ever seen! What a fantastic gift. I really like how you baked the shortbread whole. The rustic pieces are such a fun way to serve a cookie.

      Reply
    10. Angie Barrett says

      March 18, 2015 at 10:23 pm

      The cookies are perfect broken up like that! Oh and that Kudos Kitchen rolling pin is amazing! I need one with my blog name on it! too cute!

      Reply
    11. Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez says

      March 18, 2015 at 2:53 pm

      My oldest and I are shortbread fanatics - I have to make a batch of this! And that rolling pin is so incredibly awesome...I love it!

      Reply
    12. Catherine says

      March 18, 2015 at 3:48 am

      Dear Renne, I love shortbread...and I especially love these! So pretty and festive. Wonderful dear. xo, Catherine

      Reply
    13. The Food Hunter says

      March 17, 2015 at 10:21 pm

      That is the coolest rolling pin ever!

      Reply
    14. Christie Daruwalla says

      March 17, 2015 at 11:57 pm

      We adore shortbread! This looks like a great recipe.

      Reply
    15. Kristen Chidsey says

      March 17, 2015 at 1:54 pm

      Oh my!! I can not even tell you how much I love this recipe. My parents went to Ireland twice and each time my favorite treat they brought back was the shortbread cookies. I want these now!

      Reply
      • Renee Goerger says

        March 17, 2015 at 5:49 pm

        With only 3 ingredients, you can whip them up anytime you want, Kristen 🙂

        Reply

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