This rolled 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!
**Please Note - The printable recipe card with detailed instructions, complete ingredient measurements, and nutritional information for making Traditional Irish Shortbread is available near the end of this post.
Hi everybody! 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!
The super-short ingredient list:
- All-purpose flour
- Butter
- Sugar
- Salt
What I love the most about this recipe for Irish Shortbread (other than how delicious it is), is the ease with which this dough comes together and how simple it is to roll out.
I received this nifty Kudos Kitchen rolling pin for Christmas so I thought this would be the perfect recipe to show off this extremely fun (and functional) gift.
Thank you, Adam. I love this rolling pin very much and I'm proud to showcase it in my kitchen and with my baking. 🙂
What I did with this Irish Shortbread dough is rolled it out into two separate blocks, and left them whole. 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.
Rolling out Traditional Irish Shortbread:
- Place the dough on a sheet of parchment.
- Roll the dough out to an even ¼" thickness.
- Use a decorative roller (optional) to press the design into the dough.
- OR cut the dough with cookie cutters if desired.
- Trim the dough using a paring knife or pizza wheel to even the edges (optional).
- Bake the dough in a preheated 350-degree oven for 15-17 minutes, or until your desired level of brownness.
- *Note - Traditional Irish Shortbread should only be lightly browned.
- Once baked, cool on a rack.
- Once cooled, break the cookies into rustic pieces (if desired).
The following Irish blessing is compliments of Irish Expressions:
For additional Irish recipes:
Below is the printable recipe card for today’s Traditional Irish Shortbread.
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe and look forward to making it (or have already made it), I’d appreciate if you’d take a moment to give it some feedback by way of stars near the comment section at the end of this post. Thank you so much!
Traditional Irish Shortbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened (I always use salted)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer (or using a stand mixer and the paddle attachment), beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Turn the mixer to low and 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. OR cut the dough with cookie cutters (if using) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If baking in blocks, use a pizza cutter to even the edges of the dough, and transfer the cut block of cookie (parchment paper and all) to a baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until you achieve your desired color or doneness.
- -Cool completely, and break the blocks into pieces (if desired).
Notes
Nutrition
I sincerely hope you've enjoyed today's recipe for Traditional Irish Shortbread as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you.
Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you'll come back and visit me often. There is always room for you around my table!
Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen here on my blog, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. It is always my distinct pleasure to respond to you just as soon as I possibly can.
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Kudos Kitchen by Renee – Where I joyously bring you easy, economical, and delicious comfort food dishes to feed the people you love!
Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
Tess says
This was incredible! I sent it to my family for St. Patrick's Day <3
Renée says
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
Karen Kehoe says
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!
BeantheBaker says
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!
Taryn says
Great recipe! Shortbread is my fave!
Tayler Ross says
I absolutely love shortbread! And that rolling pin is awesome! Can't wait to try this!
Isabelle says
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. 🙂
Kim Bee says
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.
Eva says
I made these with one part all-purpose and one part corn flour. Delicious!
Renée says
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
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says
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.
Angie Barrett says
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!
Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez says
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!
Catherine says
Dear Renne, I love shortbread...and I especially love these! So pretty and festive. Wonderful dear. xo, Catherine
Christie Daruwalla says
We adore shortbread! This looks like a great recipe.
The Food Hunter says
That is the coolest rolling pin ever!
Kristen Chidsey says
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!
Renee Goerger says
With only 3 ingredients, you can whip them up anytime you want, Kristen 🙂