Shortbread
Works in the UK and the US. This version uses US words and measures (stove, cups, °F); the UK version uses hob, grams and gas marks. · UK version of this page
Scottish shortbread cookies from the easy 1-2-3 ratio: one part sugar, two parts butter, three parts flour.
- Makes 12
- About 45 min
- Oven
- Best for: Grades 2–5 (ages 7–11)
- Vegetarian (vegan with a swap)
Ingredients
- 50 g (about ¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 100 g (about ½ cup) butter, soft – contains milk
- 150 g (about 1¼ cups) all-purpose flour – contains wheat or gluten
Cup measures are approximate – weighing is more accurate. Need a different amount? Use the recipe finder to change the servings.
Equipment
- kitchen scale
- mixing bowl
- wooden spoon
- rolling pin
- cutter (6 cm) or butter knife
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- fork
- oven mitts
- cooling rack
Safety first
- Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, tie back long hair and put on a clean apron.
- Ask about allergies before anyone cooks or tastes. This recipe contains: wheat or gluten, milk.
- Do not eat raw dough or cake mixture – raw flour and raw egg can carry harmful bacteria.
- Use dry oven mitts for anything that has been in the oven or under the broiler.
Allergens: Wheat (and other grains with gluten), Milk. Always read every label and ask about allergies before anyone cooks or tastes.
Method
- An adult turns the oven on to 325 °F (170 °C). Line the baking sheet.
- Weigh the sugar, butter and flour. Check the 1-2-3 ratio: the butter weighs twice the sugar, the flour three times.
- Beat the butter and sugar until soft, then work in the flour with the spoon and then your hands to make a smooth dough.
- Roll out on a lightly floured surface until about ½ inch thick. Cut out shapes and prick each with a fork.
- An adult puts the baking sheet in the oven. Bake until pale golden. (18 min)
- Adult: Leave on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they are soft when hot), then an adult moves them to the rack. Sprinkle with a little sugar. (5 min)
What this recipe teaches
Using an oven safely, Weighing and measuring, Creaming (beating butter and sugar), Shaping and cutting out. Steps marked “Adult” are always done by an adult; steps marked “Teacher-led” are done by an adult for primary-age children.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 121 |
|---|---|
| Total fat | 6.9 g |
| Saturated fat | 4.3 g |
| Sodium | 54 mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 13.7 g |
| Dietary fiber | 0.3 g |
| Total sugars | 4.2 g |
| Protein | 1.4 g |
Worked out from the raw ingredients (optional ones and pinches not counted) using USDA FoodData Central – SR Legacy (SR28, 2018). Brands vary – check labels.
MyPlate food groups in this recipe: Grains. Learn about MyPlate.
Added sugars and saturated fat are best kept low – enjoy treats less often and in small amounts.
Curriculum links
- FCS 14.3: “Demonstrate ability to acquire, handle, and use foods to meet nutrition and wellness needs of individuals and families across the life span.”
- FCS 14.4: “Evaluate factors that affect food safety from production through consumption.”
Try the interactive lesson
Step by step: a quick safety check, questions graded by Classfern, timers for each cooking step, then an honest look at how it went – a teacher or parent judges the cooking, and learners rate their own work. Photos of the finished dish stay at home.
Use the code your teacher gave you – never your name. Progress is kept on this device.