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Christmas shortbread biscuits on a plate

Classic Christmas Shortbread Recipe

A traditional Christmas shortbread recipe made with butter and rice flour for a crisp edge and short, crumbly texture. Learn why chilling the dough and not creaming the butter gives shortbread its signature melt and clean snap.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Baking
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 400 gm unsalted butter
  • 160 gm castor sugar
  • 200 gm ground rice (Note 1)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 400 gm plain flour
  • 400 gm raw sugar

Equipment

  • 4 Baking trays
  • 4 Silpat Matts or baking paper
  • 1 Rolling Pin
  • 1 Stand Mixer
  • ! Flat paddle
  • 2 Christmas tree cutters 10cm and 7 cm
  • 2 round fluted rings 6cm
  • 1 bowl for water
  • 1 pastry brush
  • 1 knife
  • 1 Pastry docker or fork

Method
 

  1. Mix the butter and sugar together. Do not cream this mixture
  2. Add the ground rice, plain flour and salt
  3. Mix to bind the dough, avoid over-mixing. It is sufficient to form large broken crumbs it is sufficiently mixed and then press the dough together
  4. Lightly roll out 6mm with as little as possible flour
  5. Press the dough into a prepared shortbread mould (oiled and dusted with castor sugar) or cut out shapes with prepared dough cutters (eg Christmas trees fluted tins )
  6. Prepare a baking trays with a silpat mat or baking paper
  7. Refrigerate for 20 mins
  8. Dock with docker or fork
  9. Brush with a thin layer of water
  10. Sprinkle liberally with course sugar - raw sugar or white sugar
  11. Bake at 1600C for 20 minutes until the edges just start to turn colour
  12. The shortbread should be well cooked, though pale in colour
  13. Pack when completely cold
Please Note
  1. Mix may be carefully pressed into a block and carefully rolled out
  2. Cut into circles
  3. Score pastry into wedges, not cutting through
  4. Dock well
  5. Wash lightly with water
  6. Strew with coarse sugar before baking
  7. Cut after dough has cooked for a few minutes to stop cracking if you wish to do fingers

Video

Notes

Note 1- Mc Kenzies is my best go too brand.Ground rice is a gluten-free, slightly coarse flour made from milled white rice, commonly used as a thickener in soups, stews, sauces, and as a wheat-free alternative in puddings and baking. It is distinct from rice flour, which is finer, and can be used for thickening or adding texture to desserts.