Question about shortbread dough?

So I had this recipe for Chocolate Thumbprints and the dough is a kind of shortbread. I tested it last night. It never quite blended and remained crumbly. When I rolled it into balls it was okay and it baked and set fine, it even tasted okay (I'm not a shortbread fan really).

What could I have done to make the dough combine properly? Any tips?

I've always had that same problem w/ shortbread dough -- but the cookies always come out fine.

I WANT THIN MINTS.

I had a recipe for Tollhouse like that so I doubled the amount of butter it called for. It wasn't crumbly any more! And they tasted yummy.

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Posted by nov04LIbride

I had a recipe for Tollhouse like that so I doubled the amount of butter it called for. It wasn't crumbly any more! And they tasted yummy.

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Maybe I'll try that next time... they were a tad dry, and if I'm forced to eat shortbread, I'd like it to be a little richer.

Shorty, yeah! They tasted fine, but with the dough I was like 'W T F?'

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Posted by xjulietx

I have heard that a lot has to do with the temperature of the butter.

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That's definitely true. The colder, the better.

Also, shortbread is supposed to be a little crumbly, so it's important not to overwork it.

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Posted by MonkeyLuv

So I had this recipe for Chocolate Thumbprints and the dough is a kind of shortbread. I tested it last night. It never quite blended and remained crumbly. When I rolled it into balls it was okay and it baked and set fine, it even tasted okay (I'm not a shortbread fan really).

What could I have done to make the dough combine properly? Any tips?

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Shortbread making is sort of a sacred thing in my family, just the plain old fashioned kind, nothing fancy.

It is usually pretty crumbly when you combine it all with a spoon. Once you start to kneed it & form a ball, the heat from your hands melts the butter a little then it is more dough-like.

So, if that is what happpened you are a-ok. Did you use real butter?

ETA- for plain shortbread I use 1/2 cup of butter (2 sticks) & 2 1/2 cups of flour. ( This has been in my family for generations) It is very rich.

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Posted by TwoBugs

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Posted by xjulietx

I have heard that a lot has to do with the temperature of the butter.

---

That's definitely true. The colder, the better.

Also, shortbread is supposed to be a little crumbly, so it's important not to overwork it.

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Really? I would have thought the warmer the better!

Well, I never made shortbread before so it all seemed wrong to me!

Thanks guys... maybe the cookies weren't such a bitter disappointment after all!

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Posted by MonkeyLuv

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Posted by TwoBugs

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Posted by xjulietx

I have heard that a lot has to do with the temperature of the butter.

---

That's definitely true. The colder, the better.

Also, shortbread is supposed to be a little crumbly, so it's important not to overwork it.

---

Really? I would have thought the warmer the better!

Well, I never made shortbread before so it all seemed wrong to me!

Thanks guys... maybe the cookies weren't such a bitter disappointment after all!

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ACK!! You're right!! I just remembered that my recipe specifically states that the butter should be room temperature. Sorry!!

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Posted by MonkeyLuv

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Posted by TwoBugs

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Posted by xjulietx

I have heard that a lot has to do with the temperature of the butter.

---

That's definitely true. The colder, the better.

Also, shortbread is supposed to be a little crumbly, so it's important not to overwork it.

---

Really? I would have thought the warmer the better!

Well, I never made shortbread before so it all seemed wrong to me!

Thanks guys... maybe the cookies weren't such a bitter disappointment after all!

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I melt the butter before mixing in the microwave? Is this wrong? The best shortbread I ever had was at the Scottish games at Old Westbury gardens. They had raspberry chocolate chip. Yum.

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Posted by MonkeyLuv

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Posted by TwoBugs

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Posted by xjulietx

I have heard that a lot has to do with the temperature of the butter.

---

That's definitely true. The colder, the better.

Also, shortbread is supposed to be a little crumbly, so it's important not to overwork it.

---

Really? I would have thought the warmer the better!

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Yes, I always start with'softened' butter. But NOT melty, so don't nuke it!

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Posted by tourist

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Posted by MonkeyLuv

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Posted by TwoBugs

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Posted by xjulietx

I have heard that a lot has to do with the temperature of the butter.

---

That's definitely true. The colder, the better.

Also, shortbread is supposed to be a little crumbly, so it's important not to overwork it.

---

Really? I would have thought the warmer the better!

---

Yes, I always start with'softened' butter. But NOT melty, so don't nuke it!

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Hmm. You don't microwave to make it soft? I keep it in my fridge and usually don't have time to leave it out long enough to soften.

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Posted by nov04LIbride

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Posted by MonkeyLuv

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Posted by TwoBugs

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Posted by xjulietx

I have heard that a lot has to do with the temperature of the butter.

---

That's definitely true. The colder, the better.

Also, shortbread is supposed to be a little crumbly, so it's important not to overwork it.

---

Really? I would have thought the warmer the better!

Well, I never made shortbread before so it all seemed wrong to me!

Thanks guys... maybe the cookies weren't such a bitter disappointment after all!

---

I melt the butter before mixing in the microwave? Is this wrong? The best shortbread I ever had was at the Scottish games at Old Westbury gardens. They had raspberry chocolate chip. Yum.

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The kind they sell in little white bags! LOVE that stuff. My father entered a shortbread contest there last year & came in 3rd. He thinks there may have only been 3 entries though

Heather, I used an elctric mixer, is that bad? I rolled the dough into balls with my hands and that seemed to help.

Here's the recipe I used (it's from Martha Stewart):

-12tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
-1/2cup confectioners' sugar
-1/4teaspoon salt
-1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-1 1/4cups all-purpose flour
-4ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
-1 1/2teaspoons light corn syrup

1. Heat oven to 350°. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together 1 stick butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in flour, beginning on low speed and increasing to medium high.

2. Roll dough by teaspoonfuls into balls, and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and press thumb into tops of cookies to make indentations. Return to oven, and bake until light brown on the edges, 7 to 9 minutes more. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

3. Combine chocolate, 4 tablespoons butter, and corn syrup in a small heat-proof bowl. Set over a pot of simmering water; stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly. When cookies are cool, fill the thumbprints with the chocolate mixture.

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Posted by nov04LIbride


Hmm. You don't microwave to make it soft? I keep it in my fridge and usually don't have time to leave it out long enough to soften.

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I know- I usually forget, & tried to nuke it once & it was a mess.
What I do is preheat the oven & but the butter on the top of the stove between the burners while I measure out my sugar & flour. And plaase tell me you don't use salt. Also, I use unsalted butter.
I can post my family recipe tomorrow, if you want . it is ULTRA basic.

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Posted by tourist


The kind they sell in little white bags! LOVE that stuff. My father entered a shortbread contest there last year & came in 3rd. He thinks there may have only been 3 entries though

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YES! The kind in the white bags! It is like $10 or something for a tiny bag but they are buttery bits o' heaven! My grandma is from Scotland so she goes every year. They had my DH try the caber toss.

Liz,

I've never used a mixer for shortbread, so I am not sure how it would affect it, accept that you don't get the upper arm workout I do! I find with mixers for other things, I loose more butter than if I do it by hand. That might be a little 'wet' with vanilla though.

But the first part of your recipe is similar to mine, accept it adds salt & vanilla. The butter/flour ratio is the same. ( mine is just doubled)

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Posted by nov04LIbride

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Posted by tourist


The kind they sell in little white bags! LOVE that stuff. My father entered a shortbread contest there last year & came in 3rd. He thinks there may have only been 3 entries though

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YES! The kind in the white bags! It is like $10 or something for a tiny bag but they are buttery bits o' heaven! My grandma is from Scotland so she goes every year. They had my DH try the caber toss.

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My grandparents were from Scotland. I don't go every year anymore, but I have been several tiems. DH loves the white bag shortbread. It is SO much better than that pre-packaged Walkers stuff.

I think I'll try hand mixing next time, and making sure the butter is properly softened.


Mr Boots ate 3 and was all 'these are the most awesome awesomes that you ever awesomed!' But he also loves whitecastle and eggplant so there's no accounting for taste!