Easy Shortbread Recipe

Easy Shortbread Recipe with White Chocolate and Dried Raspberries

This easy shortbread recipe is quick and simple to make. It consists of buttery, crumbly shortbread containing dried raspberries and nuggets of white chocolate. It is topped with a white chocolate drizzle and a sprinkling of dried raspberries. This is one of those brilliant recipes which needs very little effort but which looks impressive and tastes delicious.

I like to think of this recipe as a half-way house to Millionaire’s Shortbread. The white chocolate drizzle adds a richness to the shortbread but is lighter than a full-on caramel and chocolate topping. The dried raspberries also have a slight sharpness which goes perfectly with the white chocolate and prevents the shortbread being overwhelmingly sweet.

What you need to know about Shortbread with White Chocolate and Dried Raspberries
  • Making the basic shortbread is really easy which makes it perfect for those who are not experienced bakers. It is also a great recipe if you want to cook with younger children or for older children to cook by themselves. The only slightly more complicated bit is adding the white chocolate drizzle (step 8).
  • The basic shortbread recipe is quick to make – from bowl to table in under half an hour. This makes it great for a bit of spontaneous weekend baking but also good if you suddenly need to make something quickly. However, you do need to allow time for the white chocolate drizzle to cool and set.
  • The quantities in this recipe make eight thick pieces of shortbread. However, it is really easy to make more by doubling the ingredients and either using two 20 cm (8 inch) pie tins or one 30 cm (12 inch) tin. Make sure that the depth of the mixture in the tin is about one cm (half an inch).
  • I always use butter in this recipe as I prefer the flavour. However, if you are a vegan or wish to avoid dairy products, you can use a non-dairy substitute instead of the butter.
Shortbread with White Chocolate and Dried Raspberries
What you need to know about using white chocolate in this recipe
  • White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, sugar and milk solids. It does not does not contain cocoa solids. Therefore, it is not technically a chocolate in the way as milk or dark chocolate. It does not really have a chocolatey flavour, and is often flavoured with vanilla, but it has a similar “mouth feel” to other kinds of chocolate as it contains cocoa butter.
  • When you cut up the chunks of white chocolate to include in the shortbread (step 4) you need to make sure the pieces are not too small. Very small chunks will melt down during the baking process and you will not have delicious nuggets of chocolate in your finished shortbread. A good guide is to aim for each of your chunks to be about the size of a raisin.
  • You need to be careful when you are melting the white chocolate to make the drizzle on top of the shortbread (step 8). Make sure that you melt it very gently as, if you overheat it, it can turn lumpy or grainy. I generally melt my white chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave. I make sure that I keep the power low and only microwave the chocolate for a few seconds at a time. However, if you do not regularly melt white chocolate and want to be sure to avoid the mixture going lumpy, using a double boiler or putting it in a bowl over a saucepan of warm water is an easier way to keep control of the temperature. 
  • Once you have melted your white chocolate, you need to work pretty quickly to get it onto your shortbread. However, if it starts to set, you just need to add a bit of heat – either in the microwave or in a double boiler – to loosen it up again.
  • How you drizzle your chocolate depends on your equipment, time and expertise. If you want to make relatively even lines of chocolate, you can use a piping bag. Otherwise, you can just drizzle the chocolate over the shortbread using a teaspoon. It doesn’t need to be perfect to look good. The lines of chocolate in my photographs are certainly not even but, with a sprinkle of dark pink dried raspberries, I think they look quite artistic (in a Jackson Pollock kind of way…)

Baking shortbread or biscuits (cookies) is a really good place to start for inexperienced bakers. They are generally very easy and do not take very long to bake. You might also like my Lavender Shortbread, Almond Shortbread with Rosewater or my simple Lemon Biscuits (Cookies). If you want something a bit different, then you could try my Ginger Biscuits (Cookies) made with oats and stem ginger. I also have a great Cheese Biscuit recipe, which you can make with or without chilli, if you want a savoury snack.

Other tea-time treats

Another good starting point for new bakers (or experienced bakers looking for an quick route to deliciousness!) is the loaf cake. I am a big cheerleader for loaf cakes. They are quick, easy, versatile and do not require any extra icing or decoration (unless you want to do it). If you want a basic everyday cake, look no further than a loaf cake. They are also a great base for experimenting with flavours which is a big reason for me to love them! Here are some of my favourites.

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Shortbread with White Chocolate and Dried Raspberries

Easy Shortbread Recipe with White Chocolate and Dried Raspberries

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 8 pieces of shortbread 1x
  • Category: Biscuits (Cookies)
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: English

Description

This easy Shortbread recipe is made extra-special with the addition of white chocolate and dried raspberries.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 180 g (6 oz) plain flour

  • 125 g (4 oz) butter

  • 55 g (2 oz) caster sugar

  • 60 g (2 oz) ground almonds

  • 125 g (4 oz) white chocolate or white chocolate chips

  • 4 tablespoons of dried raspberries

     


Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 180 C, 350 F or Gas Mark 4. 
  2. Sift the flour into a large bowl.  Add the butter and combine –  either by “rubbing in” by hand or processing – until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 
  3. Stir in the sugar and the ground almonds.
  4. Coarsely chop half of the white chocolate (60g or 2 oz) and add it to the mixture.  Stir in half of the dried raspberries (2 tablespoons).
  5. Tip the mixture into a 20 cm (8 inch) loose-based pie tin.   Press the mixture into the tin using the back of a spoon.   
  6. Put the tin into the oven and bake for 15 minutes.   The shortbread will be done when it is light golden brown in colour.
  7. Remove from the oven.  Score the shortbread into segments eight segments using a sharp knife. Allow the shortbread to cool in the tin.
  8. Melt the remaining half of the white chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave or over a “double-boiler”.  Drizzle it over the top of the shortbread and then sprinkle with the remaining dried raspberries.

 


This recipe has been shared on #CookBlogShare with Lost in F00d and #Fiesta Friday with Fiesta Friday and  Liz @ Spades, Spatulas & Spoons

Loved this recipe? Checkout the Recipe Index.

Shortbread with White Chocolate and Dried Raspberries

Lavender Shortbread

Easy home-made Lavender Shortbread

This quick and easy Lavender Shortbread recipe is the perfect place to start if you have never tried using this delicious floral flavour in your cooking. The shortbread is buttery and delicious with a subtle lavender flavour. It is very simple to make and takes under half an hour from start to finish.

Plain shortbread is  delicious – it should have a fairly soft, crumbly texture –   but it also makes great vehicle to showcase a range of flavours,  including lavender, rose geranium, thyme, rosemary and lemon verbena.   It is a great accompaniment to a cup of tea or coffee and is also a good partner with ice-cream or sorbet.

I love lavender!  I grow several varieties in my garden and look forward to the first hot day of the year when you get a waft of lavender scent on the air and know that summer is truly here.   Lavender Shortbread is an excellent way of capturing the essence of this beautiful, fragrant plant.

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What you need to know about making Lavender Shortbread

  • This is a really easy recipe which makes it perfect for those who are not experienced bakers. It is also a great recipe if you want to cook with younger children or for older children to cook by themselves.
  • It is also a very quick recipe – from bowl to table in under half an hour. This makes it great if you need to produce something yummy and home-baked and are short of time.
  • In this recipe, I flavoured my shortbread with my shortbread with fresh, finely chopped lavender leaves from a plant in my garden. It is the leaves, rather than the flowers, that have the strong lavender flavour. If you are using fresh lavender you must be sure that it has not been treated with any chemical pesticides or herbicides.
  • If you do not have access to fresh lavender, you can buy dried culinary lavender in many supermarkets. However, you must make sure that it is labelled for culinary use.
  • Lavender has a strong flavour! Don’t be tempted to use too much. If you use the amounts specified in this recipe, you will get a subtly flavoured shortbread.
  • The addition of a small amount of ground almonds makes a real difference to this recipe. It makes the shortbread crumbly but moist and also goes really well with the lavender flavour.
  • I always use butter in this recipe as I prefer the flavour. However, if you are a vegan or wish to avoid dairy products, you can use a non-dairy substitute instead of the butter.

Using lavender in cooking

Lavender has many culinary uses and its fragrance works well in a variety of sweet and savoury dishes.   However, you do have to be a bit careful though as lavender is a very strongly scented plant and, if you use too much, it can overwhelm other flavours.  For this reason, I think it is best used on its own rather than in combination with other aromatics.

The history of culinary lavender

The English word lavender is thought to be derived either from Old French lavandre which is taken from the Latin lavare “to wash” which refers to the practice of using it in infusions or from the Latin livere “blueish” in reference to its colour.   Lavender (“nard” in Hebrew) is mentioned in the Song of Solomon. 

It was introduced into England in the 1600s.  At that time, it was used to make herb tea which was appreciated for its taste and for its medicinal properties.   It was also used to make a conserve which was prized by members of the aristocracy including, allegedly, Queen Elizabeth 1.    Although lavender is often now associated with southern French cuisine, it was not widely used until the turn of the 20th century and its use was popularised only later  by its inclusion in the 1970s in herbes de Provence, a blend of herbs invented by spice wholesalers.

Other lavender recipes

If you like this Lavender Shortbread you might like to try my rich and creamy Lavender Ice Cream, which is very easy to make, or my simple Lavender Loaf Cake.

Other easy shortbread and biscuit recipes

Baking shortbread or biscuits (cookies) is a really good place to start for inexperienced bakers. They are generally very easy and do not take very long to bake. If you like this recipe, you might also like my Almond Shortbread with Rosewater or simple Lemon Biscuits (Cookies). I also have a great Cheese Biscuit recipe, which you can make with or without chilli, if you want a savoury snack.

Loved this recipe? Check out the Recipe Index

Lavender Shortbread recipe

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Lavender Shortbread

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 15 biscuits 1x
  • Category: Biscuits
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: English

Description

These crumbly shortbread biscuits, delicately flavoured with lavender, are fantastic as an accompaniment to ice-cream or sorbet – or just with a cup of tea!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 125 g (4 oz) butter 
  • 55 g (2 oz) caster sugar
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) plain flour
  • 20 g (1 oz) cornflour
  • 60 g (2 oz) ground almonds
  • 4 teaspoons fresh, finely chopped lavender leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender)

Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 200 C/400 F/Gas Mark 6.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar together.
  3. Add the flour, cornflour and ground almonds and combine.
  4. Detach the small lavender flowers from their stalks and add them to the mixture.
  5. Roll out the shortbread dough to a thickness of approximately 0.5 cm (or a quarter of an inch).
  6. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the dough.
  7. Put the dough shapes onto a greased baking tray.
  8. Bake the shortbread dough shapes for 15 minutes.  They will be done when they are firm to the touch and light golden in colour.
  9. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack.

Notes

If you are using fresh lavender leaves, make sure that they have not been treated with any chemicals.  Do not use shop-bought lavender unless it is specifically designated as “culinary lavender”.

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Almond Shortbread with Rosewater

Easy Almond Shortbread recipe flavoured with Rosewater

If you have never baked in your life, this easy Almond Shortbread recipe with a hint of rose flavour, is a fantastic place to start. It is buttery, soft and crumbly and made in under half an hour. Perfect for a morning snack or a teatime treat.

I always add ground almonds to my shortbread as I think they improve both the flavour and texture. Homemade shortbread has a softer texture than the shop-bought version and, if you make your own, you can play around with the flavours a bit. I am a big fan of rose-flavoured recipes and decided to add a bit of rosewater to my usual easy shortbread recipe. I was really pleased with the result which manages to be both comfortingly familiar and a little bit different.

Almond shortbread

What you need to know about Almond Shortbread

  • This is a really easy recipe which makes it perfect for those who are not experienced bakers. It is also a great recipe if you want to cook with younger children or for older children to cook by themselves. I made a version of this recipe (without the rosewater) when I was in primary school whenever we visited by grandfather who was extremely fond of shortbread.
  • It is also a very quick recipe – from bowl to table in under half an hour. This makes it great for a bit of spontaneous weekend baking but also good if you suddenly need to make something quickly. It has saved the day for me on several occasions when I have realised that I have not produced anything for the school bake sale. Not many baked goods can be produced in the time it takes to have breakfast.
  • The quantities in this recipe make eight thick pieces of shortbread. However, it is really easy to make more by doubling the ingredients and either using two 20 cm (8 inch) pie tins or one 30 cm (12 inch) tin. Make sure that the depth of the mixture in the tin is about one cm (half an inch).
  • I always use butter in this recipe as I prefer the flavour. However, if you are a vegan or wish to avoid dairy products, you can use a non-dairy substitute instead of the butter.
  • In this recipe, I flavoured my shortbread with culinary rosewater, which is available from most supermarkets. However, if you prefer a plain shortbread you can just leave it out.
Almond shortbread

Other rose-flavoured recipes

I love to use rosewater as a flavouring. If you are inspired by this shortbread recipe, you might like to have a look at my Rose and Strawberry Cream Cake as another teatime treat. For dessert, you could try Rose and Raspberry Pavlova, Rose Meringues or fragrant Rose Ice-cream.

Other easy shortbread and biscuit recipes

Baking shortbread or biscuits (cookies) is a really good place to start for inexperienced bakers. They are generally very easy and do not take very long to bake. If you like this recipe, you might also like my Lavender Shortbread or simple Lemon Biscuits (Cookies). I also have a great Cheese Biscuit recipe, which you can make with or without chilli, if you want a savoury snack.

Loved this recipe? Checkout the Recipe Index.

Almond shortbread

Recipe for Almond Shortbread with Rosewater

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Almond shortbread

Almond Shortbread with Rosewater

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 8 pieces of shortbread 1x
  • Category: Biscuits
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: English

Description

This simple Almond Shortbread, flavoured with rosewater, is soft and crumbly and made in under half an hour.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 180 g (6 oz) plain flour
  • 125 g (4 oz) butter
  • 55 g (2 oz) caster sugar
  • 60 g (2 oz) ground almonds
  • 1 teaspoon of culinary rosewater
  • A little extra caster sugar

Almond shortbread


Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 180 C, 350 F or Gas Mark 4. 
  2. Sift the flour into a large bowl.  Add the butter and combine –  either by “rubbing in” by hand or processing – until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  
  3. Stir in the sugar and the ground almonds.
  4. Add the rosewater.
  5. Tip the mixture into a 20 cm (8 inch) loose-based pie tin.   Press the mixture into the tin using the back of a spoon.   
  6. Put the tin into the oven and bake for 15 minutes.   The shortbread will be done when it is light golden brown in colour.
  7. Remove from the oven.  Score the shortbread into segments eight segments using a sharp knife.  Sprinkle with a little caster sugar while still warm.  Allow the shortbread to cool in the tin.

This recipe has been shared on #CookBlogShare with the Lost in Food and #Fiesta Friday with Fiesta Friday  and  Laurena @ Life Diet Health

Loved this recipe? Checkout the Recipe Index.