How to make shortbread

Follow these tips to shape and decorate your shortbread the traditional way.

 1. Shape into a disc

As soon as the dough comes together, remove from the bowl and shape into a disc – this makes it easy to roll out.
 

Shape the dough into a disc

2. Use a guide

For a perfect shape, trace around a 20cm bowl on baking paper. Turn the paper over before rolling the dough.

Use a bowl as a guide to make a perfect circle

3. Ready to roll

Use paper as a guide to roll out dough to a 20cm disc. Using a lightly floured rolling pin will prevent dough sticking.

Rolling out dough to a 20 cm disc

4. Give it a fancy edge

For a fluted look, pinch the edge with your fingertips and indent the dough with the thumb on your other hand.

Use fingertips to pinch the dough edge

5. Score the shortbread

To easily cut and serve the shortbread, score dough into 8 wedges before baking – just don’t cut all the way through.

Cut the dough into eight wedges

6. Prick with a fork

To help the middle of the shortbread bake evenly, use a fork to prick each wedge twice before baking.

Use fork to prick wedges