The Story & Intro

Bonjour my friends! 👋 It’s Lacamorea here, your Paris-born, butter-loving kitchen friend who now calls America home 🇫🇷➡️🇺🇸. Growing up, nothing made me happier than the smell of classic buttery shortbread baking in my mother’s tiny Paris apartment oven. I swear, that scent could make even the grumpiest neighbor smile!

The first time I made classic buttery shortbread on my own, I must’ve been around 10. I stood on my little wooden stool, elbows dusted with flour, trying not to overmix the dough while sneaking little buttery pieces when my mother wasn’t looking. That soft, crumbly, melt-on-your-tongue magic felt like a secret only I knew.

Years later, after moving to the US, baking my classic buttery shortbread became my way of staying connected to home. Every batch tastes like nostalgia warm, simple, comforting, and filled with the kind of love you can only knead with your own hands.

Today, I’m sharing that same childhood treasure with you. This recipe is easy, foolproof, and built around the timeless beauty of butter, sugar, and flour the holy trinity of cookies. If you’ve ever wanted to master classic buttery shortbread, this recipe will become your forever go-to. 💛

And don’t worry… I’ll cheer you on every step of the way!

Ingredients

🛒 Everything you need for perfect shortbread:

1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch (for extra softness)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional but wonderful!)
Coarse sugar for the tops (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Cream the Butter & Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light, airy, and creamy. This step is crucial it gives shortbread its delicate crumb.

2. Add the Dry Ingredients

Mix the flour, cornstarch, and salt in a separate bowl. Add them slowly to the butter mixture. Use a spatula or low-speed mixer to combine until the dough comes together. Don’t overmix shortbread loves tenderness.

3. Shape the Dough

Transfer the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Form it into a log, disk, or rectangle depending on how you prefer your shortbread. Wrap in parchment and chill for at least 30 minutes. This prevents spreading and improves flavor.

4. Preheat the Oven

Heat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. Slice or Cut the Cookies

If using a log, slice into ½-inch cookies.
If rolling, lightly flour your surface and roll dough to ½-inch thickness before cutting shapes.

6. Bake

Arrange cookies on the tray and bake 12–16 minutes, depending on thickness. They should look pale with just a whisper of golden brown around the edges.

7. Cool & Enjoy

Let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes before moving to a rack. Shortbread firms up as it cools patience, my friend!

Serving Suggestions

Serve your classic buttery shortbread the Parisian way with tea, espresso, or dipped into warm milk for extra coziness. They’re beautiful as holiday gifts, adorable packed in tins, and perfect with fruit preserves, lemon curd, or melted chocolate.

Conclusion

Classic recipes are forever, aren’t they? This classic buttery shortbread is more than a cookie it’s a warm French hug wrapped in golden butter. Every crumble tells a story; every bite brings comfort.

From my Paris childhood to your American kitchen, may this simple recipe bring sweetness, joy, and a moment of calm each time you bake it.

Merci for cooking with me today, my friends! 💛🍪
Until next time… keep whisking, keep smiling, and always follow the butter.

🍪 Recipe Card

⏱️ Time

Prep: 10 minutes
Chill: 30 minutes
Bake: 12–16 minutes
Total: ~50 minutes

🛒 Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter
½ cup sugar
2 cups flour
¼ cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Coarse sugar (optional)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

Cream butter and sugar.
Add flour, cornstarch & salt.
Shape and chill dough.
Cut into cookies.
Bake at 325°F for 12–16 min.
Cool & enjoy!

💡 Notes

Cornstarch makes the cookies softer.
Chill longer for sharper cookie edges.
Add lemon zest or almond extract for variations.

🔥 Nutrition (per cookie)

Approx. 115 calories
Fat: 7g
Carbs: 12g
Sugar: 4g
Protein: 1g