Royal Favorite: This 4-Ingredient Shortbread is Unbelievably Good!

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This 4-Ingredient Shortbread So Good, It’s Beloved by Royalty

The quintessential shortbread cookies comprise only four ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, and a touch of salt. It’s no wonder then that Queen Victoria’s preferred shortbread recipe is equally straightforward, yielding delightfully crunchy and rich cookies.

Upon discovering in Cooking and the Crown by Tom Parker Bowles that Queen Victoria indulged in these cookies daily, I was compelled to try them immediately. These delightful treats are ideal for an afternoon tea and are perfect for sharing with friends or neighbors.

Crafting Balmoral Shortbread

In Cooking and the Crown, Parker Bowles presents the Balmoral Shortbread recipe, a version relished by both Queen Victoria and Edward VII.

Begin by creaming together softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer will expedite the process significantly.

Next, incorporate a pinch of salt and gradually add the all-purpose flour. Parker Bowles emphasizes the importance of avoiding overmixing the dough after adding the flour to prevent the cookies from becoming hard post-baking. Roll out the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness and cut into two-inch rounds. Transfer these rounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to chill before baking.

Like most shortbread recipes, you will need to prick the surface with a fork to guarantee even baking. According to Parker Bowles, this is done “in a domino pattern with three rows of three dots,” a method used at Buckingham Palace.

After docking, dust the cookies with a little more granulated sugar and refrigerate them for 20 minutes, which is the ideal time to preheat your oven.

Bake the cookies until they are slightly puffed, then let them cool on a rack to achieve their signature crisp texture. These thin yet robust cookies offer a heavenly buttery taste and perfect crispiness.

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My family enjoyed these as a post-school snack accompanied by tea, and the recipe yielded plenty to share with our neighbors as well, confirming that these cookies are indeed ideal for sharing.

GET THE COOKBOOK: Cooking and the Crown by Tom Parker Bowles

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