In honor of all things Patrick-y (saintly or not) and my sissy’s birthday, I’ve baked my first ever shortbread, and man, is it every buttery and flaky!  I’ve only ever had the shortbread that comes in the red plaid box and of course this recipe for homemade shortbread cannot even compare.  It’s the perfect after-lunch-with-a-cuppa-coffee-or-tea treat!  Be sure to eat it while it’s still warm, as it will melt in your mouth like a buttery crumble.

I read over the recipe from KAF that popped up in my feed and was super happy to announce I already had all the ingredients in my cupboard!  The only strange ingredient you may not have on hand is white rice flour.  If you don’t have any Irish cream (ie. Bailey’s) – well then we can’t be friends.  JUST KIDDING, you can totally substitute vanilla extract for Irish cream whiskey.

It’s a pretty simple recipe that contains only six (yes six!) ingredients.  Cream the butter with the sugar, salt and Irish cream whiskey (or vanilla), then add the flour a little bit at a time until everything is combined.  It will look super crumbly and at first you’ll think in your best fake Irish accent, “oh bother, I’ve gone ahead and botched this recipe before it’s even begun!”.  But once it’s all crumbly-looking and mixed together, use your hands to pat together two discs.  Wrap each dough disc separately in plastic wrap (or “cling” as they call plastic wrap in Ireland) and let chill in the refrigerator for 45-60 minutes.  Butter and flour your baking pans.  I used a 9″ round cake pan and a 6″ round cake pan.  Obviously the 6″ yielded a pretty thick shortbread so you decide the baking tin you’d prefer based on the thickness you’d like.  The dough will be hard when you remove it from the fridge.  Let the heat from your hands soften it as you work it into the bottom of your buttered, floured tin as flatly as possible.  Prick the surface all over with a fork.  Make it pretty!  (See above pricked shortbread photo!)  Bake at 325°F for 25-30 minutes or until tops are browned.

Let the shortbread cool for 10 minutes, then loosen from baking tin with a knife around the edges.  Gently pry the shortbread out of the tin while still warm.  Cut into 8 pieces and eat while warm with a nice cuppa tea while you are FaceTiming your favorite sister on her birthday!

From left then clockwise, sissy in the 80’s wearing neon, sissy on a horse, sissy + me!

Happy B-day Sissy!!!

Irish Cream Shortbread (from King Arthur Flour)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour
Makes: 16 pieces

Print This Recipe!

• 2 sticks softened butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons Irish cream whiskey like Bailey’s (or substitute 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white rice flour

Method:

1. Beat the butter until it’s smooth, then add the brown sugar, salt and Irish cream whiskey.  Beat until fluffy.
2. Add the all-purpose flour, one cup at a time beating until combined before adding the remaining white rice flour.
3. The dough will be crumbly, use your hands to pat together two discs.
4. Wrap each dough disc separately in plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for 45-60 minutes.
5. Butter and flour your baking pans (two 8″ round pans are recommended) and preheat the oven to 325°F.
6. Work the dough into the buttered, floured tin, and press down as flatly as possible.
7. Prick the surface all over with a fork.
8. Bake at 325°F for 25-30 minutes or until tops are browned.
9. Let the shortbread cool for 10 minutes, then loosen from baking tin with a knife around the edges.  Gently pry the shortbread out of the tin while still warm.
10. Cut into 8 pieces and eat while warm with a cuppa tea.