Flute the edges and poke all the way through with a fork

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Trace around a 9-inch round cake pan on a sheet of parchment paper. Turn the paper over (so you can see the circle through the parchment). Lightly roll the dough into a 9-inch circle, using the tracing as your guide. The dough should be about ½ inch thick.

Using your fingers, flute the edge like a piecrust. Take a fork and prick the shortbread, being sure to go all the way to the baking sheet.

Using a small knife, score the circle into 16 wedges. Refrigerate the email data for 20 minutes to rest. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake. After removing the shortbread from the oven, cut into wedges along the scored lines (going all the way to the baking sheet)(Molly- I forgot to do this in the below photo-whoops!). You must cut the shortbread while it’s hot, otherwise it will become hard and brittle and break into uneven pieces.

Classic Shortbread
Courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoon granulated sugar

Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside. Beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium until soft and fluffy. Slowly add flour mixture and beat until combined.

Using your hands, press the dough into a ball and knead until really smooth, about 3 minutes. Press the dough into a round disk and place on parchment paper. Roll into a 9-inch circle. . Score into 16 wedges. Refrigerate dough about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Sprinkle dough with granulated sugar. Bake until pale golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and cut through the scored marks to separate the wedges. Let cool for 1 hour before serving.

Lemon Shortbread Variation:

Beat 2 tablespoons grated fresh lemon zest in with the butter and sugar.

Chocolate Shortbread Variation:

Substitute 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder for 1/4 cup of the flour.