Description

Delight in these classic sugar-dusted vanilla shortbread biscuits, made from rich vanilla shortbread dough rolled into perfect slices and baked to a delicate golden finish. Finished with a generous dusting of icing sugar, these buttery treats are crisp, tender, and perfect for teatime or gifting.

Ingredients

Scale

Vanilla Shortbread Dough

1 quantity vanilla shortbread dough (see separate recipe)

For Dusting

Icing sugar, for dusting

Instructions

Prepare the Dough Roll: Using your hands, roll the vanilla shortbread dough on a lightly floured surface into a sausage shape approximately 25cm (9 inches) long and 5cm (2½ inches) in diameter. Wrap the roll in cling film or parchment and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. (You may freeze this roll for up to 6 weeks; to use, thaw at room temperature for 1 hour until soft enough to slice.)
Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) / Gas mark 4 / Fan oven 160°C. Lightly grease two large baking sheets to prevent sticking.
Slice the Dough: Using a sharp knife, cut the chilled dough roll into slices about 5mm (¼ inch) thick. Arrange these slices spaced slightly apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow for slight spreading during baking.
Bake the Biscuits: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the biscuits are just beginning to turn a pale golden color around the edges, indicating they are perfectly baked but not overdone.
Cool and Dust: Transfer the baked shortbread biscuits to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, generously dust the tops with icing sugar for a delicate finish.

Notes

You can freeze the rolled dough for up to 6 weeks; thaw at room temperature before slicing and baking.
Ensure biscuits are spaced well on the baking sheets to allow for gentle spreading.
Store baked biscuits in an airtight tin to keep them fresh for up to one week.
For best results, use a sharp knife to get clean, even slices of dough.

Prep Time: 10 minutes + 1 hour chilling
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: British

Keywords: vanilla shortbread, sugar dusted cookies, easy shortbread recipe, buttery biscuits, teatime biscuits, classic shortbread