How do you keep shortbread in shape?
Placing the cookie dough between two sheets of parchment paper before rolling it out will prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. Chilling the dough a second time before removing the cut-out cookies from the bottom layer of parchment paper keeps the shapes in tact while they are moved to the cookie sheet.
Use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Coating your baking sheet with nonstick spray or butter creates an overly greasy foundation, causing the cookies to spread. I always recommend a silicone baking mat because they grip onto the bottom of your cookie dough, preventing the cookies from spreading too much.
If the biscuits are warm they will melt and spread in the oven, but if they're chilled then the outside of the biscuit will cook hard before the rest of the biscuit melts, and keep the shape.
Butter too warm or too cold – If your butter is too warm, your cookies won't hold their shape well. If it's too cold, that leads to overmixing, which we'll discuss a little further down. I'm not sure I was ever told the correct way to soften butter. It's just something that shows up frequently in baking recipes.
Use a small, sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut any shape of cookie you like after rolling out the dough. If needed, use an aid to help cut specific shapes: Create a stencil out of cardboard or parchment, wax, or plain paper for simple shapes like hearts, shamrocks, eggs, and flowers.
- Cool cookies completely before storing.
- Do not store soft cookies together with crispy cookies.
- Glass containers are good for storing crispy cookies.
- Do not store in plastic bags but use a covered container.
- Refrigerating cookies will help keep them crisp.
How does it work? Cookies can spread when baked and lose their shape. To fix this, let your cookie dough rest in the refrigerator for an hour before you roll it out and cut out shapes.
Firstly it's because the butter and sugar have been over creamed and too much air has been incorporated into the mixture. This extra air will expand during baking as it heats in the oven and will therefore make your biscuits spread.
Cookie sheet is too warm. If you reuse a cookie sheet that has just been taken out of the oven, it is too hot and will cause your cookies to spread. Always use at least two cookie sheets, and always allow them to cool before putting more cookie dough on them.
Step 3: The Secret to the Absolute Best Shortbread
After shaping the cookies, don't rush to the oven! Instead, chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so (overnight is OK, too). A short stay in the fridge will firm up the cookies and solidify the butter. This will help keep them from spreading too much.
Why do you put cornstarch in shortbread?
A cornstarch shortbread cookie is a shortbread cookie that contains cornstarch along with all-purpose flour in the cookie dough. What is this? The cornstarch is used to give these buttery treats a crispy, melt-in-the-mouth texture. It also helps prevent the cookies from becoming too crumbly and breaking apart.
Using too much butter will: Cause your cookie to spread out way too much during baking. Cause your cookie to brown.
How long does homemade shortbread last? Homemade shortbread can last up to 4 weeks in an airtight container.
Step 3: The Secret to the Absolute Best Shortbread
After shaping the cookies, don't rush to the oven! Instead, chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so (overnight is OK, too). A short stay in the fridge will firm up the cookies and solidify the butter. This will help keep them from spreading too much.
Storing Shortbread Cookies
-Shortbread cookies can be stored in a dry, airtight container for a week, or in the refrigerator for 10 days. -They can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months and allowed to come back to room temperature before serving.
Allow the slice to set in the fridge (preferably overnight before cutting). Remove the slice from the fridge and place onto a chopping board 30 minutes before cutting. This will allow the chocolate to soften slightly which prevents it from cracking.
