Light, buttery and irresistibly crumbly, Shortbread Petticoat Tails are the ultimate classic biscuit. These tender wedges of shortbread are perfect for festive gatherings, indulgent tea-time snacks, or as thoughtful, edible gifts.
There’s something magical about festive baking, isn’t there? The cozy aroma of butter and sugar wafting through the house, the warmth and joy of shared treats with friends and family.
And when it comes to classic holiday recipes, shortbread reigns supreme.
A classic Scottish treat with a rich, buttery texture that’s both tender and crumbly, this Shortbread Petticoat Tails recipe is the first in a four-part festive baking series that celebrates the versatility of shortbread. We’re exploring two distinct doughs to create four unique biscuits: the traditional Scottish shortbread dough, featuring rice flour for that signature sandy texture, will star in this recipe and the upcoming Speculaas Shortbread. Meanwhile, a softer, icing sugar-based dough will be the base for Cranberry Orange Shortbread Biscuits and Chocolate Dipped Mint Shortbread. Perfect for gifting, sharing, or keeping all to yourself, these shortbread treats are the perfect way to spread a little seasonal joy.
In this Post
- Why you’ll Love this Recipe
- What Is Shortbread?
- What Are Shortbread Petticoat Tails?
- The Shortbread Debate: Rice Flour vs Icing Sugar
- Shortbread Petticoat Tails Recipe Ingredients
- How to Make Shortbread Petticoat Tails
- Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Shortbread Petticoat Tails Recipe FAQs
- Love Shortbread? Try these flavoured versions too:
- Recipe
Why you’ll Love this Recipe
- Simple ingredients. With just six pantry staples, this recipe shows how a few pantry staples can come together to create something delicious.
- Irresistibly buttery. Each bite is rich, tender and melts in your mouth.
- Beginner-friendly. With straightforward steps and no fancy equipment required, this recipe is perfect for bakers of all skill levels.
- Gift-worthy. Petticoat Tails make for pretty edible gifts, tied up in ribbon or nestled in decorative tins.
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What Is Shortbread?
Shortbread is one of the simplest and most beloved biscuits in the world. With origins dating back to medieval Scotland, it was traditionally reserved for special occasions like Christmas, weddings and Hogmanay – Scottish New Year.
Its name stems from the word ‘short’, a baking term that refers to the crumbly texture achieved by a high fat-to-flour ratio, and it’s believed shortbread evolved from ‘biscuit bread’, a type of twice-baked leftover bread dough enriched with butter and sugar. Over time, the yeast was replaced with more butter, and eventually rice flour, resulting in the crumbly, tender texture we know today.
What Are Shortbread Petticoat Tails?
Scottish shortbread is known for its purity and distinctive texture, thanks to the inclusion of rice flour or sometimes, semolina. Unlike some modern shortbreads, which may lean towards softer, sweeter profiles, Scottish versions are firmer, crumblier, and less sugary, allowing the butter’s flavor to take center stage.
With their iconic shape and festive appeal, Petticoat Tails are uniquely Scottish. Mary, Queen of Scots, is often credited with popularising Petticoat Tails, a classic Scottish shortbread traditionally baked in a large round and then divided into triangular wedges. As the story goes, Queen Mary was so enamoured with this particular type of shortbread that she requested it be baked in a decorative round and cut into triangular shapes, mimicking the folds of the delicate petticoats worn by her court. Whether or not this is entirely true, it’s clear that Mary’s love for shortbread helped raise its status from a humble, everyday snack to a royal indulgence.
The Shortbread Debate: Rice Flour vs Icing Sugar
It all comes down to texture and sweetness.
Rice flour is often used in traditional Scottish shortbread recipes to create a sandy, crumbly texture that melts in your mouth. Its subtle nuttiness also adds a depth of flavor that complements the butter beautifully.
Icing sugar, on the other hand, creates a softer, more delicate texture. Recipes featuring icing sugar tend to yield biscuits with a tender, almost silky crumb – perfect for variations like the Cranberry Orange Shortbread Biscuits.
Both approaches have their merits, and this series gives you a chance to try both styles to find your favorite!
Shortbread Petticoat Tails Recipe Ingredients
This traditional shortbread uses just a few key ingredients for a beautifully simple, buttery flavor (find exact measurements in the recipe card below):
- Butter. The soul of shortbread, what makes shortbread, well, shortbread! It imparts richness and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Choose a high-quality, unsalted butter for best results.
- Salt. A pinch enhances the buttery richness and balances the sweetness.
- Caster sugar. Adds just the right amount of sweetness while keeping the texture fine.
- Vanilla. A hint of vanilla adds a subtle warmth that rounds out the flavor. Optional if you don’t have it, but highly recommended!
- All-purpose flour. Forms the base of the shortbread, providing structure.
- Rice flour. The secret to that sandy, crumbly texture that sets Scottish shortbread apart.
How to Make Shortbread Petticoat Tails
Making this traditional treat is easier than you might think! Follow these straightforward steps to create beautifully crumbly Petticoat Tails:
- Prepare. Preheat the oven and line a 20cm round, springform cake tin with baking paper. (You can also use a well-greased and lined fluted tart pan with a loose base, or you can even create free-form rounds on a baking tray.)
- Make the dough. Using a wooden spoon and elbow grease, or a hand mixer with the beaters attachment, beat the softened – but not melted! – butter until smooth and pale. Add the salt and caster sugar, and vanilla, if using, and cream until well combined and fluffy. Gradually mix in flours until a shaggy dough forms, using your hands to bring the dough together without overworking it.
- Shape. Divide the dough in half, and working with one half at a time, gently press it into the lined tin. Use a small handleless mug or glass to gently smooth over the top – just enough to remove your fingerprints!
- Chill. Let the formed dough rest in the fridge.
- Score. Score – don’t cut! – the round into 8 even wedges and dock each piece.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated oven until lightly golden and fragrant.
- Cool and cut. Allow the Shortbread Petticoat Tails to cool fully before cutting along the scored lines.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use softened butter. Ensure butter is softened but not melted for the best texture and for easier beating and creaming. If your butter feels greasy, it’s too soft and will make handling the dough difficult.
- Chill before baking. Resting the dough is essential to maintain its shape and for that signature crumbly texture.
- Score the wedges before baking. This provides you with guides of where to cut when the shortbread has cooled, resulting in neater wedges.
- Cool completely before cutting. Shortbread is delicate when warm and firms up as it cools.
Shortbread Petticoat Tails Recipe FAQs
Can I use salted butter?
Yes, but saltiness varies from brand to brand, so depending on the brand of butter used, you may end up with an overly salted biscuit. It’s easier to control the saltiness if you use unsalted butter but add some salt. If you do use salted butter, do not add any additional salt.
Why do you chill the dough before baking?
Chilling helps the butter firm up, which prevents the shortbread from spreading and ensures the crumbly texture you expect from traditional shortbread.
Why do I need to dock the dough?
Docking prevents the shortbread from puffing up during baking, ensuring even cooking.
Why does my shortbread crumble when cutting?
There will always be some crumbs! But be sure to let the shortbread cool completely before cutting – it firms up as it cools. If the score lines and docking has melted during baking, gently score the lines again right after removing the shortbread from the oven so you have a guide of where to cut when it’s cool.
Can I make Petticoat Tails without a mould or pan?
Yes! You can shape the dough freehand into a circle on a lined baking tray. If you’re feeling fancy, you can even crimp the edges on a freeform shortbread round! If you would like to buy yourself a fancy shortbread mould though, I’ve linked one below in the recipe!
Why is my shortbread too hard?
This might happen if the dough was overmixed or if it was baked too long. Mix until just combined and watch closely during baking for a light golden color. Crispy shortbread is just as tasty though, so don’t throw it out!
Love Shortbread? Try these flavoured versions too:
Whether you’re baking for a festive gathering, a special lunch or afternoon tea, or simply to treat yourself, these traditional Shortbread Petticoat Tails are sure to impress. With its crumbly texture and buttery flavour, it’s a recipe you’ll come back to again and again. If you make these Petticoat Tails be sure to leave a comment and let me know. Or take a pic and tag me over on Instagram, I love seeing what you guys are making from the blog!
Recipe
Shortbread Petticoat Tails
Ingredients
- 230 g unsalted butter, at just room temperature
- Generous pinch of salt
- 120 g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 70 g rice flour
Instructions
- Grease and line two 20cm round, springform cake tins with butter and baking paper. Set aside.
- To make the shortbread dough, you can use either a wooden spoon and elbow grease or an electric hand mixer with the beaters attachment. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened – not melted! – butter until smooth and pale.Add the salt and caster sugar, and vanilla, if using, and cream until well combined and fluffy.230 g unsalted butter, Generous pinch of salt, 120 g caster sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- Gradually mix in the all-purpose flour and the rice flour until a shaggy dough forms. Then use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl, kneading gently if needed, without overworking it.250 g all-purpose flour, 70 g rice flour
- Divide the dough in half, and working with one half at a time, gently press it into one of the lined tins, all the way into the edges. Use a small handleless mug, glass or a silicone offset spatula, to gently smooth over the top – just enough to remove your fingerprints!
- Chill the dough, tins and all, in the fridge for 30 minutes. And preheat the oven to 160C.
- Remove the shortbread from the fridge and score – don’t cut! – each round into 8 wedges. Dock each wedge a couple of times with a fork.
- Bake the shortbread for 40-45 minutes, swapping the trays around half way through baking for a more even bake. Shortbread baked in a round like this is ready when the edges are a pale golden brown and quite blonde on top still, with no shiny sheen. When removed from the oven, shortbread is still quite soft in the centre, and will firm up as it cools.
- Quickly and gently rescore the wedges with a sharp knife, and then allow the Shortbread Petticoat Tails to cool fully before cutting along the scored lines.
- Store your shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
