What does shortbread mean?
Shortbread is a crisp, butter-rich biscuit whose defining feature is its short, tender, crumbly texture. It is made from a simple dough of flour, butter, and sugar, traditionally shaped into a round or rectangle and cut into pieces before baking. The biscuit is closely associated with tea and home baking in Britain and Ireland, and it is also familiar in North America and other countries. Traditional shortbread is deliberately high in fat and relatively short in other ingredients, giving it a fine, crumbly texture that melts in the mouth. It is often served plain, lightly dusted with sugar, or accompanied by preserves and tea.
nounA firm, crumbly British biscuit made with butter, flour, and sugar, traditionally in a round or rectangular shape. It is often cut into wedges or fingers and served with tea.
- A traditional butter biscuit with a short, crumbly texture, usually made as a round, rectangular, or finger-shaped piece.
"She served a plate of shortbread with afternoon tea."
"The bakery sells traditional shortbread dusted with sugar."
"He brought shortbread fingers to the picnic."
The plural is used when referring to individual biscuits, varieties, or pieces.
"The bakery sells shortbreads in several flavours."
Shortbread takes its name from its short, crumbly texture, not from its shape.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shortbread come from?
The word combines the adjective short, meaning having a small or insufficient length, with bread. The name describes the biscuit’s short, crumbly quality rather than its size. The form shortbread developed within English culinary terminology and is recorded in the nineteenth century; related terms such as shorten, shortness, and shorthand share the same root short.
How shortbread is actually used
Shortbread is especially associated with British and Irish baking and is commonly served with tea. In the United States, the term is also used for the traditional British-style biscuit, although recipes and commercial versions vary.