Spelt Shortbread

This buttery crumbly, quick and easy, Spelt Shortbread Biscuit Recipe uses White Spelt Flour making them the most delicious shortbread I have ever tasted. Using 4 main store cupboard ingredients, with the addition of sea salt if using. No eggs or liquid are required.

Since making these Chocolate Chip Rock Buns I've started to bake more and more recipes with White Spelt Flour. It's a delicious and more nutritional alternative to plain white flour giving it a slightly nutty taste. One slice of these Spelt Flour Biscuits is not enough. I can tell you.

Jump to:

• Why You Will Love This Recipe.
• Ingredients Needed to Make This Recipe
• Substitutions and Variations
• Step By Step Instructions.
• Expert Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Storage
• Other Recipes Using Spelt Flour that you may like to try.
• Recipe

Why You Will Love This Recipe.

• It only takes 25 minutes for the shortbread to bake.
• I'm confident that you will love these biscuits with Spelt Flour and the flavour.
• You don't need any special shortbread tin to make this Spelt Biscuit Recipe, a simple round tin will do allowing you to make your own decorations.
• They are an ideal edible gift and would sell really well at bake sales. They are also good for coffee mornings and catching up with friends over a nice cup of tea.

Ingredients Needed to Make This Recipe

Note: This is just an overview of the ingredients I used in this recipe and a reason why I used them. You will find a full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Sugar - For this recipe, I used soft brown sugar, which adds to the nutty flavour of the Spelt Flour. You can use white caster sugar if you wish.

Butter - I used butter to add flavour and taste. If you use block margarine it will not have the same flavour.

Flour - This recipe uses Spelt Flour. It's a tastier and more nutritional alternative to normal All purpose plain White flour. Using Plain white flour is fine, but you will not get the same colour or taste when using white flour. Note: Spelt still contains gluten.

Cornflour - This helps give a fine crumbly texture to the shortbreads. If you don't have any to hand, use more Spelt or plain flour. Some recipes call for Rice flour, which will also work fine.

Salt (optional) - Just use a pinch, I used crushed Sea Salt.

Substitutions and Variations

• Replace the White Spelt Flour with Plain flour.
• Add a few drops of Vanilla Extract for a richer buttery flavour.
• Although I haven't tested this, you could try using dark brown sugar for a much deeper rich, toffee flavour. It will also make the Shortbread biscuits a deeper colour.

If you make this recipe using these or other substitutions, I would love to hear how you got on in the comments below.

Step By Step Instructions.

Preheat the oven to 160 deg fan assisted. Line the base of a 9” round loose bottom cake tin with baking parchment.

Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth and well combined with no visible lumps of butter.

Step 2: Add the sieved White Spelt flour, cornflour, and salt if using.

Step 3: Start to mix all the ingredients together, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl as you go along. The mixture will resemble course breadcrumbs, this is normal, do not be tempted to add any liquid.

Step 4: Test a portion of the mixture and once it starts to come together in your fingers, place the crumbly dough into the prepared cake tin.

Step 5: Press the shortbread dough down firmly and evenly to form a smooth base.

Step 6: It helps to use a small sheet of baking parchment.

Step 7: You should now have a nice smooth surface. Using a knife, slice about halfway through the shortbread dough into equal portions.

Step 8: Using a fork, make rows of holes in each section, this will allow for a decorative and more evenly baked shortbread.

Step 9: Bake in the oven for 25 – 30  mins, or until baked with a slightly golden colour. As soon as you take the shortbread out of the oven, cut the portions all the way through before the shortbread begins to cool.

Step 10: If needed, use the fork again to make more of a pattern.

Leave the Shortbread in the tin to cool completely before breaking into portions and serving. If you try to slice them while still warm the biscuits may crumble.

Expert Tips

Tip 1: Try not to overmix the dough, especially in warm weather. The heat from your hands will also warm up the butter and could make the dough too soft.

Tip 2: Press the dough down firmly in the tin before baking. This will allow for a firm crumbly biscuit.

Tip 3: After baking, leave to cool completely once you have made portion indentations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage

Room Temperature: These Biscuits with Spelt Flour will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.

Freezer: You can freeze the unbaked shortbread dough. Bring back to room temperature before baking or bake a couple of extra minutes than the recipe suggests.