Clotted Cream Shortbread

Name: Clotted Cream Shortbread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 24 servings
Ingredients: 2 cup all-purpose flour; 0.5 cup powdered sugar, sifted; 0.5 tsp fine sea salt; 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 0.5 cup clotted cream, at room temperature; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Clotted Cream Shortbread — Tender English Biscuits with Devon's Finest Secret

Clotted cream elevates these shortbread cookies from good to extraordinary, lending an almost cake-like tenderness while keeping that essential buttery crunch. The luxurious Devon staple does what regular butter can't — it creates cookies that practically dissolve on your tongue yet hold their shape beautifully.

EnglishDessertBaking

Prep15 min

Cook18 min

Total33 min

Servings24

Difficultyeasy

Nutrition

fat8g

carbs16g

protein2g

calories145

Ingredients

2 cupall-purpose flour
½ cuppowdered sugar, sifted
½ tspfine sea salt
½ cupunsalted butter, softened to room temperature
½ cupclotted cream, at room temperature
1 tsppure vanilla extract

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of your oven and heat to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal later.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt until evenly distributed. This dry mix forms the foundation, so make sure there are no sugar clumps lurking.
Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, cream the softened butter, clotted cream, and vanilla until the mixture looks pale and completely smooth. The clotted cream should disappear entirely into the butter.
⏱ 2 min
Fold the flour mixture into the creamed mixture using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Stop mixing as soon as the last streaks of flour disappear — overworking will make the cookies tough.
Scoop the soft dough into 1.5-inch portions and roll them into balls between your palms. Space them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet, giving each cookie room to spread slightly.
Press a fork firmly into each ball, creating deep ridges in a crosshatch pattern. These classic marks aren't just decorative — they help the cookies bake evenly and give them their signature shortbread look.
Bake for 16-18 minutes, until the edges turn a pale golden color while the centers remain light. The cookies should feel set but still slightly soft to the touch.
⏱ 18 min
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. They'll continue to crisp as they cool.
⏱ 5 min