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Imagine the perfect base for your favorite sweet pies and bars – a Shortbread Crust so buttery, tender, and effortlessly crisp. This recipe is a game-changer for home bakers, offering simplicity and versatility. Ideal for small baking dishes, it’s the go-to crust for small batch dessert enthusiasts.
From its humble Scottish origins as a traditional biscuit, this easy shortbread crust has evolved into a beloved foundation for countless desserts.
Incorporate this shortbread crust into a range of delicious recipes: Mini Dutch Apple Pie with its warm, spiced filling, Mini Cherry Pie bursting with juicy sweetness, Mini Chess Pie featuring a rich, custard-like texture, creamy Pumpkin Pie Bars, and tangy, zesty Lemon Bars. Each recipe highlights the crust’s versatility.
Why You’ll Love This Shortbread Crust Recipe
- Easy to Make: Requires just a few simple ingredients and a single bowl.
- Quick Baking Time: The crust bakes in around 15 minutes, perfect for quick dessert preparations.
- Buttery Flavor: Delivers a rich, buttery taste that complements any filling.
- Ideal Texture: Crisp and tender, providing the ideal base for your desserts.
- Perfectly Portable: The mini size is ideal for small grab-and-go treats or adorable party platters.
How Should I Use A Shortbread Crust?
This versatile crust is a star in many of our mini pie recipes like Pecan Pie and our dessert bars. Its firm yet tender texture makes it an excellent base for a variety of fillings, from luscious fruit to creamy custard. Use it as a foundation for your creative dessert ideas or follow one of our beloved recipes to create a mouthwatering treat.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this pie crust recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Butter: Provides the richness and moisture that make the crust so decadent. Use room-temperature salted, softened butter. It should yield to gentle pressure but remain cool. Leave it out for 30 minutes prior to use or soften in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, monitoring closely to prevent melting. If you’re dairy-free, a good vegan butter can work as a substitute.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar helps sweeten the crust and also contributes to its crumbly texture. No substitutions are recommended for sugar in this recipe to maintain the ideal texture and sweetness.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the go-to for structuring your crust.
- Cornstarch: It provides structure to the shortbread while keeping the cookie crust soft and light.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the crust.
How To Make A Shortbread Crust
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a mini shortbread pie crust. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: With an electric hand mixer, blend the butter and sugar until it forms a smooth mixture.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Incorporate the flour, cornstarch, and salt into the butter mixture, blending until it becomes a unified dough.
- Press Dough: Firmly press the dough into a 5×5-inch baking dish that’s been lightly greased with butter. Use either your fingertips or the back of a spoon for an even layer.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden. After baking, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.
- Fill Crust: After cooling, choose your preferred filling or topping for the pie crust. Consider making a chocolate pie or blueberry pie, or for a more convenient option, use canned pie filling.
Expert Tips
- Before you start baking, make sure to read the entire recipe, including the Ingredient Notes section, and examine the process photos. This detailed guide will help you understand how the crust recipe unfolds, ensuring your shortbread crust turns out perfect every time. All the information you need is found within the body of this recipe post, so don’t miss a thing!
- Use the right size baking dish. We mention it again because it is so important. The success of this recipe depends on using the right size baking dish. We recommend using a 5×5-inch baking dish that has a base area of 25 square inches and holds 22 ounces. The dish we use and love can be found on our store page. You can also use a 4×6-inch baking dish for this mini pie crust recipe. If you would like to double the recipe, use a 6.5×6.5-inch baking dish or a 6×8-inch baking dish.
Storing Shortbread Pie Crust
- Room Temperature: Keep the shortbread pie crust at room temperature. Wrap it securely with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
Freezing Instructions:
- Freeze Before or After Baking: The shortbread dough can be frozen either before or after baking. Wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thawing: To use, thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Avoid common errors in making shortbread crust like over-mixing the dough and using excess flour. For a melt-in-your-mouth texture, handle the dough minimally. Accurately measure flour with the spoon and level technique: spoon flour into a measuring cup and level it with a knife’s flat edge. Directly scooping flour may lead to using too much.
The crust will be lightly golden across the top surface with a deeper golden hue along the edges. The baking time is typically 15 to 18 minutes.
Butter your baking dish thoroughly before pressing your dough into the dish.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this pie crust recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve made this shortbread pie crust recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Please rate the recipe and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Snapped a photo? Tag us on Instagram; we’d be thrilled to see your creation!
Mini Shortbread Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons butter , softened (salted or unsalted)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, mix together the butter and sugar in a medium-sized bowl until well blended. Next, add the flour, cornstarch, and salt and mix until combined.
- Press the dough firmly into a lightly buttered 5×5-inch baking dish using your fingertips or the back of a spoon.
- Place in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until it turns lightly golden. Once done, set aside to cool for 15 minutes before adding the filling or topping.
Notes
- Before you start baking, make sure to read the entire recipe, including the Ingredient Notes section, and examine the process photos. This detailed guide will help you understand how the crust recipe unfolds, ensuring your shortbread crust turns out perfect every time. All the information you need is found within the body of this recipe post, so don’t miss a thing!
- Use the right size baking dish. We mention it again because it is so important. The success of this recipe depends on using the right size baking dish. We recommend using a 5×5-inch baking dish that has a base area of 25 square inches and holds 22 ounces. The dish we use and love can be found on our store page. You can also use a 4×6-inch baking dish for this mini pie crust recipe. If you would like to double the recipe, use a 6.5×6.5-inch baking dish or a 6×8-inch baking dish.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
You think I could use a gluten-free flour instead?
I have only tested this recipe with gluten-free 1:1 flour blend.
Great recipe.
Thank you so much!