Skor Shortbread Meltaway Cookies
Skor Bits inside a shortbread batter that is so light these cookies just melt in your mouth…. guess that is why they are called Skor Shortbread Meltaway Cookies.
Two of my favourite things in the world are Shortbread Cookies and Skor Bit Toffee Pieces… wait for it … all in a cookie! Hell ya!
And not just any shortbread cookie. This batter is so light that it does just what it promises and melts away in your mouth. Skor Bit Meltaway Cookies take no time to whip up and you get to use the egg beater which is always fun so there is nothing to not like about these cookies.
This is the second recipe I have done with a shortbread batter so that says something about my love for shortbread. My English background shows itself proudly. These Skor Bit Shortbread Meltaways are a little different though.
The cornstarch and flour give a lighter feeling to the batter. They also include baking powder so that they rise more like a traditional cookie. But they still have the flaky buttery texture shortbread is famous for.
I brought these to a family dinner the other night and my niece has some allergies so when she asked if they were nut-free I had no idea. Why? Because what really is in a Skor Bit anyway? Is it just toffee? So we went on the hunt for answers.
Are Skor Bits Peanut-Free and Gluten-Free?
- Skor Bits do not contain peanuts but they do contain almonds. So those who are allergic to tree nuts should not eat Skor Bits
- They are gluten-free
- Other possible ingredients that may cause common allergic reactions include milk and cocoa butter which is another common nut allergy
What Is A Good Skor Toffee Bit Substitute?
The Skor pieces in this recipe can easily be substituted with hard butterscotch candy pieces or if you are adamant that you must have toffee give this recipe for Homemade Toffee Bits a try. Alternatively, you could also replace the toffee bits with chocolate chips for an equally delicious Meltaway Cookie.
What Is a Meltaway Cookie?
This is a question I have been asked many times when I bring these cookies to a party. That is until they taste them and it becomes clear. Basically, a meltaway cookie is similar to a shortbread cookie that uses no eggs or liquid. But a meltaway cookie has cornstarch added to it. It is this magic ingredient that makes all the difference is is what works to give these cookies that soft, velvety, meltaway texture.
How To Make Skor Shortbread Meltaway cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl add butter and vanilla and whip with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
In a separate medium bowl mix together, powdered/icing sugar, pastry flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Gradually mix in dry ingredient mixture into the whipped butter and blend just until fully mixed.
Add in Skor bits and mix until evenly mixed.
Roll into heaping table size balls. And place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 12-15 minutes until they have started to flatten out and are just starting to brown. Remove from oven and let stand on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to fully cool.
Can you freeze meltaway cookies?
Yes! I have frozen this cookie many times. Just make sure they are completely thawed before eating or else you will not get that smooth meltaway texture dreams are made of.
You can also freeze the dough and bake it when you are ready. Just wrap the prepared cookie batter in plastic wrap tightly before freezing. Unbaked cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before baking.
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Skor Bit Shortbread Meltaways
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 3/4 cup pastry flour
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup Skor bits
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a large bowl beat butter and vanilla together until creamy
- In a separate bowl combine the icing sugar, flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt. Then gradually stir into butter batter. Add Skor bits and mix till evenly distributed. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll level tablespoons full of batter into balls and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until starting to just turn slightly golden. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes so they won't break apart and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I have made these cookies probably a dozen times, and they always spread, even after letting them chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. My butter is room temperature and everything is measured correctly. They taste great but look nothing like the picture unfortunately.
Hi Paula, I am going to place bets it is your butter. Either you are using margarine or a spread instead of butter or your room temperature is warmer than a standard 73°F. The butter should not be a blend of any sort and should be just soft enough to press your thumb into with some resistance. If it is too soft or not real butter this would 100% be the reason they would have spread. Hope that helps!
Hi, using regular pure butter, not margarine or any combo. And I leave the butter on the counter overnight so it should be the proper temp.
I always use real butter and it’s always room temp, so I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. The recipe just seems very finicky. But I’ll keep trying, thanks!
Hi Paula,
I would suggest a few things. First, check the texture of your butter. it should still be a little cool and slightly firm but just soft enough easily put an indentation in it but not squishy. If that makes sense. If your butter is too soft this will cause the cookies to spread very thin. You can also pop the cookie dough in the fridge for half an hour before baking to help firm it up but starting with the right texture butter is always best. Hope that helps.
Made as described. Level tablespoon make almost 38 cookies. About one inch balls. Need to correct that. But, they’re great!
Hi Ron, I updated the recipe and nutrition. I must have used a 1 instead of a 3 for 38. Sorry about that!
Is it possible to use this recipe with a cookie cutter?
Tried as listed and was amazing!
Hi Susi, These cookies spread and are soft so I would not recommend using a cookie cutter but if you want a good cookie cutter recipe check out my grandma’s shortbread https://thedeliciousspoon.com/shortbread-cookies/ or these Valentine’s cookie which you can cut into any shape you want and don’t need to stack. You can just cut, bake and decorate with icing https://thedeliciousspoon.com/valentine-cookies/. But I am thrilled you like them just as they are!
I’m just trying out this recipe now and will report back with the results. I’ve never made a cookie with cornstarch and pastry flour, so this is new to me.
Just wanted to post a quick comment on the amount, as I’m pretty sure there is an error somewhere.
You say this recipe makes 18 cookies but you use heaping teaspoons of dough, rolled into balls. I’m assuming this should say tablespoons because I used a 1.25 tablespoon cookie scoop and was easily able to get 26 cookies out of this recipe.
Hi Tyler, I should be more accurate in my measurements for this recipe. For those who follow me know I am not a gadget girl so when I measure a teaspoon of dough I mean the kind out of a drawer which is now I realize not very accurate so thanks for calling this out for me. I will change this to say a level tablespoon and be sure the measure this more accurately next time I make these.
Thanks for the feedback. I really appreciate it.
I followed the recipe to a T but they didn’t flatten out at all. They stayed in the balls??? Any ideas of what went wrong?
Hi Carla, One of two things is the cause of this usually. Too much flour was used or the dough was chilled for too long. I use pastry flour for all of my cookies which has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour making them lighter and fluffier. If you don’t have cake flour on hand, you can substitute 1 cup of pastry flour for 1 scant (slightly underfilled) cup of all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons of corn starch. Also, when measuring the flour it is important to level it out across the top of the cup to ensure a more accurate measurement. I am not sure if these reasons resonate with your process but hope this was helpful.
These turned out SO GOOD! One too to prevent too much spreading is to pop them in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before baking. I will definitely be adding these to my favourites.
Yes, when I find the dough super sticky I usually pop them in the fridge for a few minutes too! I will try and add this suggestion to the recipe instructions so thanks for the idea!
This recipe is bullshit. I followed it to a T, and the cookies all melded together in the oven. Probably should have chilled before baking. Very disappointed.
Hi Ara,
I am sorry your cookies did not turn out and would love to help solve the mystery as I have made these cookies probably made these cookies 100 times in the past and never once had this happen. Can I ask did you use all the flour and was the butter softened and not melted? There are three reasons cookies will spread out too much. When there is not enough flour used and when the butter is already melted and not just softened and when the raw cookies are too big before baking so when they spread they spread into each other. If you want to give them a try again please let me know if you run into the same trouble even after double-checking these few things.
I have made these many times and rarely do they not flatten and fall apart. I LOVE them though and they’re a favorite when they work.
Do you think they would work baked in a pan and cut into squares after?
Are you using a teaspoon worth or larger? They should not spread that much. You could use a pan but you shouldn’t have to. Instead, I would chill the dough for about 15 minutes before rolling into teaspoon size balls. I have updated the recipe to recommend chilling the dough prior to baking.
What is the difference between pastry flour and AP flour? Will cake flour work?
Hi Barbara,
Pastry flour is a lighter flour with less protein content than all-purpose flour. You can still use AP flour for this recipe just take out 2 tbsp of AP for every cup needed and replace the 2 tbsp with cornstarch. Or if you have cake flour on hand just add an extra 2 tbsp of cake flour for every cup of pastry flour needed. Here is an article I found that you can keep on hand for reference. I love cheat sheets like this! https://www.mybluprint.com/article/use-pastry-flour
I have never heard of this type of cookie, but I can tell I will be a fan. I am wanting to try these for the holidays – they would be perfect sitting out for guests!
So easy yet so delicious. I will definitely try it for Christmas. Thanks for sharing this recipe, it looks so yummy!
Oh my goodness these look lovely! I must be missing out because I’ve never used Skor toffee bites (insert gasp here!). Looking forward to trying them for my first time in this recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Such delectable looking shortbread cookies. Skor bits are one of my fave ingredients for holiday baking. Must try these!
I have never tried something like this before earlier. Your pics are making me drool. YUMMMY!