National Shortbread Day
National Shortbread Day:
Celebrated annually on every January 6th, the National Shortbread Day cherishes the crumbly cookies and the yummiest treats of Scotland! With royal popularity and cultural significance, there is more to shortbread than what it appears to be. If you are a fan, dig into as many shortbreads as possible as we explore more of the shortbread today!
| Year | Date | Day | Where |
| 2021 | 6th January | Wednesday | United States |
| 2022 | 6th January | Thursday | United States |
| 2023 | 6th January | Friday | United States |
Twitter Hashtags:
#NationalShortbreadDay
#ShortbreadDay
Related: Other National Days Celebrated on January 6th:
Why Shortbread Day?
Shortbreads have been baked in Scotland since the 12th century but gained immense popularity during the 16th century as they were served in the royal court of the Scots. The refined version of shortbread using high-quality ingredients made it a sought after delicacy with the Queen Mary and the citizens alike.
Shortbread is a little luxury treat as it needs expensive ingredients and thus served only at special and important occasions like weddings, New year, Christmas, and Christening ceremonies. It is a tradition in a few parts of Scotland to symbolize a fruitful marriage where a shortbread was broken over the bride before entering her new home. It got its name due to its texture attained by the mixing of pure butter making it crumbly in your mouth.
The shortbread initially went by the name “biscuit bread” as it was prepared using the leftover bread batter and left to cook in a low oven flame to attain a rusk type texture. Eventually, the yeast in the batter was replaced with butter resulting in the shortbread we enjoy today!
However, the first written shortbread recipe came from Mrs. McLintock, a Scottish woman in the year 1736. Previously it was prepared using three parts of flour, two parts of butter and one part refined sugar. Additionally, rice flour or cornflour is mixed with the batter to attain the required texture. But the modern recipe calls for granulated sugar and icing sugar as well as salt. The batter is baked at a lower temperature and sprinkled with sugar before it is completely cooled.
Today there are different varieties of shortbread to enjoy that has evolved from the humble 3 ingredient recipe. With its rich history and tradition, it is amazing how a treat so little represents greatly of Scotland. Appreciate the flavors and the crumbly texture as they melt in your mouth this Shortbread Day!
How Can We Observe National Shortbread Day?
- Enjoy some imported Shortbreads from Scotland!
Celebrate the National Shortbread Day by enjoying some classic Scotland shortbread!
- Bake some fresh Shortbreads!
If you are a fan of baking, try the shortbread recipe and bake some with your family this day! As the shortbreads are getting ready, gather your family around and tell them the story of Shortbreads today!
- Explore the different versions of Shortbreads!
Many different versions of shortbreads have evolved since its founding. Team up with family and friends to taste as many different varieties you can today
- Get creative with the recipe today!
Let your creative juices flow to create the shortbread of your liking! Don’t forget to share the recipe on social media for all the shortbread fans out there!
- Share some shortbreads with the less fortunate!
Bake a few extra shortbreads and spread the love by sharing them with the less fortunate in your community! You could also set up a shortbread bake sale to raise funds for the organization that supports an honorable cause in your locality
- Share your love for this Scottish classic on social media!
Share your shortbread stories and pictures on all your social media pages and encourage friends and family to celebrate the day too! Use #NationalShortbreadDay and #ShortbreadDay to share on social media today!
Interesting Facts About National Shortbread Day:
These fun facts on shortbreads will make your day more interesting!
- Shortbread is not the same as a shortcake. The former uses only butter, but the latter can be prepared using vegetable oil and baking powder
- Shortbreads were originally known as biscuit bread when traced back to the 12th century
- Salt is one of the top taste enhancers in shortbread
- Shortbread is short because of the high butter used in it
- The word “short” in baking means crumbly
- The bakers in Scotland defended shortbread from being termed as a biscuit to skip paying the tax imposed on biscuits
- Shortbreads traditionally take the round, triangle, or finger shapes!
History of National Shortbread Day:
The founder and origin of National Shortbread Day are unknown to our research until further revelations. While we continue researching, sit back, and enjoy your favorite freshly baked shortbreads! We do not know why January 6th was chosen either. This day is celebrated as a fun food holiday in recognition of Shortbread across the US.
