Good Question: What Does "Short" Mean In a Recipe?

Here's a question from longtime reader JenPDX: Hi there - I am more of a cook...I am not a baker. I've come across a cookie recipe that I want to make tonight. The recipe note says that: "The dough is very "short" and should be well kneaded."

What does "short" mean in this baking context?

(To All Good Questions)

We were so inspired by the photo above from Flickr member .kaishin. - it's the perfect photo to explain the use of this word.

"Short," in a baking context, means that there is a high proportion of fat to flour.This is usually just applied to non-yeast doughs, by the way; you won't see references to a "short" challah dough or brioche, for instance.

Usually these short doughs are very rich, crumbly, and tender with butter. They tend to be crisp instead of chewy, and slightly sandy. Shortbread is the quintessential "short" dough - it's even in the name!

You do want to make sure that the flour is very well-incorporated into a thick, rich dough like this.

Check out the recipe connected with the photo above, at the photographer's food weblog: Cranberry Shortbread Cookies at dash of food.

Related: Recipe: Earl Grey Tea Cookies - another rather short dough.

Next question?

(Image: Cranberry Shortbread Cookies by Flickr member .kaishin. Licensed for use under Creative Commons.)

Comments (6)

Ooo, now I'm having visions of shortbread and nutella...

Thank you for the info, too. I hadn't ever seen "short" used except in shortening and shortbread and never made the connection. Yay for random useful info!

posted by Tiamat_the_Red on May 7th 2008 at 11:41am
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Thanks for posting and answering my question.

My recipe calls for chickpea flour and cardamom (and a lot of butter) - should make for an interesting shortbread cookie.

posted by JenPDX on May 7th 2008 at 11:55am
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I do a lot of pottery and "short" is used to describe clay that doesn't have a lot of plasticity. It's probably similar to the baking term.

posted by Nikita on May 7th 2008 at 1:00pm
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I just want to eat that cookie dough...

posted by kaanswfm on May 7th 2008 at 3:19pm
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Faith, thank you for pointing me to your post :) I learned something new with the term 'short' now :) And many thanks for the plug on my food weblog!

posted by kaishin on May 8th 2008 at 11:53pm
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oh, and thanks for turning me onto this wonderful website!!

posted by kaishin on May 9th 2008 at 12:19am
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