Nicholas Gavin is the Culinary Creative Director of ChefSteps, where he develops recipes and is responsible for making all the food look beautiful. Nick has worked at ChefSteps for over a decade; he and ChefSteps co-founder Grant Crilly worked together at Modernist Cuisine. Nick has worked in professional kitchens both in the United States and abroad, most notably at Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain.

Nicholas Gavin

Rich and buttery with a tender crumb that crumbles, shortbread is a simple cookie that punches way above its weight class. This recipe uses Walker’s shortbread, the pride of Scotland, as its frame of reference, but we wanted these to be an improvement over something you can buy at the store. The one thing that this recipe gets you that Walker’s could never? The still-crispy edges and warm center of shortbread that’s fresh out of the oven. You don’t even need the customary cup of tea to serve alongside; they’re plenty moist all on their own.

Walker’s-Style Shortbread