Shortbread: compare the 2 variations
Time, effort, key ingredients, diets, nutrition and cleanup side by side, so you can pick the one that fits tonight.
Which should I make?
- Fastest Classic Pan WedgesReady in 1 hr 45 min; the other takes 3 hr 30 min.
- Easiest Classic Pan WedgesEasy, where the other is medium.
- Lightest Brown Sugar Pecan Slice-and-BakeAbout 100 calories a serving, against 250 calories for the other (an estimate).
- Kid helper Brown Sugar Pecan Slice-and-BakeA child can do 7 of the 13 steps: no knife, no heat.
- Least cleanup Classic Pan Wedges2 things to wash: cake pans, mixing bowl.
Side by side
| Classic Pan Wedges | Brown Sugar Pecan Slice-and-Bake | |
|---|---|---|
| Total time | 1 hr 45 min | 3 hr 30 min |
| Prep | 15 min | 30 min |
| Level | Easy | Medium |
| Steps | 10 | 13 |
| Serves | 12 wedges | about 40 cookies |
| Key ingredients | unsalted butter, granulated sugar and all-purpose flour | unsalted butter, brown sugar and all-purpose flour |
| Only in this one | granulated sugar and cornstarch | pecans, brown sugar and turbinado sugar |
| Dietary | ||
| Calories | 250 | 100 |
| Protein | 2 g | <1 g |
| Carbs | 27 g | 11 g |
| Fat | 16 g | 6 g |
| Cleanup | 4/5 2 things to wash | 3/5 3 things to wash |
| Kid helper | No | Yes, 7 of 13 steps |
Nutrition is per serving. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Dietary: Based on the ingredient list and estimated nutrition; check labels; not medical advice. Cleanup score: 5 means one thing to wash, 1 means six or more. We count pots, pans, bowls and appliances, not the knife, board and spoons.
How we pick
- Fastest: the shortest total time, at least 10 minutes ahead of the next.
- Easiest: the lowest level (easy, medium, hard), then at least 2 fewer steps.
- Lightest: the fewest estimated calories a serving, at least 15% and 40 calories under the next (only when two or more have an estimate).
- Kid helper: the variation where a child can do the biggest share of the steps (no knife, no heat), when that's not all of them equally.
- Least cleanup: the best cleanup score, a point ahead of the next.
- Make it ahead: the only variation whose notes say how to make it ahead.
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or dairy-free: the variation that fits a diet the others don't, from the ingredient lines.
A pick needs a clear winner; close calls are left out.