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If you are searching for easy Shortbread, look no further! My buttery and melt in your mouth soft whipped Shortbread Cookies got you covered.
If you are a cookie lover, try my Chocolate Cookies with Cream Cheese next. Find all my other Cookie Recipes here!
These classic Christmas Cookies will literally melt in your mouth. Not too sweet, made with 4 simple ingredients and that light as air texture will keep you reaching for more!
Lets get straight away into how to bring these Holiday cookies together.
Whipped Shortbread ingredients:
- Butter: We are using room temperature softened butter. But we don't want it over greasy or we are risking the cookies to spread more then we'd like!
- Confectioners' Sugar: Powdered sugar helps in creating light textured shortbread.
- Flour: Measure flour using a kitchen scale or fluff the flour first, measure out in measuring cup and sweep it with a knife to level it off.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch makes the most light and puffy cookies that you will ever know!
How to make whipped shortbread:
These are just the easiest cookies to make! Just take care not to over measure your flour and cornstarch. And your cookies will bake all puffy and light! To make Shortbread:
- Beat Butter and confectioners' sugar together for 3-4 minutes
- Beat in sifted flour and cornstarch next:
- Chill the dough
- Make cookie dough balls
- Quickly chill in the freezer again while you preheat the oven
- Make a pattern using fork: Optional but super cute!
- Top with sprinkles and bake then
Since the list is so short for these cookies, take care to use quality ingredients. Using good quality butter as opposed to margarine, good quality sugar and flour results in best tasting cookies.
You can also add flavorings like vanilla, almond, mint, orange or lemon to this dough. Or top it with hershey's kisses, jam filling or even candy cane kisses after these come out of oven.
How is shortbread different from cookies?
Shortbread only uses a few simple ingredients and is light and buttery to taste and are not chewy. There are no leaveners used in the dough as opposed to other cookies.
Should you chill shortbread cookie dough?
Yes, and I can't stress this enough. Chilled cookie dough bakes so much better cookies. Shortbread is high in fat content, chilling the dough will help firming the butter up. This results in thick and puffy cookies!
What does cornstarch do in cookie dough?
- Helps the cookies to bake thick and . It reduces the risk of cookie spreading!
- Cornstarch in the cookie dough yields lighter textured cookies.
- Also cookies with cornstarch bake the softest.
Why did my whipped shortbread spread?
There can be a number of reasons for shortbread to spread. If the cookie dough had too much butter and/or less flour than recipe suggest. Or if you did not chill the dough enough. Or if the oven temperature was too high. Just follow the recipe as written and your cookies will bake just perfect!
Taste and texture of these Cookies:
- Not too sweet
- Buttery and melt in your mouth soft
- Slightly crumbly in a good way (not chewy at all!)
- Light and puffy
More Holiday Recipes for you to try!
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
Mini Gingerbread Cakes
Easy chocolate Truffles
No bake Cookie Dough Truffles
If you liked these Cookies give it a star review. Do tell me in the comments below, how did this turn out for you! And don’t forget to share your creations with me on Instagram at #greedyeatsblog Let's connect on PinterestandFacebooktoo!
Recipe
Whipped Shortbread Cookies
If you are searching for easy Shortbread, look no further! My buttery and melt in your mouth soft whipped Shortbread Cookies got you covered.
4.98 from 441 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
US Customary - Metric
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours hours
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings 36 Cookies
Calories: 66kcal
Author: Neha
Equipment
Hand/stand Mixer
Parchment paper lined Baking Tray
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups Butter at Room Temperature , salted
- ¾ Cup Confectioners' Sugar
- 2 ¼ Cups All Purpose Flour
- ¾ Cup Cornstarch
Flavorings and Toppings: (optional but delish)
- 2 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract or Lemon extract or Orange extract
- ¼ Cup Sprinkles (of choice) (I used non-pareils)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl beat butter and confectioners' sugar for 3-4 minutes. Don't skimp on the beating time for light textured cookies. Add flavorings at this point (if adding) and give it a whirl too.
Next add in sifted flour and cornstarch in the bowl and beat only till combined.
Scoop and roll into 36 equal sized cookie balls. Place cookie dough balls on a pre-lined baking tray or on a large plate (coated with little flour) to avoid the dough balls from sticking to the plate. Press their tops with a cornstarch/flour dipped fork and top with sprinkles.
Now chill the dough balls for about 2 hours in fridge or till they are very firm to touch. Pro Tip: To speed up this process, you may chill the dough balls in freezer until firm.
Let dough balls chill in the fridge/freezer till you preheat the oven. I usually bake 12 cookies on a tray at a time.
When ready to bake preheat oven at 300 deg F and bake cookies for 19-20 minutes. Or till their tops look set.
Allow to cool on the baking tray.
Video
Notes
Storing Information:
Whipped shortbread can be stored in an airtight container at room temp up to a week.
For longer storage, you may store them in the refrigerator for another week. Allow to come to room temperature before serving!
Freezing instructions:
- Both baked and unbaked cookies can be stored in the freezer.
- To freeze unbaked cookie balls, keep the balls on a tray in freezer till they firm up. Store them in ziploc bag then. No need to thaw before baking. Just add a minute more to the baking time.
- Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight freezer friendly container for up to 2 months. Thaw the cookies before serving.
To Amplify the flavor:
This Shortbread Cookie recipe is not super sweet to taste. So if you like to amp up its flavor profile-
- Top the cookies off with melted chocolate or a Hershey's Kiss on every cookie or even Candy cane Kisses taste so good with these. To top cookies with kiss candy, freeze the candies first. This will prevent kisses from melting when they are put on those warm cookies. Place a candy kiss on the top of a slightly warm cookie and press the candy just so it sticks to the shortbread.
- Place a cherry in their center.
- Make a dent in the center of cookies and fill itwith jams and preserves of your choice before baking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Cookie | Calories: 66kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 50mg | Sugar: 2g
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Kelli
I followed the recipe and they did Not hold shape. Why?
Reply
GreedyEats
Sounds like you ended up adding too much flour/cornstarch Kelli. Measure your flour and cornstarch correctly and your next batch will definitely hold shape. Happy Baking!
Reply
Wendy Albright
Can you use Measure for Measure Gluten Free flour for this recipe?
Reply
Chelsea
These are my fave. They are so good. I like to put grape jelly or raspberry jam in the center.Reply
Bobbie Green
Can this cookie be used for a no baked cheesecake
Reply
Patricia
I love to make shortbread, but this recipe sounds better than my usual one. Would this recipe work with a cookie press? I love to make the pretty shaped cookies.
Reply
Sandra
I LOVE shortbread but they are a bit “clunky”. The texture of these are amazing—I’m not going to do my old favorite anymore!The photo with the fork imprint and just a few sprinkles were the selling point for me.
Reply
Anonymous
This is a great receipeReply
Willow
This is my first timing commenting on any recipe… These cookies are absolutely amazing!!!Reply
June
These are excellent and my daughter-in-law’s new favourite cookie. Thanks for a great recipe!Reply
Andrea
Though it would have been nice to get the temperature to which to preheat the oven before the very end!Reply
Sandra
Did you not realize you were going to bake them?
Reply
Janine S
I was thinking that too, due to past mistakes I’ve made, I learned the hard way to read through recipes from start to finish☺️
Anonymous
🙄
Reply
Lyndsay
Followed the recipe to a T and they melted in the oven 😔.
Reply
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