Whipped Shortbread Cookies
These buttery Whipped Shortbread Cookies are perfectly tender and delicate, yet don’t crumble. They are so easy to make with just 6 ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
Why You’ll Love These
- Texture – This whipped shortbread recipe delivers light and fluffy cookies that melt in your mouth.
- Flavor – They have a rich buttery flavor and are the perfect sweetness. They are so irresistible you will keep coming back for more. So double the recipe!
- Minimal Ingredients – This recipe only uses 6 simple ingredients and they are super easy to make. And no chilling time!
- Occasions – They are great for afternoon snacking. Or you can choose seasonal sprinkles for any occasion. Perfect Christmas cookies for the holiday cookie tray!
Some of our other favorite treat recipes to make during the holidays are Soft Snickerdoodle Recipe, Sugar Cookies with Heavy Cream, Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, Panettone Recipe, and Italian Rainbow Cookies.
Key Ingredients
Please see the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and instructions.
- Unsalted Butter – I highly recommend using high quality butter when making shortbread. Butter is the star of the show so choose a European-style butter that is higher in fat than American butter.
- Cookie Base – Powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar), all-purpose flour, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Adding a little extra cornstarch helps these delicate cookies hold together better and contributes to the light and puffy texture.
- Sprinkles – Optional.
How to Make Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Tips
- Butter is the most important ingredient in shortbread cookies. Use a European butter that has a higher fat content. If you still want to use American butter they will still be delicious.
- The butter should be room temperature not too soft and warm.
- Measure the flour and powdered sugar properly. Aerate, spoon, and swoop level.
- Be sure to whip the butter for at least 5 minutes. This incorporates air into the cookie dough and is what makes it light and airy.
- You can use a large bowl and a hand mixer if you are willing to stand there whipping the butter and sugar for 5 minutes.
- The addition of a little extra cornstarch in this whipped shortbread cookie recipe helps keep these delicate cookies from crumbling and falling apart.
- Lightly dust your hands with powdered sugar when rolling out the dough balls.
- You want the cookies to stay puffy and a little tall so don’t press too hard, lightly press just the top part of the dough balls. If you press too firmly the cookies might spread too much
- I highly recommend baking one cookie sheet at a time. The cookies will be baked more evenly.
- The cookies are done as soon as the edges start to turn golden. The surface of the cookies is supposed to be light in color.
Variations
- If using salted butter reduce the kosher salt in the recipe to 1/4 teaspoon.
- If you would like to use almond, lemon, orange, or even mint extract I would suggest using 1/2 teaspoon.
FAQs
They both use the same basic ingredients. Regular shortbread cookies tend to be a little more dense. Whipped shortbread cookies are just that, you whip the butter and sugar for a longer period creating more air in the dough. This creates a lighter and more tender shortbread cookie.
Probably because the butter was too soft or there wasn’t even flour. The butter should still be cool but malleable. It shouldn’t look oily or greasy, it should have a matte look. When lightly pressing the surface of the butter it should have some resistance and leave an indent but not stick to your finger.
You can freeze the unbaked formed and pressed slightly dough balls on a parchment paper lined sheet pan in a single layer until firm. Place them in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake as instructed from frozen, add 2 to 4 additional minutes of baking time.
Or thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and bake as instructed.
Place the completely cooled cookies in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to a week.
Freeze the completely cooked cookies in a freezer safe container or resealable bag for up to 3 months.
More Holiday Cookie Recipes
Whipped Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter softened, room temperature
- 3/4 cup Powdered sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and kosher salt. Set aside.2 cups All-purpose flour, 2 tbsp Cornstarch, 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the butter and powdered sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until lightened in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and stir in until combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed.1 cup Unsalted butter, 3/4 cup Powdered sugar, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Turn the mixer to medium-low and gradually add the dry ingredient mixture until just combined.
- Lightly dust your hands with powdered sugar. Using a tablespoon cookie scoop roll the dough into balls. Place them 1 to 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Use the tines of a fork to slightly flatten the dough balls. Sprinkle with nonpareils, jimmies, or colored sugar, if desired.Sprinkles
- Bake for 12-15 minutes just until the bottom of the cookies start to tan. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.