Whipped Shortbread Cookies

Whipped Shortbread Cookies are melt in your mouth with an airy and rich buttery vanilla flavor. They are the perfect holiday cookie recipe, and an easy cookie to bake.

A close up of Shortbread Cookie

One of the things I love most about Christmas is the delicious baking!

The problem is, through the years I’ve developed too many favourites.

Some of my all-time favourite holiday recipes are Peanut Butter Confetti Squares and Christmas Trash Snack Mix.

Much like these two examples, I also always make Whipped Shortbread as well.

Whipped Shortbread Cookies are a childhood favourite and a classic Christmas cookie that’s been made for ages.

Being the favorite cookies of so many, it’s an perfect addition to any holiday cookie tray or cookie exchange.

It’s also an easy cookie recipe, so it’s a good one to make in bulk.

Yet are you wondering how to make perfect whipped shortbread?

This is the best whipped shortbread recipe, I just know you’ll fall in love!

A close up of Shortbread

What’s the Difference Between Whipped Shortbread and Regular Shortbread?

While both of these types of shortbread use the same ingredients, the difference is in the mixing.

To make whipped shortbread, you beat the ingredients together longer to get airy shortbread that have that airy texture.

Beating shortbread ingredients adds more air to the batter, which creates lighter and more delicate shortbread.

So regular shortbread cookies are more dense, and whipped is melt in your mouth, fluffy and light.

So realistically, if you are looking for the best and easy shortbread cookies recipe, look to Whipped Shortbread!


How to Make Perfect Whipped Shortbread:

Whipped shortbread is a popular and simple cookie to make, using very simple ingredients. You’ll need:

  • All Purpose Flour
  • Cornstarch
  • Salted Butter, Softened
  • Icing Sugar
  • Milk
  • Vanilla Extract

While it’s fairly simple, the cookies are delicate so there is a knack to making the perfect shortbread. Here are my tips for making whipped shortbread:

  • Use a stand mixer or electric mixer when combining shortbread ingredients.

  • When beating the ingredients, the batter will be crumbly at first and then will come together in a ball that will resemble cookie dough.

  • You don’t even need a large bowl to make these cookies, the dough goes right from mixer to baking sheet.

  • If you have a cookie press, these cookies can also be shaped. If not, roll the shortbread dough into balls and press down with either a fork or the bottom of a cup right onto the cookie sheet.

  • Be creative with the toppings! Popular ones are candied cherries, maraschino cherries, sprinkles, chocolate chips, and even dipping the cooked cookie in chocolate so it covers half. The festive touch is in the decorations added.
Shortbread Cookies on a plate

Do you use Butter or Margarine for Shortbread Cookies?

Some swear by using half margarine and half butter for their shortbread, and this is totally fine.

Myself, I’m an all-butter shortbread maker, as real butter gives the cookie that true shortbread taste.

Also, I use salted butter as well.

If you only have unsalted butter, that is fine yet then you’ll want to add a pinch of salt before mixing the dough.

Don’t use hard butter for this recipe, or the dough won’t combine well.

You want softened butter, and not melted.

Melted will result in a runny batter that will just run all over the baking pan.

A basket full of food, with shortbread Cookies

How do you Soften Butter to Make Shortbread?

Butter that has been sitting out on the counter for 1-2 hours should be fine.

Yet if your room temperature butter isn’t spreadable and you think it should be more soft, defrost in the microwave at 5 second intervals.

It should only take a few times to make it perfectly softened.

A close up of food on a plate, with Shortbread Cookies

How do you know when Shortbread is Cooked?

Any Shortbread Cookie Recipe is generally done baking when the edges starts to turn a slight golden brown.

When the edges start to turn golden I know the inside will be soft and melt in your mouth.

If you increase that baking time too much, they will easily harden right out of the oven and especially after they have cooled.


Can you Freeze Shortbread?

Yes, I freeze my whipped shortbread cookies all the time.

Just place the cooled cookies in an airtight container with wax or parchment paper in between the layers of cookies to prevent them sticking together.

Whipped shortbread cookies defrost very quickly at room temperature, sometimes we eat them when they’re still cold. They can be frozen for up to 3 months too.

A plate of food on a table, with Shortbread Cookies

Whipped Shortbread Cookies are so good, I look forward to making them during the holidays most.

Yet know that they aren’t JUST a holiday cookie.

So go ahead and enjoy them throughout the year. They are delicious cookies that needs to be made more than at just at Christmas time.

They are easy to make, soft, melt in your mouth buttery cookies that are so popular, especially this time of year.

Below is a printable recipe card for this shortbread cookie recipe, so you can keep for years to come.

Make sure to double the recipe to make more to freeze, share and enjoy later! Happy Baking and Happy Holidays!

A close up of food, with Shortbread and Cookie

More Christmas Treats

A close up of Shortbread

Whipped Shortbread Cookies

Yield: 1
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Whipped shortbread cookies are light as air with a delicious buttery flavor. These soft, melt in your mouth cookies are perfect for the holidays.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups Flour
  • 3 tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 cup Salted Butter, Softened
  • 3/4 cup Icing Sugar
  • 2 tbsp Milk
  • 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and like a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk flour and cornstarch together.
  3. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar together until fluffy and combined, about 2 minutes. Add milk and vanilla and beat again for 3 minutes.
  4. Using a spatula, fold in half the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Repeat with the other half of the flour mixture.
  5. When the dough forms together from crumbly, then it's time to separate into dough balls and place on parchment paper lined sheet.
  6. Make balls a few inches round and place a few inches apart on sheet. Press down on balls with a fork or flatten using the bottom of a cup. Add sprinkles if you want before placing in the oven.
  7. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until edges of the cookies start to turn a golden color.
  8. When done, remove from oven and place on wired rack. Enjoy as-is or decorate the cookies more.

Notes

  • - Use a cookie press if you'd like to make shaped cookies.
  • - these cookies freeze great. Instructions and tips in blog post.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 178Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 99mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g

Did you make this recipe?

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Created by Tammi Roy

Tammi Roy is the founder of My Organized Chaos, a Canadian food and lifestyle blog. She lives in Alberta, Canada and is the mom of three beautiful teenage girls. Tammi’s passions are her family, creating and sharing delicious recipes, travelling and photography. Learn more about Tammi.

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