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?
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!
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 donāt forget to share your creations with me on Instagram at #greedyeatsblog Let's connect on PinterestĀ andĀ FacebookĀ too!
Recipe
Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Hand/stand Mixer
- Parchment paper lined Baking Tray
Ingredients
- 1 Ā½ Cups Butter at Room Temperature , salted
- Ā¾ Cup Confectioners' Sugar
- 2 Ā¼ Cups All Purpose Flour
- Ā¾ Cup Cornstarch
Flavorings and Toppings: (optional but delish)
- 2 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract or Lemon extract or Orange extract
- Ā¼ Cup Sprinkles (of choice) (I used non-pareils)
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
- Both baked and unbaked cookies can be stored in the freezer.Ā
- 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.
- 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 itĀ with jams and preserves of your choice before baking.
Nancy
When measuring the flour & cornstarch with a scale, what would be the grams for each?
GreedyEats
That would be 28 gms of cornstarch and 70 gms of flour.
Steve
Is the info 28 gms of cornstarch and 70 gms of flour for making the 12 count cookie recipe?
GreedyEats
I baked this recipe again and found this amount makes 9 cookies, instead of 12. Correcting that now in the recipe. Happy Baking!
mtngrl84
FANTASTIC! Melt in your mouth delicious. Thank you for taking the time to perfect this EASY recipe (no need to be harder than it should be)
YUM
Holly
Do you add sprinkles before baking or just out of the oven?
GreedyEats
Cookie dough balls were topped with sprinkles before baking, right after you press the cookies with fork.
Joanne s.
Do you sift flour only and then starch or both together?
GreedyEats
Hi Joanne! You can sift them both together.
Anonymous
Great with gluten free flour.
Nancy
They look delicious about how many cookies do you get out of 1 batch
GreedyEats
This recipe makes 12 cookies. But you can double or even triple it using the conversion scale at ease!
Susie
I have made shortbread cookies for years. I think there so Pretty for any time of year. I even Won a Baking Contest In Valdosta Georgia making them. What a Wonderful Day that was. Thanks for Sharing your Idea. And Happy Holiday to Everyone. Susie Florida
Amy
Wow! I tried the recipe and it came out perfect.. Amazing holiday addition in our family's gathering
Louisaorologio
Would I be able to use a pastry bag and star tip instead of rolling them into balls
GreedyEats
I am sorry I have never tried them using a pastry bag, so can't comment on it. Let me know if you give them a go!
Robin
Use the top of a small whisk instead of a fork to make impression before baking. It looks like a STAR, perfect for Christmas!
Missy
Great idea! Iām gonna try that!
Cathy
These look so buttery and melt in your mouth delicious! I love shortbread cookies! Cannot wait to make these as part of my New Year's treats for the table!
Sapana
These were not only so cute, but so delicious!
Anita
Your cookies are super neat! Out of one batch, I probably get at most 25% to look that neat. š And I love how colorful and festive the sprinkles are. š
Anonymous
I rolled my room temperature dough into balls and pressed, and then put them in the fridge! I think using cold dough would be hard to make look nice. Mine look like hers.
Jenn
My grandmother used to make shortbread that would melt in my mouth - I'm going to try these - I bet they're delicious! What a neat tip about the cornstarch!
Mary
These are so tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! And they're pretty, too!
estee
These look so easy and adorable! Definitely a must to add to the holiday cookie platter.
Elizabeth
I love this recipe, we've been making these cookies for years! I always top mine with a little dollop of white icing and a quarter of a glace cherry on the top too.
Beth
These are melt in your mouth type cookies! So good and so easy to make!
Beth
This is the cookie of holiday dreams! Easy & delicious!!
Candice
They're so darn cute and fluffy. I'm so glad I found this recipe... it's the perfect shortbread cookie, and I cannot wait to make them again. Plus, the dough freezes so well!