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 don’t forget to share your creations with me on Instagram at #greedyeatsblog Let's connect on Pinterest and Facebook too!
Recipe
Whipped Shortbread Cookies
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)
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.
- 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 it with jams and preserves of your choice before baking.
Rose
Made these last year and this year, and both were a floop. Flattened each time. What am I doing wrong? I thought my measurements were on point!
GreedyEats
Hi Rose! If the cookies are flattening during baking, that means either you have not chilled them or added less flour. Hope it helps!
Julia B
These were the best shortbread ever and such a simple recipe. I usually hate making shortbread but it’s my husbands favourite and this made it so so easy! They were melt in your mouth good. I tripled the batch the second time as I am baking for the family.
Jill
Hello,
It says recipe makes 9 cookies but in Step 4 it says roll into 12 balls.
So which is correct here?
Thanks
GreedyEats
Thanks for catching that Jill, fixed it. I make 9 cookies with it. You can also make 12 if you prefer smaller cookies. Baking time would be just a few mins less in that case.
Judy
I made these today, very tasty. I refrigerated dough before making cookies, but they still spread. Do not look like your puff balls on here....What did I do wrong?
GreedyEats
Try freezing the dough balls for a few minutes and bake them when they are super firm to touch. That should def. help. 🙂
Paige B.
I saw another recipe that added vanilla extract. Would you recommend this or even almond extract?
GreedyEats
Hi Paige, you can add any extracts that you prefer in this dough. Both vanilla and almond would work here.
Celeste
These are the BEST shortbread cookies ever. I doubled the batch and they were gone the next day. So light and the flavor is awesome. Thank you for this recipe going to make .more today lol. My family loved them.
Hazel Scott
Absolutely loved these! They turned out perfect!!!
Celeste Cannata
They are so good. Didn't last long.
Liv LR
ok! This recipe is great, they taste awesome, they're so easy to make!
How did you get them into balls?!?! I chill the dough, its nice and firm, I go to make the ball and its crumbly and melts so quick in my hand and they always separate in the oven!
Send help!
GreedyEats
Sounds like there is a little too much butter in your dough, you should be able to make balls easily and they shouldn't melt. Measuring all ingredients well is the key here.
Debbie
Hi, I would like to double or triple my recipe. Could you tell me how much butter it would take? TY
GreedyEats
Hi Debbie! You'd need to double or triple the butter in that case. Like 12 tbsps (3/4 cup) when you double the recipe. You can use 2x or 3x button in the recipe card to show all the ingredients doubled/tripled. Hope this helps!
Ida
Hello! These look great! Would I be able to make the dough before hand, put it in the fridge overnight and then form and bake the next day?
Thank you and Merry Christmas!
GreedyEats
Yes Ida, absolutely! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!!
Anonymous
Hi
How many dozen(s) does 1 batch make?
GreedyEats
One batch makes 9 cookies, but you can double/triple this recipe at ease.
Brenda
Help… my mixture is crumbly and won’t roll into balls…. Not enough butter????
GreedyEats
Yeah, sounds like you have added less butter or more flour. Measure the ingredients using a weighing scale and you will be fine. Happy Baking!
Debbie mcdonnell
Hi, I would like to double or triple my recipe. Could you tell me how much butter it would take? TY
Anonymous
I would like to double or triple this recipe, so how much butter would I use?
Barbara
i was intimidated by all the recipes for this cookie. this was awesome and made alot!!
Anonymous
How many cookies does this make
GreedyEats
This recipe makes 9 cookies, but you can double or triple this dough at ease.
Kell
are these supposed to be a crunchy cookie?? I had thought they would be soft. I baked these for 18 min., when cooled they were crunchy.
GreedyEats
Hi Kell! No these cookies won't be crunchy. They are baked soft and buttery, slightly crumbly you can say! Make sure you aren't adding less butter in the dough.
Tanya Warren
Its shortbread, it should be crisp, not chewy... It should melt in your mouth and have a somewhat sandy crisp texture.
Ann
I had to add more flour as my mix was like a paste and wouldn’t roll together just in the oven now let’s see how they turn out!
Lynnette
Made em loved em! Super easy
Gayu
Can you substitute the corn starch with rice flour?
GreedyEats
Have never tried these cookies any other way, sorry can't comment on this.
Jordan
Absolutely not. Cornstarch is necessary for shortbread.
Mavis in Canada
I have made these same cookies for years now. They always turn out well, and people love the way they melt in their mouths.
I roll the dough in a log, and place it in the fridge until I'm ready to bake them. Then, just slice the log of dough, and place on cookie sheets and then bake from cold state.
The finished cookies freeze well, and people love them.
This recipe is a keeper for certain!
Anonymous
Am trying your tip right now…rolled into a log….well…it almost looks like a log….Martha’s Stewart I am not….can’t wait to see how they turn out
Jerylann
Can I use cookie cutters with this dough?
GreedyEats
I have not tried using cutters with this dough. Let me know if you get a chance to do it!
Teri
They work with the recipe well. I tried it yesterday. 🤗
Krissy
Hi,
Can I make this with unsalted butter and just add salt instead? If so, how much salt do you think?
GreedyEats
Of course! Just a pinch if you are making a small batch. Up to 1/8 tsp if making a double batch.
Andrea Howe
These sound so good and easy! I can't wait to try them, thanks for the recipe!
Laura Arteaga
Loved these cookies, they melt in your mouth and the flavour was absolutely fantastic! Your recipe was really clear and easy to follow, thanks a lot, making this again soon!