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.
Sandra
These have a lovely texture!!
I copied the fork press and non pareil sprinkles as well. SO cute.
Since butter is the star I spent a bit extra for Kerry Gold butter
Anonymous
Quick easy and too good!!! Thank you for the recipe just love them
Scolo
I’m a terrible baker, but this recipe was not intimidating and turned out perfectly. I could cry. Thank you!
Mira
I added raspberry jam to some sprinkled crushed pumpkin seeds to some added chopped dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds to the dough and forked them on the tray!! The dough was awesome the cookie so light and fluffy! Thank you!
Jody A Ingram
These taste amazing, it's a very easy recipe, but when baking I baked it at 300 for only 10 minutes because I have a gas oven not electric maybe an electric you need a longer time.
Osha Bradshaw
Should crushed candy cane be added before or after baking? I'm afraid it will melt too much. And all I have is a sprinkle mix that has some snowflake shapes will they melt too?
GreedyEats
Hi! Non-pareil sprinkles bleed in the dough usually, not the other ones. If you wish you can also bake these thumbprint style. Fill them with a filling like chocolate and then top with decorations.
Amber Barker
Would you alter for elevation over 5,000 feet?
Lynda
What would 11/2 cups of butter be in grams please?
GreedyEats
It's 340 gms Lynda! Happy Baking!
Jan
This is going to be my new christmas shortbread recipe. It is very close to my Moms recipe that i can never make right! My oven is propane so i had to cook them three minutes longer. Thank yoy for such a great recipe. Merry Christmas!
Ramona Chavez
Oh my, these came out super tasty. I didn’t have any sprinkles, so I added chopped cranberries, cracked smashed candy cane, raspberry licorice and chopped candied pineapples. I did rub off the excess sugar on pineapples. They are not overly sweet. And I made about 40 cookies out of this recipe. Also, added crushed walnuts to the top of one batch. Loving these. ❤️😋🥰😍🍪
GreedyEats
Your version sounds fantastic Ramona! Thanks for reporting back, Happy December!
Anonymous
Thank you for the reply. I made do with what I have on hand.Oh, and I forgot to add that I didn't have any powder sugar so I ground up my azucar morena in my coffee grinder. It came out perfect. Cookies came out soft and delicious.
Anonymous
Hi,
Do you sift flour before or after measuring?
Thanks
GreedyEats
Yes we use sifted flour here. It is mentioned in the recipe instructions. Enjoy!
Kat
This was my first time making these and they came out perfect. Thank you
Tammy
Could you share with me the best flour, butter, Confectioners' Sugar and cornstarch brands you use? I have not baked in years due to illness. But it’s Christmas time, and my husband said he would help me, so I am very excited to give this a try. I want them to be perfect like yours.
Thank you
Tammy
GreedyEats
Hi Tammy! I use King Arthur flour, Land O Lakes butter, C&H Sugar and 365 Cornstarch. Hope you get to bake these cookies, enjoy!
Carole Barber
I've always wanted to make Shortbread cookies, but everyone I talked to seemed to feel they were too much work.
As an author of the Middle Grade readers and Women's non-fiction, my time is very limiting. But much to my delight, this recipe is simple to follow and the end results, amazing. The Whipped Shortbread Cookies turned out fantastic! I even crumbled a bit of red and green peppermint candy on the top of each cookie.
What a simple way to celebrate any season, and especially Christmas.
Merry Christmas,
Carole
Sheri
Perfection
Cheryl Bidgood
This recipe is delicious. I made it the first time including real vanilla extract. Next batch, and there will definitely be a next batch, I will omit the vanilla. The vanilla just isn't quite the cookie I was trying to replicate. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Barbara Hurford
Can you use royal icing on them?
GreedyEats
I don't see why not Barbara. if you want an icing that sets, go for it!
Heather
Do you think almond extract would be a better option?
WILFRED
Thank you for this
Anonymous
Could I keep the dough balls in the fridge for a day or so before baking?
GreedyEats
Yes Of course! Just keep them covered and you can bake them directly from the refrigerator. No need to bring them to room temp. Enjoy!
Anonymous
Perfection
Cinda Whitaker
If I add almond or vanilla extract- how much should I add?
GreedyEats
2 tsps of vanilla extract, it is mentioned under flavorings in the recipe card. If you wish to add just almond extract, I'd go with 1 tsp since it is quite potent. You can always add 1 tsp of vanilla + 1 tsp of almond extract if you choose to add both.
Chrystal Moore
Can I make these chocolate with some cocoa powder?
GreedyEats
Hi Crystal! I am yet to experiment these in chocolate flavor. I'd begin by subbing 1/3 cup of cornstarch with cocoa and see if they are chocolatey enough. If you find the dough to be a little crumbly you can add a little milk to compensate for the dryness. Just add one tablespoon at a time. I'd also add about 1 to 1 1/2 tsps of instant coffee powder to enhance cocoa flavor and add 1 tsp vanilla too. Dip them in melted chocolate after baking for a more pronounced chocolate flavor. Let me know if you try making these cookies chocolatey!
Cici
I made these yesterday and they were delicious! They’re very crumbly and melt in your mouth. I topped them with colored sugar instead of sprinkles. They would be good drizzled with chocolate and a sprinkle of toasted nuts!
Peggy Sperling
Almost identical to a recipe called Melting Moments my family started making in 1970. Same ingredients with slightly differing amounts. Will stick to our version but interesting that it's come back...
Kristel
If we only have unsalted butter on hand, how much salt should be added? Or, is it okay to just use unsalted butter with the recipe as is? Thank you!
GreedyEats
Hi Kristel! I would add 1/4 tsp salt for a batch of these cookies! Happy Baking!
Marec kerns
Wow my family use to make melting moments too I never heard of any on else making those we put thumb print with butter cream icing for topping
Anonymous
Lol, as if your family invented anything. You must be lacking attention.