Soft, tender and almost weightless, these whipped shortbread cookies live up to their name. Crispy cookie lovers need to look away; these cookies are so soft that they quite literally melt in your mouth. They’re like puffy little clouds on a cool summer’s day or the softest pillows you’ve ever laid your head on, but in an edible cookie form. Top them with vibrant sprinkles or cherry halves and you have a batch of buttery, light cookies that use only five simple ingredients.
Ingredients for Whipped Shortbread Cookies
- Butter: If you give yourself enough time to prep only one ingredient for this recipe, let it be bringing the butter to room temperature. It’s crucial for getting a whipped, lofty texture.
- Confectioners’ sugar: Unlike granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar is an easily dissolvable and almost weightless sweetener. It keeps these whipped shortbread cookies super light.
- All-purpose flour: Be sure you’re measuring the flour correctly. Too much flour and these cookies will turn out dry and heavy.
- Cornstarch: This whipped shortbread cookie recipe uses a lot of cornstarch—1-1/2 cups to be exact. That’s much more than a typical cookie recipe (or really any recipe) calls for, so make sure you have enough on hand.
- Toppings: Festive nonpareils or halved candied cherries are a simple, easy topping that adds much-needed vibrancy.
Directions
Step 1: Create the cookie dough
Preheat your oven to 300°F. In a large bowl, cream the butter and confectioners’ sugar together until light and fluffy, about five minutes. Gradually add the all-purpose flour and cornstarch, beating until well blended.
Editor’s Tip: Creaming the butter and sugar well gives these whipped shortbread cookies their namesake and adds to that airy texture.
Step 2: Form the cookies
Lightly dust your hands with additional cornstarch, then roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Place them 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Take a floured fork and lightly press down to indent four lines into the top of each cookie. Sprinkle nonpareils or place cherry halves on top.
Step 3: Bake the cookies
Bake the cookies until the bottoms are lightly browned, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool the cookies at room temperature for five minutes, then transfer them from the pans onto wire racks.
Recipe Variations
- Add warm baking spices: Our whipped shortbread cookies are a blank canvas for inclusions. Sprinkling in cozy, warming baking spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and clove will fit these cookies for fall and winter.
- Sprinkle in zest and herbs: These delicious, buttery cookies are just asking for elegant add-ins such as lavender flowers or lemon zest and thyme.
- Include extracts and flavorings: To bump up the flavor, use salted butter and try adding a teaspoon of extract. We like vanilla and almond.
How to Store Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Whipped shortbread cookies are very easy to store. Just let them cool to room temperature, then place them in an airtight container. You can leave them at room temperature for up to four days. If you want to keep their quintessential light-as-air texture, place a piece of bread in the container too. The cookies will absorb the bread’s moisture, prolonging the cookies’ softness.
Whipped Shortbread Cookie Tips
What does cornstarch do in shortbread cookies?
Cornstarch is a binding agent; it keeps the cookies from spreading so they stay soft and thick. It’s also a super light ingredient, so cornstarch doesn’t add much weight to the cookies, even if you use a lot.
How are whipped shortbread cookies different from other cookies?
Whipped shortbread cookies aren’t like regular cookies, and it’s all because of the ingredients. Whipped shortbread cookies gets their sweetness from super light and dissolvable confectioners’ sugar as opposed to regular cookies’ grainy and heavy granulated sugar.
Plus, the inclusion of cornstarch in whipped shortbread thickens the cookies and keeps them from spreading, so there’s no need for leavening agents as in a regular cookie. Overall, whipped shortbread cookies are much lighter than regular cookies and use fewer ingredients too.
