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Why You’ll Love My Recipe
A good whipped shortbread is a perfect combination of butter, flour, and sugar. This recipe is tried and true, easy to follow, and absolutely delicious. Make a batch to devour immediately or freeze for another day.
How to make perfect whipped shortbread! This is my Grandma’s shortbread recipe that we have been using for decades now and this is the only shortbread that we ever make at Christmas! Why not try my Grandma’s Christmas Pudding too?
Reader Review
I have made this recipe for several years. It is always spectacular! Melt-in-your-mouth goodness! I have used a teaspoon to drop the cookies and a small scoop, both work well. This is not a recipe to roll out and cut with cookie cutters. This is a favourite of my family and make it especially for Christmas!
Karlynn’s Recipe Notes
- Skill Level: This is a very easy recipe, especially if you have a stand mixer.
- Total Time: This recipe will take you approximately 45 minutes from start to finish, depending how many cookie sheets you can fit in your oven at once.
- Variations: Try adding a drop or two of vanilla, almond extract, coconut extract, or another flavoring to the cookie dough. Not too much though! If you don’t like candied cherries, why not try different candied fruit? You can also add a few drops of food coloring if you’d like to make these red and green, or sprinkle on some finishing sugar.
- Tools Needed: For this recipe, you’ll need a stand mixer or hand mixer and large bowl, a spatula, a cookie scoop or tablespoon, cookie sheets, and cooling racks. If you would like to make some fancier shapes, you’ll want a piping bag or a cookie press.
What You’ll Need For Ingredients
Butter: For this recipe, you’ll need salted butter rather than unsalted. This isn’t the type of recipe that works well with margarine as a substitute.
Flour: Just all-purpose flour for this. Nothing fancy or specialized required here.
Icing Sugar: Depending where in the world you live, this fine sugar may also be called powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar. It will add sweetness and structure to these delicious cookies.
Toppings: The classic topping for whipped shortbreads is candied cherries, but you can skip them if you aren’t a fan. Sprinkles of any shape or size are another fun way to decorate these cookies. You can even find a themed assortment of sprinkles in the baking section at the grocery store.
How To Make Perfect Whipped Shortbread
This is a brief overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Preheat oven to 275°F.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter and icing sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add flour slowly, beating constantly until fully mixed. Whip shortbread for 6 minutes on medium speed, scraping sides of the bowl with a spatula every two minutes.
- Use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon for scoop dough onto cookie sheets. Top with cherries and sprinkles.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the bottoms are brown. Transfer to racks to cool.
Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for Making Whipped Shortbread
Take Your Time: Both the whipping and the baking parts of making whipped shortbread take time. Trust me, the results are worth the effort. You need that full 6 minutes, maybe even more, of whipping time to get the dough as fluffy and airy as possible. The low and slow cooking time is all about drying the cookies rather than cooking them, similar to the method you might use to make meringues.
Be Strategic: If your cookies are going to sit on your counter to get devoured immediately, you can get away with making them into fancy designs with a cookie press. But if you plan to gift these cookies (and you’d like them to survive travelling around in a container in your car) you may want to choose a simpler scooping method. A piping bag will allow you to do some basic swirls, or you can keep things simple and uniform with a cookie scoop or tablespoon. Another way to keep your cookies sturdy would be to freeze them until just before you plan to eat them.
Yes, you can use margarine
For those of you who’ve been around since I originally published this in 2013, you may recall that my recipe was slightly different at that time. If you prefer my old method, simply use 1/2 cup of margarine and 1/2 cup of butter instead.
Storage Instructions
You can keep whipped shortbread in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or freeze them for 4-5 months.
More Delicious Holiday Cookie Recipes
Are you looking for some more fun cookies to add to the treat spread at your next holiday party?
Try making some Old Fashioned Gingerbread or a batch of Fudgy Gingerbread Brownies.
Itching for some rolled out cookies to decorate? Take a peek at The Best Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe.
There you go. A simple recipe for making perfect whipped shortbread cookies that will melt in your mouth. Try them for your next party and let me know how you like them.
Happy Baking!
Karlynn
How To Make Perfect Whipped Shortbread
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter
- ½ cup confectioners sugar, icing sugar
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Toppings
- sprinkles, nonpariels,
- 12 candied cherries, cut in half
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275°F. ( you will need to bake the cookies in batches)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and icing sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Slowly add the flour, beating constantly, until all the flour is incorporated. Whip the shortbread mixture for 6 minutes on medium speed, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula every 2 minutes.
- Use a small cookie scoop or a Tablespoon to scoop the dough onto two ungreased baking sheets. Top with candied cherries or sprinkles if desired.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the bottoms are nicely browned. Remove from oven and carefully transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Store for 2 to 3 days at room temperature in a closed container or freeze in a closed container for 4 to 5 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Kristine051 says
I have tried this recipe three times and each time once half margarine and twice all butter as the husband didn’t like the margarine taste,they come out flat and start to really brown on the edges.My question is how do you get them so plump and round? Is it really just the cookie scoop? as i have refrigerated the dough and then rolled in to balls but didn’t have cherries to put on top, does that make a difference too? any help getting them plump like the picture would be terrific.
Thank You!
Kristine
Kristine051 says
oh forgot to mention I also baked it at 275 for 30 minutes before the edges stated to really brown. It is also a brand new oven
thekitchenmagpie says
Kristine051 Your oven could be running hotter, that happens for sure with new ovens. Try at 250 but I use a HARD margarine in mine, which when refrigerated can make a difference. The low water content makes a difference. Try adding another 1/4 cup of flour and see if that helps.
CheriSmith says
Can you use self raising flour or should it be all purpose?
MSinNS says
So sad…I consider myself a baker but this recipe went completely flat, used the proper ingredients and my kitchen definitely wasn’t warm here in Nova Scotia. Back to my rolled out shortbreads. Sad to have wasted all that butter! I tried 2 batches with the same results.
Kathleen Taylor says
What kind of hard margarine do you recommend?
KassiaVause says
I know this has been asked but I don’t think it has been answered. Id love to try these, but I refuse to use margarine, has anyone done with just butter and had success?
flamgbant says
KassiaVause I have made them just the other day with all butter and they turned out great, and I made a batch with butter and margarine, personally I didn’t find any difference, they were delish.
dawn says
What mixer attachment do you use to whip? The wire whisk or the paddle?
thekitchenmagpie says
@dawn Use the paddle, whisk attachments are always for liquids only or you would bend/ break them.
flamgbant says
I was wondering how did u get them to stay so rounded dome like , mind melted down thing still very good tasting mind u I would just like to have them stay this way
flamgbant says
thin not thing lol
Amy says
flamgbant Make sure it’s a cookie scoop and then try putting them in the fridge to cool down. If you live somewhere warm or have a warm kitchen they can flatten.
flamgbant says
@Amy flamgbant ok awesome thanks so much, yeah I did use a cookie scoop and they were soft going in the oven , I will try cooling them down next time I make them. thanks again they are delish
Karlynn Johnston says
Salted butter and any margarine that has a good taste to it and is solid, not really light.
Alyson says
I want to try and make these as well… I like the question someone posted, what kind of margarine and salted or unsalted butter?
Karlynn Johnston says
Nope, just add it, doesn’t make a stitch of difference since you whip it so long.
JoanneEverson says
Hi, does the icing sugar and flour need to be sifted before being added?
Karlynn Johnston says
Yes all butter is fine!
Amanda says
Have you ever made them with all butter instead of margarine and butter? Just wondering if they would turn out this way b/c I only have butter 🙂
Valerie says
I’d like to try these. Not sure … is it 1 tsp. or a cookie scoop full. Seems like the size would be considerably different, thus the baking time different as well.
thekitchenmagpie says
@Valerie It’s a small cookie scoop (which is really close to a heaping teaspoon) and I actually have upped the temperature to 275 to compensate for the larger size. The original family recipe is bake at 250, which I find too low. The dome shape is what helps them stay together rather than plopping a heaping tsp on the sheet.
Sherry says
Can I use this recipe for pie crust ?
thekitchenmagpie says
@Sherry No, this isn’t for a short crust.
Sherry says
Can you use this recipe for pie crust ?
DebraAnnMatheson says
im confused about step 6&7? almost the same step but slighly different??
Rona Labiuk says
I’m making this one now and so far so good and still in the oven. I love it
nimish says
Dang autocorrect, it should have said press friendly
nimish says
Is this recipe at all pies friendly, I know you said you don’t use one but I press about half of mime for gifts.
thekitchenmagpie says
@nimish Yes it’s press friendly!
The Kitchen Magpie says
Most likely for a silky feel to the cookie. I just find it bugs me lol!
Lee-Ann Sewell Chin says
Do you know why there is corn starch in the original recipes? *curious*
Jennifer Wasilieff Fleming says
I did half and half like you suggested
Lorilee Scott says
All butter baby! I’m a purist…and I don’t typically have margarine
The Kitchen Magpie says
We’re snacking on some as I type 🙂
The Kitchen Magpie says
Did you use all butter or half margarine?
Lorilee Scott says
Whipped win for sure. Hands down. And this recipe is it.
thekitchenmagpie says
Glad you liked them!
Jennifer Wasilieff Fleming says
I made these following your recipe a week ago, making more tomorrow. They are by far the best and easiest shortbread I have ever made. I will never make any other shortbread ever again! Thank you for the fab recipe!!
Kim says
Hello!
How many does this batch make? Only 12?
Thanks!!!
thekitchenmagpie says
@Kim You would get around 2 dozen in all, It all depends on how large you make them or how small! I always double the batch.
SuzanneDennis says
so perfect
so pretty
i have NEVER made shortbread, ( i KNOW!!! i think i am the only person in alberta who hasnt), cuz i thought it was terribly complicated??
this had changed my cookie life!
will try your fab recipe
su 🙂
aka: getting wider by the minute!
thekitchenmagpie says
SuzanneDennis It’s SO easy! That’s the reason I gift it every year, it’s also inexpensive to make, nut free and soo delicious!