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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.
Betsy Williams Kirby says
I’ve got a batch cooking right now! The batter was so yummy
The Kitchen Magpie says
Yes! Egg free so I tend to snack on it…
Betsy Williams Kirby says
The Kitchen Magpie they are awesome, they literally melt in your mouth
The Kitchen Magpie says
Betsy Williams Kirby Oh so glad you like them!!!
Betsy Williams Kirby says
The Kitchen Magpie just bought 2 of your cookbooks
Angie Walsh says
Not sure what us icing sugar? Confectionery sugar
The Kitchen Magpie says
Yes confectionary sugar!
Heather Pollock says
I’ll try these but not with yukky cherries.
The Kitchen Magpie says
Sprinkles are good! Plain is also amazing.
Heather Pollock says
What would happen if I put a Hershey’s kiss in the middle?
The Kitchen Magpie says
Oh I think they might melt all together in a puddle…. but try one ( out of a sheet of sprinkle ones lol)
Stacey LeMoine says
Best shortbreads I have ever made (apologies to my dearly departed Mother)…
The Kitchen Magpie says
Awww. Well I’m glad that you love them!
Around the World in 80 Cupcakes says
I LOVE you use a hand mixer. That’s what this chick has. If I want to make any kind of bread/buns/pizza dough etc, I bring out the two big guns attached to my shoulders \U0001f602
The Kitchen Magpie says
Hahah I do love my stand mixer too!
Diane Del Puppo says
Am making tomorrow….
The Kitchen Magpie says
Hope you like them!!
Kimberley Tremblay says
I made them!!!!
The Kitchen Magpie says
I like sprinkles on mine as well!
Kristy Young says
Love this recipe
Melissa Lynne Biele-Bousset says
Video has an error. Says corn starch instead of powdered sugar.
Ka Lou Baker says
Love the poinsettia bowl!
The Kitchen Magpie says
Found 2 at goodwill last week!
Alison Jennings Wohleb says
Amber Eve…another recipe! 😉
Sophie Nakoneczny says
Made mine today.
The Kitchen Magpie says
I’ll be making more for this weekend!
Mike Johnston says
These are delicious. They melt in your mouth.
Cathy Wierec says
I also made them and they are so good
Mike Johnston says
These literally melt in your mouth. So good.
Moira Armstrong Slater says
What are they like with all butter? I was in a few stores and no one had hard margarine.
thekitchenmagpie says
VERY delicious but they flatten out, which is fine. You can also use them in a cookie press!
judyjuster says
Just tried this recipe, my cookies DID NOT, look the the picture. They were much flatter (even with fridgerating the batter) and adding extra flour. The batter looked a bit wet to me, not dry like usual cookie batter. The cookies had a floury taste, not buttery and did not smell up the kitchen with baking goodness. I did follow the 6 minutes of whipping time, but I will stick to using all butter. I could taste the difference. I agree with the other post, these cookies are very fragile.
thekitchenmagpie says
judyjuster You must have had a high moisture butter or margarine because this is the driest dough out there, there is so little moisture.
Darcie_R says
Perhaps! And of course I don’t even recall what brand I grabbed that first time. I am going to try again this week so I will let you know 🙂
RobinYeatman says
judyjuster I have made this recipe for years with no problems until last week. My first mistake was using self-rising flour (it was all I had in the house so gave it a try) and the cookies tasted awful and fell apart. The next time I made them I used unsalted butter. They tasted better but still fell apart. The third time, I made them like I have in the past with all purpose flour and salted butter and they came out perfectly.
I hope you’ll try them again. They are soooo good.
Lynn McEntire says
Does this mean you’re baking again?
Jay Kay says
Yes,
I will be making these! Just picked up your cookbook too!
The Kitchen Magpie says
Awesome!!! Thanks for buying it!!
Arlene DeJong says
Has to be a Canadian recipe,they don’t know shortbread here in USA..similar to mine,except we make cut outs.Ty
Helen Richards says
I’m making your shortbread this weekend! I loooove your cookbook! ❤
The Kitchen Magpie says
Oh thank you SO much!!
Helen Richards says
They are in the oven right now, they puff up so beautifully in the oven and smell amazing! Thanks!
Karlynn Johnston says
Awww it brought us together!!!
Wendy Lavalley says
That’s because it’s an awesome recipe Karlynn! I think it’s what introduced me to you!
Karlynn Johnston says
Awww it brought us together!!! \U0001f495
Judith Hilborn Ball says
I have been making whipped shortbread for over 40 years……love them , they are the number one cookie at our place and make for a wonderful gift . So so easy to make and so much better to eat LOL
Helen Heron says
Sara Bloodsworth xx
Dawn Tiller says
This recipe is the absolute best \U0001f60b!!! Nothing compares to it!!! Aunt KKimberly Marlene Perry
Lisa Patchet Ferrie says
So weird….about an hour ago I was thinking “I NEED to make whipped shortbread” and was going to google the recipe. Then this popped up in my newsfeed. Perfect timing! I’ve always used the Best of Bridge recipe but I’m going to try yours instead. Thanks!!
Karlynn Johnston says
My family’s doesn’t have cornstarch, which I prefer. Does the Best of Bridge use it?
Lisa Patchet Ferrie says
Karlynn – no, just butter, icing sugar and flour (and it specifically says NOT margarine, lol). My late mother-in-law used cornstarch though, but in a traditional shortbread recipe, not whipped.
The Kitchen Magpie says
Lisa Patchet Ferrie hahah well, we are rebels ;).
Janet Shorthouse Boyce says
I love this recipe. Make them for my coworkers
Louise Gray says
I first made these in 1979
And believe me when I say I’ve no idea how many multiples of 1000 I’ve made
At least 200 dozen each Christmas
Karlynn Johnston says
Oh I bet! Once you start baking them, you keep on baking every year! Then people ask for them…and you gift them…. \U0001f609
Louise Gray says
Karlynn Johnston that would be correct!
Kelly Eaglesham says
My favourite Christmas cookie!