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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! It makes great gifts and is perfect for your holiday dessert table.
Perfecting Whipped Shortbread
Over the years I have finally perfected my Whipped Shortbread Recipe to the point where I won’t fiddle around with it anymore. Usually when someone asks me about my treasured Christmas recipe, it’s all about my Grandma’s Christmas Pudding. While that is one hundred percent a family favorite, whipped shortbread has always and I do mean always been something that my family bakes at Christmas.
It seems to be something that a lot of Canadian Prairie folk make at Christmas as well. It’s never any other shortbread than whipped. Ever. This is all that graces our dessert tables at Christmas for shortbread.
That might change with my perfecting my Scottish Shortbread recipe however, as those are crispy, buttery perfection! Give those a try if you are looking for a harder shortbread.
Can I use margarine for this recipe?
Over the years, we’ve had to change from a 50/50 split of butter and margarine to all butter. Margarine lately has been declining in quality and lots of brands, specifically Imperial, just do not work with this recipe. It’s better with all butter anyway but if you are curious if you can use margarine, I do not recommend it any longer.
How to Make Whipped Shortbread
To make this whipped shortbread, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- candied cherries
- sprinkles
Directions
- Whip the butter and icing sugar together well. Once it looks all deliciously creamy, resist from eating it by the spoonful, and get your flour ready.
- Start the mixer and slowly add in the flour, until it has all been added in. Then you can proceed to let your mixer do all the work for you and whip it for 6 minutes. You are wanting lighter than air shortbread here.
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the dough out onto an ungreased baking sheet or alternatively, use a piping bag and pipe it out. You can also use a cookie press to make shapes.
- Top with sprinkles or a piece of Christmas cherry.
- Bake them in a 275 degree oven for about 30-35 minutes; you want to dry out the shortbread in essence, not bake it, thus the low temperature. (If you have a warm kitchen or live in a warm climate, cool the cookies in the fridge then bake. They won’t flatten out).
How to Store Whipped Shortbread
Whipped Shortbread freezes very easily but also breaks easily so my recommendation is to store in an airtight container in layers between sheets of wax or parchment paper. You can store it in the freezer for a few months easily so if you make them a couple of months prior to Christmas, you can easily thaw them out in time for the holidays and they will taste amazing as always!
Whipped Shortbread Tips and Tricks
- Whipped shortbread is notoriously fragile and while using cookie presses are so much fun, when I gifted the shortbread I wanted it to stay together a bit more. After experimenting, I found that the best way to make it for gifting is using a cookie scoop or piping bag. The rounded dome and thickness helps these airy bites of buttery delight stay together much better than being dropped by the teaspoonful or shapes from a cookie press.
- You can use a cookie press like I did, but they are more fragile and finicky
- Whipping it for at least 6 minutes is also mandatory; most people don’t whip it long enough and then it’s just not as airy as it should be. These cookies should literally melt in your mouth.
- We never have used cornstarch and never will. I find it gives a weird mouth feel to it that I don’t like.
- Baking it a low temperature is the way my family has always made it. We dry it out, like a meringue, and don’t bake it so much. Most recipes are 350 degrees but we have always baked it at 250. However over the years I have found that 275 works the best. This also helps the shortbread melt in your mouth instead of baking up a little bit harder which is what baking it at 350 is going to do.
Without further adieu, here is my whipped shortbread recipe!
Happy Baking everyone!
Love,
Karlynn
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How To Make Perfect Whipped Shortbread
- Prep Time
- 7 minutes
- Cook Time
- 35 minutes
- Total Time
- 42 minutes
- Course
- Dessert
- Cuisine
- Canadian
- Servings
- 24
- Calories
- 106
- Author
- Karlynn Johnston
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- sprinkles for topping if desired
- candied cherries for topping if desired
Instructions
- Whip the butter and icing sugar together well. Once it looks all deliciously creamy, resist from eating it by the spoonful, and get your flour ready.
- Start the mixer and slowly add in the flour, until it has all been added in. Then you can proceed to let your mixer do all the work for you and whip it for 6 minutes. You are wanting lighter than air shortbread here.
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the dough out onto an ungreased baking sheet. You can also use a cookie press and make shaped cookies!
- Top with sprinkles or a piece of Christmas cherry.
- Bake them in a 275 degree oven for about 30-35 minutes; you want to dry out the shortbread in essence, not bake it, thus the low temperature. (If you have a warm kitchen or live in a warm climate, cool the cookies in the fridge then bake. They won’t flatten out).
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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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!