Whip up a batch of these whipped shortbread cookies for the holidays and watch how quickly they disappear. A lighter, softer, more melt-in-your-mouth cookie than the classic version, made with a handful of simple ingredients and festive sprinkles, perfect for your Christmas dessert table!
Whipped shortbread cookies are a MUST for your holiday baking this year. Well, these and hot chocolate cookies, nutmeg log cookies, and reindeer sugar cookies, of course. And I’m not talking about just any shortbread cookies, I’m talking whipped, light, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth shortbread!
It’s everything you love about the classic holiday cookies, but it’s made by whipping softened butter and sugar until extra fluffy! They bake up with a delicate texture, crisp edges, and a soft, buttery center, and are the kind of unforgettable cookies everyone looks forward to this time of year!
You can keep them plain, add festive sprinkles, or a drizzle of melted chocolate. However you choose to make yours, they’re going to be a hit!
Easy Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Versatile. Perfect for Christmas cookie trays, cookie exchanges, afternoon tea, or anytime you are craving a little homemade treat.
- Texture. Lighter than a traditional shortbread, and just as easy to make!
- Easy. This foolproof recipe will walk you through the simple steps.
- Freezer-friendly. Can be made ahead and frozen for later!
Helpful Tools
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Unsalted butter: Bring the butter out to soften and room temperature. It should be soft enough to whip easily.
- All-purpose flour: Measure it correctly using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, follow my tips on how to measure flour accurately without one. It makes a difference in the texture of the cookies!
- Powdered sugar: Sometimes called confectioners’ sugar, powdered sugar sweetens the cookies without any granules. It also contains a bit of cornstarch which helps to give the cookies structure since there are no eggs.
- Cornstarch: Whipped shortbread cookies with cornstarch are soft, delicate, and yet hold their shape.
- Kosher salt and vanilla extract: To enhance the flavor of the cookies.
- Sprinkles: I like to use something delicate like colorful sanding sugar or nonpareils.
How to make Whipped Shortbread Cookies
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step One: In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), beat the butter until light and fluffy. Using a hand mixer, this should be 8-10 minutes. It should be pale yellow.
- Step Two: In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt until combined. Pour half of it into the whipped butter along with the vanilla and mix until just combined.
- Step Three: Add remaining dry ingredients and mix well, approximately 2 minutes. They’re whipped, after all! Use a cookie scoop to portion out 1.5 tablespoons of dough. Roll it with your hands until smooth, and then place it on a prepared baking sheet.
- Step Four: Repeat with the remaining dough, arranging the balls about 2 inches apart. Use a fork to gently press down each dough ball and then sprinkle the sprinkles over each one.
- Step Five: Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 10 minutes until the cookies are just set. They should still be pale, not brown. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
- Bring your butter out as early as you can. Room temperature, soft butter is key to that whipped texture!
- Sift the powdered sugar to get rid of any lumps.
- Do not overbake the cookies. They should still be pale! Shortbread can go from done to brown quickly, and they taste like it too.
- Bake only 1 tray of cookies at a time, on the middle rack. This will help prevent browning on the bottoms.
- I use a #40 cookie scoop (which equals 1.5 tablespoons). Using this size yields about 20-22 cookies.
- You can prepare the dough up to 24 hours in advance and keep it refrigerated overnight.
- Flash freeze the dough balls, transfer them to a freezer bag, and keep frozen for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes of extra bake time.
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers
Keep whipped shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. No need to refrigerate them!
Freezing Instructions
Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months. I suggest layering them with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together once frozen. Keep them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and then thaw them at room temperature before serving.
Need more shortbread cookie recipes? Try these:
Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
Millionaire Bars with Walkers Shortbread
Dark Chocolate Shortbread Stars
Click here to view my entire collection of cookie recipes.
Whipped Shortbread Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (75 g) powdered sugar + more for pressing
- ½ cup (70 g) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the butter until very light and fluffy, approximately 8-10 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.1 cup unsalted butter
- In another medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt until combined.1 ¾ cups all purpose flour, ⅔ cup powdered sugar, ½ cup cornstarch, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pour half of the dry ingredients into the whipped butter along with the vanilla and mix until just combined.1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix well, approximately 2 minutes.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion out 1.5 Tbsp (#40 scoop) of dough into a small ball, rolling it between the palms of your hands to smooth, then add to the prepared baking sheets, approximately 2" apart.
- Pour some additional powdered sugar into a shallow dish. Dip a fork into the sugar and then press down each ball and add sprinkles.sprinkles
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies are just set but still pale. You do not want them to brown. It may take up to 13 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Using a #40 cookie scoop (1.5 Tbsp), the recipe will make 20-22 cookies.
- I like to use colorful sanding sugar sprinkles or non-pareils. Something delicate.
- Dough can be prepared and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze scooped cookie dough to bake from frozen (add 1-2 minutes to the bake time), or freeze baked cookies in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
- If preferred, dough can also be transferred to a piping bag and piped onto the baking sheet for more uniform cookies.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @melissa_pplates so I can see!Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
You can also tag me on Instagram – @melissa_ppplates or share a pic in the Persnickety Plates Community Facebook group. I love seeing what you’ve tried!
Tasted Amazing!
Thanks, Eva!