Whipped Shortbread Cookies – I Heart Eating

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Updated on November 25, 2024 | By Kate | 3 Comments

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Whipped shortbread cookies are melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies that are topped with festive nonpareils. These easy Christmas cookies can be whipped up with 7 ingredients in just 30 minutes!

Whipped shortbread cookies topped with nonpareils.

Whipped shortbread cookies are classic Christmas cookies. The cookies are made in one bowl, and they’re made with just 7 ingredients and take just 30 minutes to make.

The cookies are lightly sweet and have a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture. They make a tasty addition to any Christmas cookie tray.

Ingredients for whipped shortbread cookies in dishes.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Butter: If you’d like to use salted butter, omit the kosher salt. Also, cool room temperature means the butter is about 68F. The butter should dent when pressed but the stick shouldn’t lose its shape. Butter that’s too warm can cause the cookies to bake out.
Flour: It’s important to either weigh the flour or sift or stir it to break it up, lightly spoon it into the measuring cup, and level. Avoid packing the flour so that you don’t end up with crumbly cookies.
Cornstarch: The cornstarch helps to give the cookies their light and airy texture.
Kosher salt: Or 1/4 teaspoon of table salt.
Vanilla extract: You can change up the flavor of the cookies by using different types of flavorings, like almond extract, in place of the vanilla extract.

How to make whipped shortbread cookies

Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including instructions, is given below.

Step 1: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Set aside.

Butter and sugar beaten together in a silver mixing bowl.

Step 2: In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and powdered sugar on low for about 30 seconds.

Step 3: Increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Whipped shortbread cookies dough in a silver mixing bowl.

Step 4: Stir in the flour, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla just until combined.

Step 5: Roll cookie dough into 1 ½ inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch or two between each cookie.

Unbaked whipped shortbread cookies on a baking sheet.

Step 6: Using a fork, lightly press down on top of each ball of dough to flatten it to about a ½ inch thick.

Step 7: Sprinkle nonpareils on top of each cookie.

Baked whipped shortbread cookies on a baking sheet.

Step 8: Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden brown.

Whipped shortbread cookies on a teal plate.

Recipe Tips!

Mixing the dough: An electric hand mixer also works. I recommend stirring in the dry ingredients by hand to avoid overworking the dough.
Chilling the dough: If your dough is too soft, you can cover and chill the dough to firm it up.

A whipped shortbread cookie broken in half on top of other shortbread cookies.

How to freeze

You can freeze the dough or the baked and cooled cookies.

To freeze the cookie dough, prepare the dough and place the scoops of dough on a baking sheet. Freeze the dough until frozen through and then transfer the frozen dough to a freezer-safe container. The dough will keep for about 1 month in the freezer.
To freeze the baked cookies, let the cookies cool to room temperature. Transfer the baked cookies to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 1 month.

A teal plate with whipped shortbread cookies next to a dish of nonpareils.

Storage

Store any leftover shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. The cookies will keep for up to 3 days when properly stored.

If you’ve tried this whipped shortbread cookie recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and powdered sugar on low for about 30 seconds.
Increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the flour, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla just until combined.
Roll cookie dough into 1 ½ inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch or two between each cookie.
Using a fork, lightly press down on top of each ball of dough to flatten it to about a ½ inch thick.
Sprinkle nonpareils on top of each cookie.
Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden brown.

Notes

Butter: If you’d like to use salted butter, omit the kosher salt. Also, cool room temperature means the butter is about 68F. The butter should dent when pressed but the stick shouldn’t lose its shape. Butter that’s too warm can cause the cookies to bake out.

Flour: It’s important to either weigh the flour or sift or stir it to break it up, lightly spoon it into the measuring cup, and level. Avoid packing the flour so that you don’t end up with crumbly cookies.

Kosher salt: Or 1/4 teaspoon of table salt.

Vanilla extract: You can change up the flavor of the cookies by using different types of flavorings, like almond extract, in place of par or all of the vanilla extract.
Nutritional values are estimates.

Nutrition

Created by Kate

Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.