Shortbread is one of my favourite cookies and it’s so easy to make! At it’s base it’s made with butter, sugar and flour! It’s that simple! The butter, sugar and flour are combined, formed into the desired shapes and baked until lightly golden brown! Shortbread is a little dry when you bite into it, but then the magic kicks in and it starts to melt in your mouth releasing all of the amazing flavours of the butter along with the sweetness of the sugar! This shortbread recipe is just a little bit different than normal in that the butter and the sugar are whipped/beaten/mixed more than usually, a good 5 minutes, which adds a nice amount of air to the shortbread and all of that air in the cookies means they melt into your mouth even better! I like to just scoop the dough and plop in on the baking sheet, and I like the small snowball like look that it gives them! You can also form them into balls and press them into festive sprinkles for the holidays!
Cornstarch can be used as a replacement for some of the flour (in equal amounts) and it gives the shortbread a smoother texture.
Whipped Shortbread
Light and airy whipped shortbread that melts into your mouth!
ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 1/2 pound) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioners/powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
directions
- Beat the butter and sugar for 5-6 minutes before mixing in the vanilla.
- Gently mix in the mixture of the flour, cornstarch and salt.
- Form the dough into the desired cookie shapes and place on a parchment paper (or silicon mat) lined baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until the bottom just starts to brown, about 12 minutes, before removing from the oven and letting cool completely on the baking sheet.
Shortbread
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These look like puffy clouds of deliciousness! I totally need to try them!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
I have tried and loved so many of your recipes. I can’t wait to give this one a try. Do you think this would do well in a shortbread pan that I have for Christmas?
This will work in a shortbread pan. Enjoy!
How many cookies does this recipe yield? It just says 16 servings, how many cookies per serving?
It makes 16 large cookies. Enjoy!
Kevin,
Could you use rice flour in place of cornstarch?
Yes you can!
Hi Kevin from Australia, Some shortbread recipes include rice flour rather than cornflour (cornstarch). This gibves an interesting texture, slightly gritty feeling. Certainly worth trying. I wonder what a mixture of the three flours would be like. Must try it.
Thank you for your delicious and very practical recipes.
I make these, in a small size, w/ mini chocolate chips, flatten w/ tines of a fork, and drizzle w/ melted chocolate after baked, for Venetian Tables at weddings.
I also like to roll them, in ball shapes, after baked, in 10X sugar mixed with powdered dried fruits, i.e. strawberry, mango, blueberry, etc. This gives them pretty pastel colors on a cookie tray, as well as a hint of fruit flavor.
I tried this for the first time with a couple of changes. I like the cookie option of no egg, baking powder or soda. I doubled the sugar after a batter taste test and added a cup of pecans. The end result tastes good but not as pretty. Maybe less nuts or smaller size next time. Very light and easy to make recipe. Thanks
I would not have thought to make shortbread this way – so I had to try it! You proved me wrong – the texture is spot on!
I’ve been making these for the past 3 years. They are FABULOUS! And I love that they look like little snowballs!