Whipped shortbread cookies are a holiday favorite, soft, buttery, and SO tasty! This 4-ingredient shortbread Christmas cookie recipe is a snap to make.
These classic holiday cookies literally melt in your mouth! Their buttery flavor and super light texture make them completely irresistible.
The fact that this is a 4 ingredient shortbread cookie recipe makes it a simple treat for bakers of any level to make. It's one of the best classic Christmas cookie recipes around!
Why You'll Love This Shortbread Recipe
- No need to chill the dough. As long as your butter isn't too soft/warm, there's no chilling necessary!
- Quick and easy to make. A batch of whipped shortbread cookies under an hour to make, from start to finish.
- A tasty homemade gift to share. Everyone loves cookies! I like to wrap them up in nice cellophane bags or pretty cookie tins. They're a great food gift for neighbors, family, and/or coworkers.
Ingredients
See ingredient substitutions in the next section. ⬇️
To make whipped shortbread cookies you'll need:
- Good quality butter: Because there are so few ingredients, you'll want to use the best quality butter that your budget will allow. European butter has a higher fat content than American-made butter, so it will give the cookies better flavor and a super soft texture.
- powdered sugar
- all-purpose flour
- cornstarch: Adding cornstarch to shortbread helps to create the classic soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Substitutions and Recipe Variations
- Butter: Salted and unsalted butter both work with this recipe. If you want dairy-free cookies, I recommend using this dairy free shortbread recipe.
- Powdered Sugar: There isn't a powdered sugar substitute that works well with this shortbread recipe. However, you can make powdered sugar by blending regular white granulated sugar in a food processor.
- Cornstarch: If you need a substitute, you can try using arrowroot, but keep in mind that I haven't tested it.
- all-purpose Flour: If you'd like to make gluten free Christmas shortbread, swap the AP flour for any cup-for-cup gluten free all purpose flour. Popular brands include Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur Flour.
For a bit more flavor, you can add a pinch of salt and/or ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract or almond extract to the dough.
Making Whipped Shortbread Cookies
This is a summary only. The complete recipe instructions are in the card at the bottom of this post ⬇️
- Cream butter and sugar together on high speed. You need to whip air into the butter to help create the classic, melt-in-your-mouth consistency.
- Incorporate remaining ingredients using low speed, but avoid overmixing!
- Portion and shape the shortbread cookies. The simplest method is to use the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten the dough.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Liz's Tips for the Best Shortbread
- Be sure the butter is softened, but still cool to the touch. If it's too soft, the dough will need to be chilled to prevent the dough from spreading too much in the oven.
- Avoid over mixing the dough. If you mix too much, the dough becomes sticky and very difficult to work with. When the dough is properly mixed, you shouldn't need to chill it before baking.
- For prettier whipped shortbread cookies, use the tines of a fork to create ridges in the dough. Or, feel free to use cookie stamps, or add mini chocolate chips or sprinkles to the dough.
- If you prefer a slightly sweeter cookie, you can add a tiny bit more sugar, but just know this might affect the buttery consistency. A better idea is to make my No Chill Sugar Cookie Cut Out Recipe instead.
Storing, Freezing, and Make-Ahead Instructions
Storing: You can store these shortbread cookies for up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature.
Freezing: You can freeze the baked cookies as long as you wrap them tightly to keep out any moisture, and store them in a freezer-safe container.
If you are going to freeze them, add a layer of wax paper between layers, to prevent them from sticking together. and Thaw completely before enjoying.
Make Ahead Instructions and Freezing Unbaked Dough : You can make the shortbread dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Allow it to come to room temperature before you portion it into balls.
Wrapping Shortbread Christmas Cookies for Gifting
The best way to gift shortbread cookies is to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then set them in an airtight container. Alternatively, you can use a plastic bag with a tightly tied top, or place them in a small cookie tin.
I like to stack them in plastic bags and tie them with pretty ribbon.
Keep in mind that this is soft shortbread, so it is more delicate than traditional Scottish shortbread. For this reason, I don't recommend shipping it unless you wrap it in a heavy layer of bubble wrap.
Whipped Shortbread Recipe FAQs
Butter cookies are basically shortbread cookies with a higher amount of sugar. Whipped shortbread cookies are only lightly sweet, whereas butter cookies have about twice the sugar. Of course, recipes vary and some butter cookies can end up being just like a shortbread recipe.
Your shortbread may have spread too much if the dough was too warm or you didn't use enough flour. The butter should be soft, but not melted.
English shortbread recipes involve whipping the butter until it is very light and fluffy. The result is a soft shortbread cookie. Scottish shortbread cookies have a firm texture and a crisp snap to them.
Yes, overmixing is a common problem, and it can lead to dry, crumbly shortbread. Once the dough comes together, stop mixing it!
Shortbread cookies are done when they are set around the edges, and lightly browned on the bottom.
Other Easy Christmas Cookies to Make
- Easy Snickerdoodles Recipe
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Best Spritz Cookie Recipe for Cookie Press
- Lemon Cool Whip Cookies
- Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Whipped Shortbread Cookies - Soft and Buttery
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300℉. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use an electric hand mixer and large mixing bowl, cream the butter on high speed until it is smooth and light.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating well.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and cornstarch.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture on low speed, beating constantly until a stiff dough is formed.
- Use your hands to roll the dough into balls of about 1 tablespoon each. If the dough is too sticky to handle, refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling into balls.
- Arrange the dough balls in a single layer on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Using a flat bottomed glass that has been dipped in powdered sugar, press down gently on each dough ball to flatten. *Alternatively, press down gently using the tines of a fork, to create a ridged pattern in the cookie dough balls.
- Bake in preheated 300 ℉. oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until just set.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Helpful Notes and Tips From Liz
- Avoid over mixing the dough. Overmixing makes the dough sticky, and very difficult to work with. If the dough is mixed properly, you shouldn't need to chill it before baking.
- For prettier whipped shortbread cookies, use the tines of a fork to create ridges in the dough. Or, feel free to use cookie stamps, or add mini chocolate chips or sprinkles to the dough.
- If you prefer a slightly sweeter cookie, you can add a tiny bit more sugar, but just know this might affect the buttery consistency. A better idea is to make my No Chill Sugar Cookie Cut Out Recipe instead.
Mary
Can I roll out the dough and use a cookie cutter instead?
Mary
Liz Marino
I haven't tried that, Mary so I'm not sure howe that would work. If you're looking for a foolproof cut out cookie recipe check out these Easy Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Cathie
I just made these using 1:1 gluten free baking flour and they came out great! I use King Arthur brand incase anyone else needs gluten free I wanted to share!
Liz Marino
So happy you enjoyed it Cathie!
Anna Marie Yoder
Absolutely Delicious! I did add some salt and vanilla
Liz Marino
Thank you so much, Anna!
Joy E Eberhard
These cookies were absolutely amazing, delicious and so easy to make. I truly could have eaten the entire batch.
Debra
Can I make these gluten free?
Liz @ Tasty Treats & Eats
I'm sorry but I don't know if that will work! I haven't tried it with gluten free flour.
Sheila
These cookies practically melt in your mouth and are so tasty!
Susannah
I am in love with these cookies! Will be making again.
Kathleen
These are so tender, crumbly and buttery! I could eat the entire batch!
Debi
these were buttery & easy to make. Just such a classic!
Linda
Made these cookies this morning. Absolutely delicious.
Rita Kitenplon
is there a substitution for the corn starch?
Liz @ Tasty Treats & Eats
No, sorry! There are only 4 ingredients in this recipe - you definitely need it.
Lynn
I actually have a fantastic whipped shortbread recipe that only has the first 3 ingredients. I only set my oven to 250°F and dry them for 30-35 minutes.
to roll in balls and flatten them you need some starch. Most icing sugar has corn starch in it. I found a brand at the dollarstore called Mitr Phol icing sugar, which has tapioca starch. When I make formed shortbread I use Mitr Phol icing sugar and also tapioca starch. Being allergic to cornstarch, this opened up a whole new world for me.
Amber
Yes, I use Arrowroot starch/flour all the time as replacement for corn starch, works great every time
Liz @ Tasty Treats & Eats
Just because you have used this as a substitute in other recipes does not mean it will work in this recipe. As I mentioned earlier, cornstarch is one of the only 4 ingredients in this recipe. It's a major ingredient. If you don't have it - I'd recommend finding a shortbread cookie recipe that doesn't have it.
Lynn
Tapioca Starch also works to replace cornstarch here. If you're allergic to cornstarch make sure your icing sugar does not contain it. I found a brand of icing sugar ar the dollar store called Mitr Phol icing sugar. It contains tspioca starch.