These melt-in-your-mouth whipped shortbread cookies look like a whole holiday cookie tray, but they all start with one simple dough. Dress them up, keep them classic, or mix and match for the prettiest assortment.
If there’s ever a time for a cookie that feels both effortless and special, it’s the holidays, and whipped shortbread fits that window perfectly. These cookies are wonderfully buttery and light, the kind that practically dissolve the moment you take a bite. And the best part? One batch of dough can turn into a whole platter of festive shapes and styles.
I made an assortment here to show just how versatile they can be: piped wreaths and S-shapes, simple round cookies with a fork-pressed pattern, chocolate-dipped edges covered in sprinkles, crushed peppermint, or nuts, and even a few with white chocolate and a snowy drizzle. They’re classic and cozy, but also customizable enough to fit any holiday vibe you’re going for.
Whether you stick with one favorite shape or mix up several for gifting, these cookies deliver that melt-in-your-mouth texture and homemade charm that always feels right this time of year—and honestly, all year long.
Why You’ll Love This Whipped Shortbread Recipe
- Melt-in-your-mouth texture. Whipped butter gives these cookies their signature lightness. They’re soft, delicate, and almost impossibly buttery.
- One dough, endless cookie-tray magic. Pipe them, roll them, dip them in chocolate, add sprinkles. You can make a whole holiday assortment from a single batch!
- Perfect for gifting. They hold their shape beautifully, look fancy without any fuss, and pack well in cookie tins or boxes.
- Approachable ingredients. Just butter, sugar, flour, cornstarch, vanilla, and a little salt. Nothing unusual or hard to track down.
- Festive or simple, your choice. Keep them plain for an everyday treat, or go full holiday sparkle with chocolate, peppermint, sprinkles, or nuts.
What You’ll Need
A short list of simple ingredients is all you need to make these buttery cookies. Let’s take a look at what makes these simple treats work. For the ingredient quantities and full instructions, scroll to the recipe card below.
- Butter – Unsalted butter gives you full control over the flavor. Make sure it’s softened so it whips up light and fluffy.
- Confectioners’ sugar – This keeps the cookies tender and gives them that classic whipped-shortbread texture.
- Flour + cornstarch – The combination creates a delicate crumb, and the cornstarch helps them hold their shape while still staying soft.
- Vanilla extract – Just a little adds warmth and rounds out the buttery flavor.
- Salt – A pinch balances all that sweetness.
How to Make Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Combine the dry ingredients.
Sift together the flour, cornstarch, and salt.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and airy.
Give this step a full few minutes. The dough gets its signature delicate texture from properly whipped butter.
Mix in the vanilla.
A little goes a long way here.
Mix in the dry ingredients gently.
Add them to the butter mixture. Stop mixing as soon as everything comes together. Over-mixing can make the cookies dense.
Shape the cookies your way.
Scoop and roll the dough for simple rounds, pipe it with a large star tip (like Wilton 6B) for wreaths or S-shapes, or mix and match shapes for variety. Add sprinkles (like nonpareils) if you like.
Bake just until set.
These bake low and slow at 300°F. Pull them when the edges are set but still pale; they shouldn’t brown.
Add your festive touches.
Press on more sprinkles, dip in chocolate, drizzle with white chocolate, sprinkle crushed peppermint, or add chopped nuts.
Tips for Whipped Shortbread Success
- Whip the butter really well. Give it time to get fluffy! That aeration is what makes the cookies light and tender.
- Don’t over-mix once the flour goes in. Stop mixing as soon as everything comes together. Too much mixing = tougher cookies.
- Choose the right piping tip. If you’re piping shapes, use a large open star tip like Ateco 866 or Wilton 6B. Smaller tips make the dough harder to pipe and won’t give you those pretty ridges.
- Choose the shaping method that works for you. This dough should feel soft and light, which is exactly what you want for whipped shortbread. If piping feels tricky or the dough seems too soft to hold ridges cleanly, scooping and gently pressing the dough works just as well.
- Use a light-colored baking pan. These cookies bake low and stay pale, so a light-colored metal pan helps keep the bottoms from browning too quickly.
- Chill the dough only if needed. This dough is meant to be soft and pipeable, so don’t chill it unless your kitchen is warm or the dough feels too loose. If your piped wreaths or S-shapes look a little soft after piping (especially in a warm kitchen), place the whole pan in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to help them hold definition in the oven.
- Bake just until the edges are set. Whipped shortbread stays pale. You’re not looking for browning; a light, dry-looking surface is your cue.
Variations and Decorating Ideas
Part of the charm here is how effortlessly these cookies adapt to whatever look you want from holiday sparkle, to simple rounds, or something in between. One dough gives you endless ways to get creative. Here are some ideas to spark your creativity:
Shapes
- Piped wreaths or swirls
- S-shaped cookies
- Fork-pressed rounds
- Ribbon or shell shapes using a large star tip
Chocolate dips
- Dark or milk chocolate with holiday sprinkles
- White chocolate with crushed peppermint
- Chocolate + chopped toasted nuts
Simple finishes
- A light drizzle of melted white chocolate
- Coarse sugar or sanding sugar before baking
- A candied cherry half pressed into the center
Mix-and-match tray: Use one batch of dough to create several shapes and finishes. It looks like a whole cookie assortment but requires no extra work.
How to Store
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container up to 1 week. Separate layers with parchment if decorated.
Freezer (baked): Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Freezer (unbaked): Pipe or shape the dough, freeze on a baking sheet until firm, then store up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes as needed.
A Cookie Tin MVP
These cookies feel like the holidays in the best way—soft, buttery, a little nostalgic, and guaranteed to disappear fast. Whether you pipe a full assortment or keep things simple, they’re an easy favorite for gifting, sharing, or just keeping a plate on the counter for snacking.
If you’re planning a full cookie tray this year, you’ll also find plenty of inspiration in my Christmas Cookies roundup. So many classics to pair with these!
Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (35 g) cornstarch
- pinch salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (55 g) confectioners’ sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Recommended Products
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Sift together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy (about 4 to 5 minutes). Add the vanilla, mixing until combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until incorporated. The dough will be very soft and light.
- Scoop or pipe tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared pans. (See note below.)
- Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are just barely set and the bottoms are pale golden. Do not over-bake.
- Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Butter temperature: The butter should be softened but still cool to the touch. If it’s too soft or beginning to look greasy, the dough can lose structure and be harder to pipe.
- Flour measurement: For best results, take care to measure the flour accurately. Too much flour can make these cookies dense and harder to pipe. A kitchen scale is ideal, or use the spoon-and-level method.
- Dough texture: The dough should be soft and light. If piping feels difficult, let the filled piping bag rest a few minutes to soften slightly, or simply scoop the dough instead.
- Pan choice: Use a light-colored metal pan to help prevent over-browning.
- Shaping options: Scoop and press, pipe with a large open star tip (Ateco 866 or Wilton 6B), or mix and match shapes for an assorted cookie tray.
- Chocolate dipping: Dip cooled cookies in melted chocolate or white chocolate, then add sprinkles, crushed peppermint, toasted nuts, or a drizzle of more chocolate.
- Chilling: Not required, but if your piped shapes feel soft, chill the pan 10–15 minutes before baking.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months, or freeze shaped dough and bake from frozen with 1–2 extra minutes as needed.
One Comment on “Whipped Shortbread Cookies”
are these crisp crunchy? can you add cocoa to make them chocolate?