Whipped shortbread is a holiday classic—it’s lighter and sandier than traditional shortbread, and tends to have a higher ratio of butter to flour.
While traditional shortbread is typically 1:2, whipped shortbread is often around 1: 1.5 (ie 1 cup butter to 1 1/2, rather than 2 cups of flour). Make 1/2 cup of it rice flour or cornstarch if you like, for a more smooth, sandy texture. This recipe calls for icing sugar, which provides less sweetness than granulated sugar—if you like, swap about 1/3 cup white sugar.
Ingredients:
1 cup (250 mL) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) vanilla (optional)
1 1/2 (375 mL) cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch or rice flour)
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
Cherries in syrup, for garnish
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 ̊F.
In a large bowl, beat the butter for about 2 minutes, until pale and light. Add the icing sugar and beat for another 2-3 minutes, until very pale and light. Slowly beat or stir in the flour and salt, just until the dough comes together.
Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place a couple inches apart on an uncreased or parchment-lined baking sheet. If you like, press down on each slightly with the tines of a fork or the palm of your hand.
Press a whole or half cherry into the top of each and bake for 12-14 minutes, until set and pale golden around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies.
