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Whipped Shortbread

Whipped Shortbread

These melt in your mouth! The secret is in the beating

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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup butter (do not use margarine)
  2. 1/2 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
  3. 1 1/2 cups flour
Instructions
  1. Cream butter and sugar. Add flour and beat for 10 minutes. Drop from small spoon onto cookie sheet. Decorate with maraschino cherry pieces if you wish. Bake at 350 F. for about 10-12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned. makes about 3 dozen small cookies.
Notes
  1. This recipe doubles well
The Best of Bridge https://www.bestofbridge.com/

Eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines.

This recipe is available in the book The Best of the Best and More.

This recipe is available in the book The Complete Best of Bridge Cookbooks Volume One.

Join the discussion 27 Comments

  • Kelli Gerow says:

    Actually, I used margarine and it worked. I have a vegan child and even used Earth Balance/coconut oil combo and this tried and true recipe still worked. Add some vanilla or almond extract for extra fun!

  • Britt says:

    Have always made these!
    This year however they are turning into pancakes. What have I done wrong?
    🙁

    • Best of Bridge Editors says:

      Hi Britt, we’ve all been there – it’s disheartening when a tried and true recipe doesn’t work out! Here are a few suggestions for better results, that you may or may not have already considered. It’s possible that your oven is running hot and the butter spreads out too quickly. You can double check the accuracy of your oven using an inexpensive oven thermometer. Were the cookies baked on the middle oven rack? The bottom of the oven is hotter. Cool baking sheets between batches. Double check the measuring of the flour. Wishing you better results next time!

    • Yukon Jane says:

      Could it be that the butter is too soft? Many doughs benefit from a chill in the fridge before baking. Would that apply to this recipe?

    • Yukon Jane says:

      Could it be that the butter is too soft? Many doughs benefit from a chill in the fridge before baking. Would that apply to this recipe?

  • Carolin says:

    Can you use a cookie press with this recipe.

    • Best of Bridge Editors says:

      Hi Carolin, yes you can use a cookie press with this recipe, however you will get better results if you chill the pressed cookies for about 10 minutes before you bake them. This will help the shape to hold better. Enjoy!

  • myrna says:

    What is the shelf life of these cookies?

    • Best of Bridge Editors says:

      Hi Myrna, for best flavor, the cookies can keep for 5 days at room temperature, and up to 2 months in the freezer. Enjoy!

  • Tanis Magnusson says:

    hi, why are there so many different recipes and amounts being used on the net? also temperatures vary? Some say 1/2 c butter, some say 1c butter, more flour, less flour, I am getting super confused, thanks, going to try this recipe and will let you know,

  • Brenda says:

    I made these tonight and they are perfect. Best shortbread recipe I’ve tried.

  • Becky says:

    I ‘whipped’ these and once baked – they just fell apart – still tasted great. What speed should the mixer be at for best results

    • Best of Bridge Editors says:

      Hi Becky, sometimes whipped shortbread can be tricky. The dough is mixed at high speed. You might want to try chilling the dough before baking so it holds the shape better. Wishing you success on the next batch!

  • LC says:

    hello I have made these many times and everyone raves about the flavour! Last year they just disintigrated when I tried to take them off the cookie sheet. I’m wondering what would happen if you beat them for 5 minutes instead of 10? Do you know what effect that would have?

    • Best of Bridge Editors says:

      Hi LC, that’s unfortunate when baking doesn’t quite turn out. We suggest you beat the dough for the 10 minutes. Baking results can fluctuate: flour and butter can vary in their moisture level, depending on the batch and the brand. Sometimes an oven isn’t calibrated for accurate baking temperatures – this can be checked with an inexpensive oven thermometer. If the oven is running too hot, the dough will spread out too quickly. Happy baking!

  • Dianne Shirley says:

    Which is best salted or unsalted butter?

  • Karen says:

    Just wondering if the butter should be at room temperature or straight from the fridge? Mine are flattening in the oven.

    • Best of Bridge Editors says:

      Hi Karen, you can start with room temperature butter, but I think there might a few other things to consider. You might want to try a test and bake two or three cookies to see how they result. If the cookies still flatten, you could add 1 or 2 tbsp extra flour to the remaining dough (flour can vary in moisture level and will absorb more or less moisture from the butter). You can also refrigerate the shaped cookies for 30 minutes before baking. Happy baking!

  • Jodi Cap;lan says:

    Hi

    I’ve made these for years with excellent results , however this year I am not getting a nice whipped , light batter. Should I add more butter? I tried whipping them longer to no avail.

    Thank you for your time

    • Best of Bridge Editors says:

      Hi Jodi, we’re so happy you’ve been making these for years which indicates you are doing it right! The only thing we can think is that perhaps ingredient formulations may have changed with the flour and most likely the butter. It is has been confirmed that the butter we get today is not the same as in year’s past. You might like to try the recipe with a different brand and see how that turns out. Good luck!

  • Ruth says:

    I use a piping bag to pipe rosette shaped cookies on cookie sheet and they turn out amazing every time. Sometimes add a teaspoon of vanilla and decorate with red and green sugar on top.

  • I have been making these for at least 15 years- everyone raves about them! This year people at my husbands work are already asking when I will be making them this year. And he works in a restaurant, so they are food connoisseurs.

  • Nancy Williams says:

    I love my Best of Bridge recipes. I was first introduced to the wonderful books about 30 years ago when I lived in Calgary.

  • lc says:

    Hello! I’ve also been making these for decades but now live in Europe and struggle with different flour consistency. I’ll try some of the tricks indicated above but am also wondering whether you recommend the paddle attachment or the whisk for the mixer.
    Many thanks!
    Lindsey

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