When I was a little girl Little Mama would start her
Christmas baking at the end of November, and put her wares in the freezer to pull out when
guests stopped by. We had a big ol’ deep
freezer in the basement where the Christmas treats were stored, and we kids would
look for excuses to go down to the basement; maybe it was to get the laundry,
or to grab a jar of pickles. Even at
night we would brave the basement if it meant we could get into that freezer
and sneak a couple of holiday goodies.
At night the basement was cold, dark and shadowy, especially under the
stairs where the light didn’t quite penetrate, that’s where the ghosts and
goblins resided along side the camping equipment. When I would go down stairs, I hugged the exterior wall until I got to the middle of
the basement, then I would make a run for it to the freezer; and I never, ever,
looked in the direction of the stairs. Then
once I had what I came for, I would bolt for the exterior wall and back up the
stairs, never, ever, looking beneath the stairs.
There were three treats that we counted on year after
year. Butter Tarts (sweet, buttery, delectable
tarts filled with currants; the Canadians know what I’m talking about), Chocolate
Marshmallow Log (self-explanatory), and Whipped Shortbread (buttery melt in
your mouth goodness). There were other
treats, but those varied year by year by whatever was trendy. Hands down, every year, Whipped Shortbread
Cookies were everyone’s favorite. They
even taste amazing straight from the freezer.
I went to make Whipped Shortbread Cookies this weekend,
tearing the house apart looking for the recipe, to no avail. I called Little Mama in a panic and no one
was there to answer the phone. I left a
message asking to please phone me back, but not without the recipe for Whipped
Shortbread Cookies. Of course when Little
Mama returned my call, I had run out to the grocery store; but she left me a
message. It was the recipe. This recipe is so simple, that Little Mama
left it for me in a short and concise voice mail! Thanks Mama!
Once you try these buttery, melt in your mouth, not too
sweet, Whipped Shortbread Cookies, they will be a staple of your holiday baking
too!
Here’s what you do.
Pre heat oven to 325 degrees.
Drain a jar of Maraschino Cherries, and cut them in
half. You will need 36 to 38 halves.
I just realized that this picture looks like a Maraschino Cherry massacre. Oh, so, cheery!
Sift together the corn starch and confectioner’s sugar.
Sift the flour, but don’t mix it with the other sifted
ingredients, they are added to the batter separately. I decided against putting a photo of the flour being sifted. If you need a visual, it looks exactly the same as the above picture.
Put the whisk attachment on the mixer, and on high, whip the
salted butter.
When the butter is whipped and fluffy ( this takes about 5 minutes with my mixer) add the sifted corn
starch and confectioner’s sugar all at once; add the vanilla extract too.
Start the mixer on low, so that you are not
covered in white powder, then kick the speed up to whip the ingredients until they’re
light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
Once those ingredients are whipped, add the flour 1 cup at a time.
Mix just until incorporated, scraping the
bowl between each addition.
See how fluffy the batter is, that’s because I didn’t over
work the dough, once the flour was added.
Drop the dough by rounded tablespoon, spaced about 2 inches
apart onto an ungreased sheet pan.
I use
insulated pans for baking cookies, if your pans are not insulated you may wish
to use a Silpat liner on your pan.
Press a Maraschino Cherry half into each cookie.
If you're taking photos, be sure that it's blurry, just like this one.
Bake for 15 minutes.
They cookies remain a pale color, and the edges will have a very light gold color.
Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a few minutes, and then remove
them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Whipped
Shortbread Cookies should be stored in an airtight container.
These cookies can be frozen for up to 6
weeks.
Makes 3 dozen cookies
1-6 oz. jar Maraschino cherries, about 19 cherries
½ cup Cornstarch, unsifted
1 cup Confectioner’s sugar, unsifted
3 cups All-purpose flour, unsifted
1 lb. Salted butter, softened at room
temperature
1 ½ tsp. Vanilla extract
1.
Pre heat
oven to 325 degrees.
2.
Drain the Maraschino cherries and cut them in
half.
3.
Sift together the cornstarch and confectioner’s
sugar, set to the side.
4.
Sift the flour, set to the side; do not mix it with the corn starch and confectioner's sugar.
5.
Beat the butter until whipped and fluffy; about 5 minutes on high. If using a stand mixer, then use the whisk
attachment. You can also use a hand held mixer.
6.
Add to the butter, all at once, the sifted cornstarch,
confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla extract.
Start the mixer on low, just to start; then beat the mixture on high to
whip until the ingredients are fluffy; about 3 minutes.
7.
Add the sifted flour, 1 cup at a time; and mix
just to incorporate, scraping the bowl after each addition. Do not over work the dough.
8.
Drop by rounded tablespoon, about 2 inches apart
onto an ungreased sheet pan.
9.
Bake for about 15 minutes. The cookies will remain pale in color and the edges will have a very light gold color.
10.
Cool the cookies slightly on the pan then
transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an air tight container.
*Note: These cookies
can be frozen for up to 6 weeks.
This recipe is linked at:
This recipe is linked at:

Those are SO CUTE! I've been on a baking kick now that it's the holidays - I'll try them out ;)
ReplyDeleteOh I love these, Kari! They're perfect for Santa with the maraschino cherries reminding me of Rudolph's nose :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Kari, your shortbread cookies look good, very tempting. Guess hard to stop munching.... :)
ReplyDeleteHave a nice week ahead.
What a lovely tradition to have taken from your mother - especially because these look incredible!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by my blog, it's lovely to have discovered yours :-)
Aren't these just so sweet?! I love them.
ReplyDeleteSanta is lucky this year - these cookies sound amazing!
ReplyDeleteI believe I will be making these very soon! How wonderful. And, I will take a blurry photo while pressing the cherries into the dough!
ReplyDeleteJenni @ Jenni's Ferris Wheel of Food