WHIPPED SHORTBREAD COOKIES

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. 

You can use a handheld mixer on a high speed, but the mixer will be working hard when the flour is added.

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.

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