WHIPPED SHORTBREAD RECIPE FOR TODAY

WHIPPED SHORTBREAD

30 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (0.5 lb, 227g) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup (1.4oz, 40g) corn starch

1 1/2 cups (7.5oz, 213g) all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup (2oz, 57g) powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon (2.5mL) vanilla

15 candied cherries, sliced in half

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the candied cherries in half. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter until smooth and fluffy. Add the corn starch, flour, powdered sugar, and vanilla, and whip until light and fluffy.
2. Roll the dough into small balls, about 1 tablespoon each, and place them about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Dip a fork into a small bowl of flour and press the cookies down with it to flatten them. Make sure to dip the fork into the flour and shake off the excess before flattening each cookie so that it doesn’t stick. Place half a cherry in the middle of each cookie, pressing it down lightly.
3. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 7 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Be sure to measure the flour correctly for these cookies. I use the dip and sweep method to measure my flour (fluff up the flour in the bin first, then scoop with your measuring cup and level it off with a knife or flat edge). I also measure my powdered sugar and cornstarch this way. I've included the weights as well, so you can use a kitchen scale instead if you have one.

When whipping the dough, be sure to keep whipping until the dough has come together and is light and fluffy. It will be crumbly at first but will be smooth after whipping it for 2-3 minutes in a stand mixer, or with an electric mixer.

If candied cherries aren't your thing, chunks of chocolate are good, or nothing at all - the cookies are great on their own too!