Whipped Shortcrust Pastry: fail-proof recipe for cookies that melt in your mouth
There’s a scent that reminds of home, childhood, and serene afternoons: that of freshly baked cookies.
And what if I told you that you can make butter pastries so delicate and crumbly that they melt in your mouth, without the stress of having to chill the dough in the refrigerator?
Today I’m going to reveal the secret of Whipped Shortcrust Pastry, my fail-proof recipe.
Unlike classic shortcrust, this dough is so soft and fluffy that it can be worked with beaters and shaped immediately with a piping bag, turning preparation into a real game.
This is the perfect dough to create assorted cookies, ideal for tea time, a special breakfast, or simply for a sweet treat at any time.
The beauty of this shortcrust is its versatility: you can shape it as you like, using various nozzles, and customize it with the flavor you love most.
In this recipe, I show you how to make classic vanilla cookies, but just a little touch of cocoa or a lemon zest can completely change the flavor.
I assure you that, by following a few simple rules, you will get perfect pastries: fragrant, aromatic, and delicate.
The only recommendation is to make a generous batch because once tasted, they’ll be gone quickly!
If you love shortcrust, try these versions too
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 20 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 40 COOKIES
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 355.26 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 41.01 (g) of which sugars 16.57 (g)
- Proteins 4.91 (g)
- Fat 19.74 (g) of which saturated 11.97 (g)of which unsaturated 6.93 (g)
- Fibers 1.27 (g)
- Sodium 70.15 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 75 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Whipped shortcrust pastry cookie ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup potato starch
- 16 oz butter
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 3 large egg yolks (about 3 yolks)
- 1 3/4 large egg whites (about 1 large egg white)
- 1 packet vanillin
- salt (1 pinch)
- 2 1/2 oz dark chocolate 70%
- to taste hazelnut pieces (or walnuts or almonds or pistachios)
- to taste confectioners' sugar (optional)
Tools
- Mixer
- Bowl
- Sieve
- Baking sheet
- Piping bag
How to prepare Whipped Shortcrust Pastry for Cookies
In a bowl, place the softened butter cut into cubes (take it out of the fridge at least an hour before), the confectioners’ sugar, the vanillin, and the pinch of salt. Beat with an electric mixer for at least 5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs (yolks and whites) at room temperature, a little at a time, mixing until completely absorbed. Sift the flour with the starch and incorporate them into the mixture, continuing to mix until a homogeneous and soft dough is obtained.
Put the dough in a piping bag with a serrated nozzle and create the cookies directly on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Try to make cookies of similar size for even baking. Let them rest in the fridge for about 20 minutes before baking.
Bake the cookies in a preheated static oven at 356°F for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Let them cool completely. Decorate the tips of the cookies with melted dark chocolate and hazelnut pieces, or simply dust them with confectioners’ sugar.
COCOA WHIPPED SHORTCRUST
To make cocoa whipped shortcrust, simply replace 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour with an equal amount of unsweetened cocoa powder in the dough.
NOTES
It’s very important for the success of the recipe that the butter is very soft, called “pomade”. To understand if it’s the right consistency, press with a finger; it should easily sink in, but be careful, it should neither be liquid nor melted! Let it soften at room temperature. Also, other ingredients, like eggs, should be at room temperature.
To flavor the whipped shortcrust, you can add orange or lemon zest to the dough instead of vanilla.
To form the whipped shortcrust cookies, I recommend using a fabric piping bag instead of a plastic one; otherwise, as the dough is firm, you wouldn’t be able to squeeze it out. Alternatively, you can use a cookie press.
BIMBY WHIPPED SHORTCRUST
Place the softened butter in pieces, confectioners’ sugar, and a pinch of salt in the bowl, and using the butterfly attachment, slowly turn the knob for 2 minutes until reaching speed 4. Add the eggs (whites and yolks) and continue for 2 minutes at speed 4. At this point, add the sifted flour with starch and vanillin and, with the blade attachment in motion, continue for 2 minutes at speed 4. The dough is ready to be placed in the piping bag.
STORAGE
Once ready, the WHIPPED SHORTCRUST cookies can be stored at room temperature in a tin box for up to 10 days.
Notes on Ingredients and Substitutions
Butter: Soft butter is the key to success. It must be at “pomade” consistency, which means soft like a cream, not melted. Using room temperature ingredients, including eggs, is crucial.
Flour and Starch: Potato starch is what makes the cookies crumbly and delicate. Do not replace it with more flour, or the cookies will be tougher.
Aromas: For cocoa cookies, replace 1/4 cup of flour with 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder. You can also use grated lemon or orange zest instead of vanilla for a different fragrance.
Alternatives and Variations
With jam: Instead of glazing, create a dent in the center of the cookies before baking and fill them with a bit of jam at the end of cooking.
Quick tarts: If you don’t want to make cookies, you can use this same dough for a tart. Roll it out and fill it with the jam you prefer; it doesn’t need to be worked by hand like traditional shortcrust.
Two-tone cookies: You can divide the dough and add cocoa to only one part, creating a delicious two-tone effect.
Usage and Pairings
These pastries are perfect for tea time or a herbal tea, but they also pair wonderfully with coffee or a cappuccino. Their delicacy makes them great at any time of the day.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. Why does the shortcrust melt in the piping bag?
This can happen if the environment is too warm. The dough, without needing rest, should be used immediately. If it feels too soft, put it in the fridge for 5 minutes before starting.
2. Can I use only all-purpose flour?
Yes, but I recommend using starch. It’s this ingredient that makes the cookies so crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth, without which the final texture would be more compact.
3. Why is it important to chill the cookies before baking?
This step helps to slightly firm up the dough and prevent the cookies from losing shape during baking, especially if they are a bit too soft. 15-20 minutes is enough.
