Whipped Shortcrust Pastry Cookies: The Recipe for Perfect Mini Pastries
If you dream of making mini pastries at home worthy of the best showcases, the whipped shortcrust pastry is the perfect base to start from. These assorted cookies are ideal for grand occasions, an elegant buffet, or simply to accompany a steaming cup of tea during an afternoon with friends.

Why make mini pastry cookies at home?
Creating small pastries with your own hands is a unique satisfaction. Unlike classic shortcrust, the whipped shortcrust pastry guarantees a crumbly texture that melts in the mouth. It is an extremely versatile recipe that allows for endless variants starting from a single base dough, just as I did to celebrate last weekend.

Delicious Variations and Personalizations

The secret to a successful tray of assorted cookies lies in personalization like using flavors: I chose the classic vanilla, but you can use organic lemon or orange zest for a citrusy touch. Then replace a small part of the flour with some unsweetened cocoa to get irresistible chocolate shortbread. For the joy of young and old alike, dip half of each cookie in melted dark chocolate and add chopped hazelnuts or pistachios.

Tips for a Professional Result
To achieve cookies with a perfect and regular shape, it’s advised to use a piping bag with a star tip. Patience and precision are crucial: if you have help in the kitchen, as I did, the work will become even more enjoyable, and the final result will be impeccable. These cookies will literally disappear quickly! Therefore, I advise always doubling the doses, because the advantage is that they keep well for several days in a tin box, maintaining their fragrance intact.
A special thanks to my husband for the valid and patient support in the kitchen, without which these cookies would not have been so beautiful and good!

If you love cookies and are particularly interested in making something suitable for grand occasions, try these ideas too:

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Medium
Rest time: 1 Hour
Preparation time: 25 Minutes
Cooking time: 12 Minutes
Portions: 45 Pieces
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring

Ingredients

⚠ THIS RECIPE INCLUDES ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; buying them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it doesn’t cost you anything extra!

3 cups g all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups g butter (soft)
2 eggs
1 cup g powdered sugar
2 packets vanilla flavoring
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt
2.8 oz g dark chocolate
2 oz g candied cherries (mixed or only red)
to taste chopped almonds
to taste chopped hazelnuts
to taste pistachio flour
to taste grated coconut (rapé)
to taste colored sprinkles

Tools

1 Stand Mixer
1 Strainer
1 Spatula
1 Baking Tray
1 Parchment Paper
1 Saucepan
1 Cooling Rack

Steps

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the wire whisk attachment, work the softened butter* previously cut into cubes together with the sifted powdered sugar.
Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer instead of the stand mixer or proceed with a hand whisk. Beat for about 5 minutes until you get a smooth and homogeneous cream.
Then incorporate the eggs, one at a time, allowing each to be fully absorbed into the mixture and beat for another 10 minutes until it becomes nice and fluffy. During the process, occasionally turn off the mixer and, with a spatula, collect the mixture that the centrifugal action has spread on the sides of the bowl.
Then remove the mixture from the mixer and add the sifted vanilla, a pinch of salt, and the sifted flour together with the baking powder. Carefully mix everything from bottom to top with a spatula or wooden spoon. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with the special star-shaped nozzle and create the shapes you prefer (horseshoe, S-shape, etc.). The cookies can then be decorated with candied cherries or almonds before baking.
Once the cookies are made, let them rest in the fridge for 1 hour and then bake in a preheated static oven at 190°C (374°F) for 5 minutes, then lower to 180°C (356°F) for another 8-10 minutes. The cookies should not become dark but just golden. Remove from oven and let the whipped shortcrust pastry cookies cool on a rack.
Meanwhile, proceed to melt the dark chocolate using a double boiler. Dip the tips of the cookies in the melted chocolate, then in the coconut, pistachio flour, and sprinkles, and place the cookies on a large tray as you go.
Let them dry completely for at least 3 hours before storing or serving the cookies.
And voilà… the whipped shortcrust pastry tea cookies are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di FeFè!