This year I participated in a fabulous cookie exchange and made whipped shortbread.

This recipe is by Jean Pare from Company’s Coming for Christmas, but my grandmother and mother have been making these for years.

The cookie exchange is the funnest part – the ladies brought potluck appys, drank wine and then we traded the goodies! If you have a group of friends who know how to cook this is a fabulous way to get some baking done in one shot!

Here’s the recipe I used.

1 cup butter (not margarine), softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch

Maraschino cherries, quartered and blotted dry (optional)

Sprinkles (optional)

Beat butter and sugar in a medium bowl for about 5 minutes until light and creamy.

Combine flour and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to butter slowly, beating continuously until light and fluffy.

Drop using 1 Tsp for each, about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

If desired, put 1 cherry piece in the centre of each cookie or add sprinkles. Bake in 375 F oven for about 12 minutes until edges are just golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool. Makes approx 3 dozen cookies.

I doubled the recipe and that worked well too. You may end up adjusting the cooking time depending on how hot your oven is – I only needed 9 minutes for mine.