Browned Butter Whipped Shortbread Cookies

One of our favorite Christmas cookie recipes is our Whipped Shortbread Cookie recipe that has been in our family forever. 

I made several batches of the "usual" recipe this year and then had the brilliant idea to add a little twist.

In case you didn't already guess from the title of this post, let me give the surprise away...

I browned the butter.

*Hallelujah*

In case you are one of those people that has never tried browned butter let me just ask...WHY HAVEN'T YOU TRIED THIS YET? 

I mean...Whipped Shortbread Cookies are pretty much top of the Christmas cookie pecking pile but add in browned butter and LOOK OUT - your taste buds are about to implode from all the deliciousness. 

Really.

You need these in your face right now.

Browned Butter Whipped Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

1 lb butter (2 cups)

1 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

3 cups flour

*Maraschino cherries for decorating*

Directions

Preheat oven to 300. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter over medium heat, stirring constantly. When butter turns brown and there is tiny brown flecks in it, remove from heat and transfer to another dish to cool. (This takes about 10 - 15 minutes - keep an eye on it - once it starts to turn brown it turns quickly.)

Let butter cool until it solidifies again but is still soft enough to beat.

Place butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat the icing sugar into the butter on slow speed. 

Slowly beat in the cornstarch until well mixed.

Add in the flour, a little at a time, beating the whole time, until thoroughly combined. Continue to whip the dough, scraping the sides a few times, for 2 - 3 minutes.

Using a small cookie scoop (or tablespoon) place dough about an inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet. (They don't spread so you can place them fairly close together). Decorate with little pieces of chopped Maraschino cherries if desired.

Bake at 300 for 35 - 45 minutes, until bottoms are lightly brown. 

**Note - If you are impatient you can bake your cookies at 350 for 10 - 15 minutes. They brown very quickly this way so you will need to keep a close eye on them!**

FYI - for more notes on making Whipped Shortbread Cookies you can check our original recipe HERE. 

I have to say that these look like healthy cookies. They have that kind-of brownish, grainy look that "healthy" cookies usually have. 

They're not healthy though.

Not even a little bit.

What they are though are little bites of heaven. 

Want to make it to the top of Santa's "good" list? Leave him these cookies.