Heavenly Whipped Shortbread

Ingredients

• 1 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 48 small maraschino cherry pieces, patted dry

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Using low speed of an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Whisk together flour and icing sugar; beat into butter just until dough comes together.
3. Increase beater speed to medium and beat for 10 minutes. Do not under beat.
4. Place mixture in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 2 tsp measures of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Alternatively, dough may be dropped from a spoon onto ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Press a cherry piece into centre of each unbaked cookie. Bake until cookies are firm and light golden around edges, about 12 - 14 minutes.
6. Let cookies stand for 2 minutes on cookie sheets. Remove from cookie sheets and cool cookies on racks. Store, layered with parchment paper, in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 1 week. May be frozen.