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Tender, buttery, melt in your mouth Viennese Whirls!
Delicious butter cookies slathered with raspberry jam and a light vanilla buttercream filling.
Are you a fan of The Great British Baking Show? If you’ve followed along on PBS or binged all available seasons on Netflix, you may remember these Viennese Whirls featured in Season 4, Episode 2 as part of a technical challenge for the bakers.
This delicious recipe comes from Mary Berry one of the celebrity judges on the show. My husband and I had never seen The Great British Baking Show before it was released on Netflix, but by the end of the first episode we were hooked. It’s easy to see why it’s so popular everywhere!
We were drawn into the variety of the challenges, the personalities, and the sheer magnitude of their creativity! The show has featured some pretty amazing bakers and equally fantastic creations.
These tender little cookies (a/k/a biscuits) are really easy to make (if you follow the directions – haha – always a caveat!)
All measurements for the ingredients are noted in grams instead of the typical cups we use in the United States. I’ve made these cookies several times and during the first two attempts I tried converting the measurements to cups instead of grams. I hoped this would make it easier for our readers who don’t own a digital scale.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t happy with either attempt and found that the measurements don’t convert as well as hoped. Do yourself a favor and buy an inexpensive digital kitchen scale and get it right the first time. The balance of butter to flour must be exact to achieve the perfect swirl and proper texture.
In addition to a digital scale, you’ll need two piping bags and two decorator tips.
I used a Wilton 1M tip to pipe the cookie dough and the Wilton 4B tip for the buttercream. You could use the same tip (1M) for both if you want, or just spread the buttercream on with a knife. The swirl on the cookies is much more important than the buttercream filling.
Ingredients needed to make Viennese Whirls:
For the cookies:
- unsalted butter
- confectioner’s or powdered sugar
- all-purpose flour
- cornstarch or arrowroot
For the filling:
- unsalted butter
- confectioner’s or powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- raspberry jam
TIPS and Techniques to make Viennese Whirls:
- As mentioned in the recipe below, the butter must be very, very soft (not melted) in order to pipe the dough into swirls.
- Pipe the cookie dough slowly and evenly ensuring a good thick line inside the circle template. Start piping on the inside edge of the circle and end in the middle by pulling up into a point. The dough will settle down when baked and leave you with the pretty pattern on the top.
- Use the best swirls for the cookie tops. Nobody needs to know if some are not perfect. The cookies are delicious no matter how they look.
- Don’t get carried away and add too much jam. Spread on just enough to cover as it will ooze out a little when sandwiched together.
- I hope all these tips help and that you enjoy making, baking and sharing these treats. They are buttery and light. So delicious and pretty easy to make too!
Thanks for PINNING!
Viennese Whirls
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 250 grams unsalted butter very soft but not melted
- 50 grams powdered sugar
- 225 grams all-purpose flour
- 25 grams cornstarch
For the fillings:
- 100 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 200 grams powdered sugar plus extra for dusting on top
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup seedless raspberry jam
Instructions
To prepare the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter as a guide, trace 15-16 circles on each piece of parchment, spaced at least 1-inch apart. Turn the parchment over so the pencil marks are on the bottom. Set aside.
- Prepare a piping bag fitted with a medium star tip. Set aside.
- Combine the butter and powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until pale and fluffy. Sift the flour and cornstarch together over the butter mixture. Beat on low until just combined, then beat on medium until well blended. Scoop the mixture into the prepared piping bag.
- Pipe the cookie dough into swirled rounds (not rosettes) ending in the center with a little peak. Pipe each round a little smaller than the circle. The cookies will spread a little when baking and are best when not too big. Go slow and pipe a thick stream of dough for best results.
- Refrigerate the unbaked cookies for 30 minutes before baking. This will help the cookies keep their pretty shape. Repeat with remaining dough.
- After 30 minutes in the refrigerator, bake the sheets, one at a time, at 375°F for 10-15 minutes. The cookies should be light golden brown around the edges. If too pale, the cookies will not hold together well when eaten. They are best when just slightly brown on the bottom. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To prepare the filling:
- Prepare a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Combine the softened butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a medium mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and light. Spoon the buttercream into the prepared piping bag.
- Spoon about 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons jam onto the flat side of half the cookies. Pipe buttercream onto the flat side of the remaining cookies. Gently sandwich the two sides together using one with buttercream and one with jam. Repeat until all cookies are filled. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Recipe Notes
- The butter must be very soft when mixing or the dough will be impossible to pipe into rounds.
- Take your time when piping the rounds. The piped dough should be somewhat thick to achieve pretty swirls.
- Depending on how thick you make the rounds, you may or may not need to pipe a few additional rounds on a third piece of parchment.
- Use the 2-inch circles as a guide and try to keep the dough inside the rounds to make them a bit smaller. The cookies are thick so they don’t need to be big too.
- Refrigerate the unbaked cookies for 30 minutes before baking to set the butter and help the cookies keep their shape.
- Bake until the bottom edges of the cookies are just lightly browned. If too light the cookies will not hold together well. If too brown they are not as pretty. Watch your baking time closely.
- Don’t use too much jam as the top of the cookie may slide off.
- Refrigerate finished cookies until ready to serve. Allow them to come to room temperature for 15-30 minutes before serving if desired.
Nutrition
Another favorite butter cookie with raspberry jam are these always popular Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprints. With a subtle almond flavor and a buttery, crisp shortbread base, these cookies are topped with sweet raspberry jam and an almond flavored drizzle.
And finally, don’t miss these Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies too. Who can resist the classic combination of raspberries and chocolate?! This little cookie boasts plenty of chocolate flavor and a fun little heart shaped thumbprint filled with seedless raspberry jam.
Originally published November 2018, updated November 2020
Barb Porter
Made the Viennese Swirl cookies and they are so delightful. Such a light cookie with the sweet buttercream and raspberry to finish the bite. Perfection!!!!!!!!!!!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Barb! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies. Thanks for commenting.
Kathie A
Love your recipe. Our local Pastry Shoppe makes these in a Oblone shape and one of the cookies has a coating of chocolate on it that is semi hard and then the jelly and white filling. They are to die for. At $3.50 I learned to make them in MY Pastry Kitchen! Ha Ha. Thanks for sharing with us.
Tricia Buice
Thank you Kathie! Those cookies sound amazing. Love the addition of chocolate… yum!
Martha
is this Mary Berry’s recipe? Looks the same to me.
Tricia Buice
Yes it is Martha. So good!
Lauren
Could I add a little almond extract to the cookie dough or would that mess up the consistency?
Tricia Buice
That should be fine Lauren and I bet it will be tasty.
Michelle
I was so looking forward to making these cookies, I wanted to make them for a local fair . . . BUT, as good as they were –AND THEY WERE DELICIOUS — they were way too fragile. What did I do wrong??? Cookie is light and fluffy and crumbly. So help me, please. Thank you.
Tricia Buice
Hi Michelle. Sorry you had trouble. Sounds like they needed an extra minute or two in the oven. As noted in the tips, if the cookies are under-baked they don’t hold together as well. I hope you’ll try again. They are so worth the effort!
joni
They looked and baked perfectly. Made my own strawberry jam from my frozen strawberries I picked over the summer. Thanks for sharing.
Tricia Buice
Terrific Joni! So happy you tried these cookies and enjoyed them. Bravo!
Becky
I made these once before and they turned out perfect. But the second time around the cookie was more cake-like than it should be. Any idea what I did wrong?
Tricia Buice
Hi Becky. Did you use a different brand of butter in the second batch? I don’t have very good luck with generic butters, etc. Double check that your cornstarch is fresh, too. Sorry you had trouble but I hope you’ll try again sometime.
Rob
Hi,
Why do you turn the oven on so early? 20 mins prep time and 30 mins in the fridge = a lot of time the oven is using electricity to bake nothing.
Cathy
I made these cookies and they are delicious. Based on others comments about the fragility of the cookies, I baked them for 13 minutes and I had no issue filling and assembling them. Very pretty on a platter and delicious.
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Cathy. So glad these worked for you.
Suzanne Griffin
These cookies are so pretty!!! And fragile, lol! I am going to have to be careful filling them. But the cookie is tasty and I can’t wait to taste them filled. I’m going to fill some of them on the day before Christmas Eve so they will be ready at lunch on the Eve and fill some Christmas Eve so they will be ready for Christmas day. I know the family and friends are going to love these light little cookies.
Tricia Buice
Hi Suzanne. There’s a fine line between between being done just enough so they’re not so fragile. I would add 30 seconds to 1 minute more baking for more stability. So glad you enjoyed the recipe and hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Marci
Can I use a silicone baking mat, or will parchment work better?
Tricia Buice
Hi Marci. A baking mat will work just fine. Good luck and enjoy 🙂
Sarah
Would it be possible to turn these into a chocolate cookie?
Tricia Buice
Ooooh I LOVE this idea Sarah. You’ve got me thinking – maybe I’ll give it a go. Are you going to try?
sarah
I am going to give it a try this weekend 🙂 I have some chocohalics in my family. So i will make a normal batch and then see if i can get a chocolate batch. Might take a few tries to get the cocoa powder measurement to come out right.
Tricia Buice
Good luck! I’ll work on it soon, too. Enjoy the holiday weekend Sarah and happy baking!
Nette Bates
Made these twice and they are a big hit with friends and family. Lovely recipe ☺️
Tricia Buice
Thank you Nette! So glad you enjoyed these wonderful cookies
Loudean McCain
Love your recipes!!
Tricia Buice
Thank you so much Loudean!
Jenn
Delicious and they are beautiful little cookies. The oven temp. is too high and 13-15 minutes is far too long! Mine were done in 8 minutes and I lowered the temperature to 350. The dough was much too stiff to pipe out so I abandoned that and used my cookie press. FYI: European butter has a lower water content (and therefore a higher fat content) and though more expensive does give more buttery flavor (KerryGold, Plugra, Land of Lakes European style). These are very decadent- I have a major sweet tooth and one is plenty!
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Jenn. Glad you enjoyed the cookies.
:D
I think you got the butter and flour weight measurement wrong. It should be 225g butter and 250g flour.
Tricia Buice
Hi D. Nope – it is correct as written.
Lauren Searle
Way too sweet & fragile. I really wanted to love these and turn them into a new holiday tradition, but it was just pure sweetness without balance. Unfortunately they just aren’t worth the calories.
Tricia Buice
Sorry you had trouble with the cookies Lauren, and didn’t care for the flavor. I wonder if you used a really sweet jelly in place of the jam?
Christina bell
Can they be frozen ?
Tricia Buice
Hi Christina. Yes you can freeze the cookies, however, they are best frozen without the jam or buttercream filling. Enjoy!
Stuart Allen
I made these this weekend and they came out picture perfect, everything went according to plan. When I tried the dough before piping, I could taste a decent hint of flour, thought this would bake out, no luck. The finished product looked amazing, but tasted like flour to me as opposed to a butter cookie, any thoughts on how this can be alleviated/what I could have done wrong?
Tricia Buice
Hi Stuart. The only thing I can think of is that you might be tasting the cornstarch. You can try using arrowroot in place of the cornstarch. Also use unbleached flour. Hope this helps! So glad they turned out pretty and appreciate your feedback.
Jeannine Guglielmo
Can you freeze the Viennese Whirls?
Tricia Buice
Hi Jeannine. Yes, the shell of the cookie freezes very well. I would not freeze them assembled with the jam. It may soften the cookies and the color can bleed into the cookie and the buttercream frosting. Enjoy!
Rebecca English
I made these a few times while in my quarantine baking phase. I’d like to make them again soon for a friend who is gluten free. Any experimenting with an alternative flour like almond or coconut flour to make these GF?
Tricia Buice
Hi Rebecca. I have not experimented with GF flours in this recipe. Perhaps the 1-to-1 baking flour by Bob’s Red Mill would work. If using almond flour I would sift several times before using. If you make these cookies gluten free, we would love to know how these turn out. Your experience would help all our readers. Thanks for the great question!