Best 5 Shortbread Christmas Cookies Recipes

SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl; with a pastry cutter, chop in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir the rum extract and almond extract into the water in a small bowl. Mix into the dry ingredients, a little bit at a time, until the mixture holds together in a ball when you squeeze it.
• Place the dough onto a floured work surface, and sprinkle with flour; roll out into a sheet 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with floured cookie cutters, and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Bake the cookies just until the edges are lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Allow to cool on sheets for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to finish cooling. Cool completely before decorating.
• For frosting, whisk the confectioners' sugar and milk in a bowl until smooth. If desired, divide frosting into small bowls, and tint each bowl a desired shade with food coloring. Frost fully cooled cookies, and sprinkle with edible glitter before the frosting sets.

PECAN SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Spray or lightly grease 2 large cookie sheets. In large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and food color. On low speed, beat in flour just until mixed. Stir in chopped pecans.
• Divide dough into 4 equal parts; shape each into ball. Place 2 balls of dough on each cookie sheet, on opposite ends. With rolling pin or floured fingers, gently flatten and shape each ball into 6-inch circle. With large knife, divide and cut each round into 8 wedges, slightly separating each cut with knife. Poke tops of wedges with fork, and place 1 pecan half in middle of each outer edge to make tree trunk.
• Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until firm but not brown. While still warm, cut into wedges again. Cool completely on cookie sheets, about 30 minutes.
• Place cooled tree wedges on cooling racks or waxed paper. Place baking chips in small resealable freezer plastic bag. Microwave on High 40 to 60 seconds, turning bag over after 30 seconds. Squeeze bag gently until chips are melted and smooth. Cut small tip off one corner of bag, and drizzle side to side over wedges to make tree garland. Sprinkle with sugar Top each tree with star.

ROSEMARY SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. In another bowl, whisk flour, rosemary and sea salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 4-1/2 by 2-1/2-in. tree-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. If desired, decorate with colored sugar., Bake until edges begin to brown, 14-16 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. , For frosting, beat confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and enough water to reach desired consistency. Divide frosting and add food coloring. Decorate cookies with frosting and nonpareils.

~ CHRISTMAS SHORTBREAD COOKIES ~

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In a medium bowl, beat together butter and confectioners' sugar, next add the salt vanilla and cornstarch, just until combined. Lastly beat in flour, just until combined. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Roll one inch balls and place 1/2 inch apart on sheet pan. Lightly press cookies with tines of a fork and decorate with your favorite colored sugars or desired sprinkles. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling racks and continue until all dough is baked.
• 2. The recipe can easily be doubled for more melt in your mouth delights!

CHRISTMAS MARASCHINO CHERRY SHORTBREAD COOKIES RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt, set aside. Cream 1 cup unsalted softened butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar, mix in vanilla. Add flour and salt mixture and mix until it starts forming larger clumps. Mix in chocolate chips and maraschino cherries. Form the dough into the log and press it well or it will crumble when you slice the cookies (the log should be about 2 inch thick) Wrap it in the plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hour. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the log into 1/4 or 1/3 inch thick slices (if the slices crumbles, press it back together with your hands) and place them onto baking sheet with one inch of space between. Bake the cookies 10- 15 minutes (until they just start to turn lightly golden brown on top) Let them cool for 5 minutes on a baking sheet before transfer them to a rack to cool completely.