Best Holiday Shortbread Cookies Recipes

HOW TO DECORATE SHORTBREAD HOLIDAY CUT-OUT COOKIES WITH ROYAL ICING RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix with a fork.
• In a separate large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer for 3-5 minutes, until the butter and sugar are fully combined, but before the mixture becomes fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to incorporate.
• Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined, but crumbly. Finish mixing with your hands until the dough comes together in a ball.
• Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough and roll out to about ¼-inch thick. Use cookie cutters of your choice to punch out cookies. Place the cookie cut-outs on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges. Let cool completely.
• To make the royal icing: In a medium bowl, add the meringue powder to the powdered sugar. Whisk to combine. Add the vanilla and 4-6 tablespoons of water (depending on how runny or thick you'd like your icing.) Whisk until completely combined.
• Divide the icing into smaller bowls and add any desired gel food colors. Immediately transfer to piping bags, or cover with plastic wrap. Do not leave the icing uncovered, as it will develop a film. If this happens, add a small amount of water and whisk to incorporate.
• Decorate the cookies with royal icing as desired and let dry completely, at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
• Enjoy!

HOLIDAY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt; process until smooth. Add flour and pulse just until combined. Form dough into an 8-inch-long round or square log; wrap tightly in plastic and freeze until firm, 30 minutes (or up to 1 month).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Dip edges in sugar if desired and transfer to two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden brown around edges, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool 5 minutes on sheets. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

HOLIDAY SWIRL SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat softened butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the vanilla with spoon until well mixed. Stir in flour until blended. Knead 5 to 10 times or until dough is smooth.
• Divide dough into 3 pieces. Place 2 pieces of dough into 2 small bowls. To one bowl, add green food color; stir or knead to mix color thoroughly into dough. Repeat with red food color and second piece of dough.
• Cut each of the 3 doughs in half. Take one half of each of the doughs, and press together into a ball. Gently knead to mix colors (don't overwork dough or it will lose marbling). Shape into a roll, 6 inches long by 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Spread 1 tablespoon sparkling sugar on plastic wrap; roll log to cover. Wrap dough log tightly with plastic wrap. Repeat forming, shaping and rolling with remaining dough pieces. Refrigerate about 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Unwrap 1 of the dough logs; cut into 1/2-inch slices. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet, reshaping if necessary.
• Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Unwrap remaining dough log, and repeat slicing and baking. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store covered in airtight container.

FROSTED SHORTBREAD HOLIDAY COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• Cream butter and sugar in another large mixing bowl. Mix in eggs, then mix in vanilla. Gradually add in dry ingredients until incorporated. Remove dough from the bowl and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove dough from the refrigerator and roll out to desired thickness on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle more flour on top of and under the dough, and on the rolling pin as needed to help prevent dough from sticking to the surface. Cut cookies with a round cookie cutter and place 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake until cookies are firm to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 30 minutes.
• Generously apply frosting to cooled cookies with a butter knife. Sprinkle crushed candy canes over top.

HOLIDAY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together Finlandia Salted Butter and sugar on medium high until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
• On the lowest speed, stir in flour, and mix just until blended. Remove from mixer, and knead dough into a ball. Chill for one hour.
• Working with half of the dough at a time, roll it to about 1/4-inch thick on a well-floured board. Cut into desired shapes, and re-roll scraps as needed to cut more. Place cookies onto the prepared baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and decorate with sugar. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until very lightly golden brown on bottom and cooked through. Let cool about two minutes on the pan, then transfer cookies to a rack, sugar side up, to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

CASSAVA FLOUR HOLIDAY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine butter, maple syrup, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until smooth and creamy. Add flour and salt; continue mixing until a firm dough forms. Flatten dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the the preheated oven until edges are golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

HOLIDAY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Pat into an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Prick all over with a fork., Bake at 325° for 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool for 10-15 minutes. Cut into small squares. Continue to cool to room temperature.

MEXICAN SHORTBREAD HOLIDAY COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Put cinnamon sticks and water in pan; bring to a boil. Remove sticks and chill liquid in fridge. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat shortening, vanilla, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup chilled cinnamon water. Mix until fluffy. Stir in flour mixture. Roll dough into rectangles 1 inch thick. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake 15 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Mix remaining sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over warm cookies.

ROSE'S CRESCENTS (HOLIDAY SHORTBREAD COOKIES)

Steps:

• Sift the flour and salt together and set aside.
• Chop the almonds in a food processor or with a hand chopper until finely chopped.
• In a large bowl (I use a KitchenAid standing mixer), combine butter, margarine, sugar and almonds. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. It may require stopping the mixer and scrapping the sides.
• Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until well mixed. You'll likely have to scrap the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure that all the ingredients are combined. The result will be a fairly sticky dough.
• Place the dough on wax paper and shape into a rectangle (4 x 6 x 1) and then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a minimum of two hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325. Cut the dough into eight sections. Working with two sections at a time (keep the rest of the dough refrigerated), pinch off small balls of dough (bigger than a marble but smaller than a golf ball). On a floured surface, roll the dough into a rope about the size and length of your pinkie. Shape the ropes into crescent (half-moon) shapes.
• Place on ungreased cookied sheets and bake for 10-13 minutes until set. The edges should be golden brown.
• Cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minute. Remove promptly and roll in topping mixture.