Description
These Easy Decorated Christmas Shortbread Cookies are buttery, tender, and perfect for holiday gifting and celebrations. The cookies are flavored with vanilla and have a delicate crumb thanks to the addition of cornstarch. They are topped with a peppermint-flavored mint glaze dyed a festive blue and piped with a creamy peppermint buttercream to create charming Christmas tree decorations. Ideal for cookie exchanges and festive gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
For the cookies:
- 8 ounces very soft salted butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
For the mint glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons half and half or milk, maybe more
- ¼–1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- blue paste food coloring (Wilton Delphinium Blue recommended)
For the buttercream piping:
- 1 tablespoon very soft butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½–2 tablespoons half and half or milk
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- white nonpareils
- small white pearlized snowflakes (optional, for tree topper)
Instructions
- Prepare the cookies: Line two sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside. Soften the butter in a medium mixing bowl, then stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract; mix by hand for about 30 seconds until fluffy. Sprinkle the flour and cornstarch evenly on top. Stir until incorporated and the dough becomes shaggy. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, press into a ball, knead a few times until smooth, then shape into a flat disk.
- Roll and cut cookies: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ⅜-inch thickness, keeping the surface, dough, and rolling pin lightly dusted with flour. Cut circles and place on prepared pans. Re-roll scraps as needed to use all dough. Refrigerate cutouts for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.
- Bake cookies: Preheat oven to 350˚F (177˚C). Remove cookies from refrigerator and bake for 12-16 minutes until edges just begin to turn golden. Rotate pans halfway through baking for even color. Allow cookies to cool completely before icing.
- Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, half and half, and ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract. Mix until smooth and thick but pourable. Adjust consistency with more half and half if needed. Add more peppermint extract to taste. Dip a knife tip into blue food coloring and swirl into icing, stirring until desired blue is achieved. Transfer to a shallow bowl for dipping.
- Glaze the cookies: Hold each cookie by the edges and dip the top surface into the glaze, ensuring full coverage. Lift cookie and let excess drip back into a separate bowl. When dripping slows, flip cookie right side up and gently jiggle it to spread glaze evenly. Repeat for all cookies. Allow glaze to dry for 15-30 minutes.
- Prepare buttercream for piping: In a medium bowl, stir butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, 1½ tablespoons half and half, and peppermint extract. Stir vigorously until smooth, adding more half and half if needed to reach a thick but spoonable consistency.
- Pipe buttercream decorations: Fit a pastry bag with a small round icing tip (#3 recommended) and fill with buttercream. Starting at the upper edge of each cookie, pipe Christmas tree shapes with increasingly wider lines, stopping about ¼-inch above the bottom edge. Immediately sprinkle white nonpareils onto piped trees and add small pearlized snowflakes as optional toppers. Allow to dry before stacking or serving.
Notes
- Half and half is commonly used in the US; if unavailable, substitute with half milk half cream, just milk, or just cream.
- This recipe yields approximately 16 large (3-inch) cookies or around 24 smaller (2-inch) cookies.
- Cookies can be stored once fully dried for 4-5 hours or overnight in an airtight container, making them ideal for preparing ahead.
- Lightly dust work surfaces and rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking without adding too much flour to dough.
- Rotate pans halfway during baking to ensure even cooking and golden edges.
- Adjust peppermint extract amounts according to your flavor preference in both glaze and buttercream.
- Use a gentle jiggle after dipping glazed cookies to achieve a smooth, even icing layer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 25g)
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
