Description
If you're looking for an easy and delicious cookie recipe to add to your Christmas cookie list this year, look no further. Classic Shortbread Cookies made 4 Ways! One dough, 4 variations and an endless variety of flavor combinations.
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookie Dough
- 3 Sticks (339 g) Unsalted Butter, room temp
- 1 Cup (113 g) Confectioners' Sugar, sifted
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Paste
- 3 Cups (360 g) All-Purpose Flour, sifted
- 1/2 Tsp Fine Salt
Cookie #1
- 1/4 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
- 1/4 Tsp Espresso Powder
Cookie #2
- 1/3 Cup Chopped Candied Pecans or Regular Toasted Pecans
Cookie #3
- 3 Tbsps Non Pareils Sprinkles
Cookie #4
- Confectioners' Sugar
Instructions
- With a hand-held mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix room temperature butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes on medium. *You can also mix by hand.
- Add sifted confectioners’ sugar and mix until incorporated.
- Next, sift in flour and salt and mix on the lowest setting just until combined.
- Using a kitchen scale (or eyeball it), divide the dough into 4 equal portions and transfer to 4 clean bowls.
- Add mini chocolate chips & espresso powder to one bowl, finely chopped candied pecans to another, sprinkles to the third bowl and the last one will be remain plain as that will be dusted with powdered sugar.
- Individually wrap each dough ball with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour. I like to shape the dough into a rectangle, about half an inch (1.27 cm) thickness to make it easier to roll out later.
- Generously flour your work surface and roll your dough out to 1/4 to 1/8 inch (6.35 to 3.1 mm) thickness. Lightly dip your cookie cutter of choice into flour and cut out your cookies. With a thin metal spatula, carefully transfer the cookies to 2 to 3 parchment lined baking trays. Gather the scraps, reroll and cut out more cookies. My cookie cutters varied between 1.5 to 2.5 inches (3.8 to 6.3 cm). Continue rolling out the remaining dough and cutting out all your cookies. If at any point the dough gets too warm from handling, don’t fret, pop it back in the fridge for 15 minutes or so to firm up!
- Once all your cookies are cut out, place the trays of cookies into the freezer for 20 minutes or 45 minutes in the fridge.
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and bake each tray one at a time for 10 to 14 minutes. Make sure the cookies are about 1/2 inch apart. They don't spread, but you don't want them to be touching. The time varies depending on how thin you've rolled out your dough and how large your cookies are. Just keep an eye on them. They are ready when the are slightly golden brown on the edges. Allow the cookies to sit on the tray for a minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Put the finishing touches on your cookies. Dip the plain cookie in powdered sugar. Give the cookies as a gift or make for your holiday gathering. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temp and enjoy for 1 to 2 weeks!