Holiday Shortbread Recipes

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 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.

HOLIDAY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour; mix until dough forms a ball., On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut into 1-1/2-in. squares, diamonds and/or triangles. Place on ungreased baking sheets; sprinkle with colored sugar if desired. , Bake at 325° for 14-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

FRUIT AND NUT HOLIDAY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Make the shortbread cookies: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Cream the butter with the sugar in a medium bowl using a handheld mixer. In a small bowl, mix the salt and flour, and then mix into the butter, 1/4 cup at a time, just until uniform. Do not overmix. Gather the dough into a ball; chill for 15 minutes if the dough is beginning to soften or feel greasy. Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch and cut into rectangles about 1/2-inch by 2 inches. Place on a cold, ungreased baking sheet. Bake until the edges are just beginning to turn golden, 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the fruit and nut topping: In a small bowl, mix the pecans, cranberries, and chocolate chips with the orange marmalade.
• After 20 minutes, remove the cookies from the oven and spread the fruit and nut topping on the tops of the shortbread. Return to bake for 7 to 8 more minutes. Allow to cool before serving. Best eaten within a day or two of making.

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.

HOLIDAY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
• Add cranberries, flour cloves, and cinnamon.
• Mix until doughy.
• If you wish to divide dough in half, now is the time to do it.
• Place dough on floured wax paper and with floured hands, form into a log. Approximately 1 1/2 around.
• Wrap log(s) snugly in paper, then refrigerate until firm. About 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Once firm, unwrap log(s) and slice dough into cookies just under 1/2 inch thick. Let sit at room temperature for five minutes if crumbling occurs.
• Place on cookie sheet about 1 inch apart and cook at 350 degrees until lightly golden. (Approximately 20 minutes).
• Cool and enjoy!

HOLIDAY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Combine butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in small bowl. Beat at medium speed, until well mixed.
• Reduce speed to low and add flour. Beat until well mixed.
• Press dough evenly into ungreased 9-inch round cake pan. This is important: Prick all over with fork. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool 5 minutes.
• Remove from pan; cut into wedges.
• You can add different kinds of flavorings and mix in chopped nuts or chocolate chips if you want to, that makes them extra yummy!

1-2-3-4 HOLIDAY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Position two racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until well incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed to combine, about 1 minute.
• Put the colored sugars in individual bowls.
• Using a 3/4-ounce cookie scoop, scoop balls of dough and roll them with your hands. (Alternatively scoop 2-tablespoon sized balls.) Roll the balls in your sanding sugar color of choice to coat on all sides, pressing lightly to adhere. Then flatten them into disks about 1/2 inch thick.
• Place the dough rounds on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1 inch of space between each.
• Bake until set and slightly golden, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet.

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.