Description
Classic buttery shortbread cutout cookies decorated with vanilla icing, white chocolate, and festive rosemary sprigs and sprinkles. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these cookies have a tender crumb with a delicate vanilla flavor and customizable decorations for a fun and festive touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Shortbread Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour (gluten free if needed)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
Decorations
- 4 ounces white chocolate
- Rosemary sprigs
- Sprinkles
- Sanding sugar
- Red food coloring oil-based
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Scrape down the sides, then add powdered sugar and beat for another minute.
- Mix wet and dry ingredients: Add the vanilla bean paste and salt, beat until incorporated while scraping the bowl as needed. Add the flour and cornstarch and beat on medium-low until just combined and the dough starts to pull away from the sides. The dough will appear dry at first; continue scraping and mixing until it forms a cohesive dough. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Shape the cookies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and flour a clean work surface generously. Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Use floured cookie cutters (round, scalloped, and small cutters) to cut out cookies, including wreath shapes. Gather scraps and re-roll until all dough is used. Arrange cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheet and chill for an additional 15-30 minutes.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, rotating halfway through, until edges are set and just turning golden. Cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the icing: Whisk powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk in a shallow bowl until smooth and lump-free. Dip the cooled cookies upside down into the icing carefully, then place to set.
- Decorate wreath cookies: Before icing sets, arrange rosemary sprigs and sprinkle sanding sugar and red sprinkles in a decorative wreath pattern on the cookies.
- Decorate Santa hats: Melt white chocolate and fill a pastry bag with a small portion. Mix remaining white chocolate with red oil-based food coloring to desired color and fill another piping bag. Pipe hat shapes by swirling back and forth, then add white chocolate trim and top details. Finish with sparkling sugar. Optionally, use green food coloring for Christmas tree shapes.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze baked, undecorated cookies for up to 3 months and thaw completely before decorating.
- Cookie dough can also be rolled and frozen for up to 3 months; bake directly from frozen without thawing.
- Use only oil-based food coloring with white chocolate to avoid seizing; water or gel-based food coloring will cause white chocolate to seize.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
