Description
Festive Christmas shortbread cookie bites deliver delightful holiday cheer with their buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Sprinkled with colorful sugar and baked to golden perfection, these tiny treats will quickly become a cherished seasonal tradition for family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
main ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
fat and flavor enhancers:
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
festive decorative ingredients:
- 1/4 cup red and green sprinkles
- 2 tbsp white chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, ensuring a smooth, flat surface for perfect cookie placement.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the unsalted butter until smooth and fluffy, creating a light base for the shortbread.
- Sift powdered sugar into the butter, gently folding to create a uniform, silky mixture that will provide delicate sweetness.
- Incorporate vanilla extract and salt, mixing thoroughly to distribute flavors evenly throughout the dough.
- Gradually add all-purpose flour, stirring until a cohesive, crumbly dough forms that can be easily shaped.
- Fold in festive red and green sprinkles, distributing them uniformly to create a colorful, celebratory appearance.
- Transfer the dough to a flat surface and gently knead, ensuring the sprinkles are evenly dispersed throughout.
- Roll the dough into a compact log, approximately 2 inches in diameter, wrapping tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill the dough log in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up and enhance flavor development.
- Remove from refrigerator and slice into bite-sized rounds, approximately 1/2 inch thick.
- Arrange cookie bites on the prepared baking sheet, leaving slight spacing between each piece.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until edges turn a delicate golden brown, indicating perfect doneness.
- Optional: Melt white chocolate chips and drizzle over cooled cookies for an extra festive touch.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack, letting them set and develop a crisp, delicate texture.
Notes
- Customize sprinkle colors to match different holidays or personal preferences, creating festive variations throughout the year.
- Ensure butter is at room temperature for smoother creaming, which helps achieve a more consistent and tender shortbread texture.
- Chill dough thoroughly to prevent spreading and maintain the perfect bite-sized shape during baking, resulting in neat, uniform cookies.
- For gluten-free options, substitute all-purpose flour with a high-quality gluten-free flour blend, maintaining the delicate shortbread crumb and flavor.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Scottish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg