Description
These delightful Christmas shortbread cookie bites bring festive cheer to holiday gatherings. Buttery, crumbly, and infused with seasonal spices, they offer a perfect sweet nibble for winter celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (40 g) holiday sprinkles
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Prepare Workspace: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper for effortless cookie release.
- Create Butter Base: Whip softened butter and powdered sugar until achieving a pillowy, aerated texture that’s light and smooth.
- Flavor and Blend: Infuse the butter mixture with vanilla extract, then gently fold in flour and salt until a consistent dough forms without excessive manipulation.
- Decorate Dough: Distribute holiday sprinkles evenly throughout the mixture, ensuring colorful integration and festive appearance.
- Shape Cookies: Roll miniature dough spheres using delicate motions, creating uniform marble-sized bites with precision and consistency.
- Bake and Monitor: Arrange dough balls on prepared sheets with one-inch spacing, then bake 8-10 minutes until edges turn delicately golden.
- Cool and Set: Rest cookies on baking sheet for five minutes to stabilize structure, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling.
- Preserve and Present: Once fully cooled, store in airtight container or package in decorative tins for elegant holiday gifting.
Notes
- Control Butter Temperature: Ensure butter is softened but not melted, creating the perfect creamy base for tender, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread.
- Avoid Overworking Dough: Mix ingredients gently to prevent tough cookies, stopping just when the dough comes together to maintain a delicate, crumbly texture.
- Uniform Size Matters: Use a small cookie scoop or consistently roll marble-sized balls to guarantee even baking and professional-looking presentation.
- Watch Baking Time Carefully: Check cookies at 8 minutes, looking for barely golden edges to prevent overbaking and maintain a soft, delicate shortbread texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 23
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg