Description
Classic and festive shortbread cutout cookies with a buttery texture, decorated with vanilla icing, white chocolate, rosemary, and colorful sprinkles, perfect for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
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
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl with an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar; beat again for 1 minute.
- Add Flavorings and Dry Ingredients: Add the vanilla bean paste and salt and beat until incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the flour and cornstarch and beat on medium-low until the dough just starts to combine and pull away from the sides. It may seem dry at first, so scrape down the sides and continue beating until dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Flour a clean surface generously and roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Use a floured round cookie cutter for half the cookies and a scalloped round cookie cutter with small cookie cutters for wreath shapes. Gather scraps and re-roll until dough is used. Place cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheet and chill again for 15-30 minutes.
- Bake Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, rotating halfway through, until edges are set and barely golden. Cool 5 minutes on sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Icing and Dip Cookies: Whisk powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk in a shallow bowl until smooth and lump-free. Dip the cooled cookies upside down in the icing, carefully lifting out to avoid breakage.
- Decorate Wreath Cookies: Place rosemary sprigs on iced wreath cookies before the icing sets. Add 2-3 small rosemary pieces on each side and 3 red sprinkles underneath, with more sprinkles around the cookie.
- Create Santa Hat Cookies: Let remaining cookies set on baking sheet. Melt white chocolate and fill a pastry bag with a small portion. Mix remaining chocolate with red oil-based food coloring until desired red color is reached; put in a piping bag. Swirl the red chocolate in the shape of a hat on cookies, add white chocolate to rims and tops, then sprinkle with sanding sugar. Optionally, use green food coloring for Christmas tree designs.
- Final Step: Allow decorations to set fully before serving or storing.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For longer storage, freeze undecorated baked cookies up to 3 months; thaw completely before decorating.
- Dough can be rolled out and frozen for up to 3 months; bake directly from frozen.
- Use oil-based food coloring for coloring white chocolate; water-based or gel colorings will seize the chocolate.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
