Description
Delicious and festive Christmas Shortbread Cookies made with buttery dough, vanilla bean paste, and topped with melted white chocolate and holiday sprinkles. Perfect for holiday gatherings and gifting.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Topping
- 1 ½ cups Ghirardelli white chocolate wafers or vanilla almond bark, melted
- ¼ cup holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add Vanilla: Mix in the vanilla bean paste until fully blended and evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour and kosher salt to the bowl. Mix until the dough starts coming together. If the dough remains crumbly, use your hands to fully combine it into a cohesive texture.
- Shape and Chill Dough: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 12-inch log shape. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Slice and Bake: Once chilled, slice the dough into thin rounds. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 14 minutes or until the cookie edges start to lightly brown.
- Cool and Decorate: Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. Then spread a thin layer of the melted white chocolate or vanilla almond bark on top of each cookie and immediately sprinkle with festive holiday sprinkles.
- Set Topping: Let the decorated cookies sit for about 15 minutes to allow the chocolate coating to set before serving or storing.
Notes
- If vanilla bean paste is unavailable, you can substitute with the seeds scraped from a whole vanilla bean for a strong, authentic vanilla flavor.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness.
- Freeze baked cookies for up to three months; thaw before adding melted white chocolate and sprinkles to maintain topping quality.
- Using parchment paper for baking helps prevent sticking and makes cleanup easier.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
