Christmas Shortbread Cookies With Icing
24 cookies
These Christmas Shortbread Cookies With Icing are so simple! They're buttery with the right amount of chew, delicious, easy, and require just 5 ingredients to make!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour
For the Royal Icing
- 3 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Easy Cookie Icing:
- 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
For the Shortbread Cookies
- Add the butter, sugar, vanilla and peppermint extracts to the bowl of a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment to beat at medium speed until light and creamy (about 1 minute). You can do this with a hand mixer instead, and don't forget to scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Add the flour and mix on low speed, just until the flour is incorporated and the dough begins to come together in large clumps. Make sure not to overmix the dough.
- Flatten the dough into a disk shape and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about a quarter inch. The cookie dough might look dry, but don't worry, that's the texture of shortbread.
- Cut out cookies using Christmas-themed cookie cutters and transfer to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat mat. Chill in the fridge for 30 more minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, remove the cookies from the fridge, and bake for 13-15 minutes, or just until they are light brown on the bottom. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the pan before decorating.
To Make Royal Icing:
- Add all of the ingredients (powdered sugar, water, meringue powder, and peppermint extract) to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Beat on low speed until the powdered sugar is completely incorporated. Then turn the speed to medium-high and beat until the icing is smooth– about 2 minutes.
- The icing should be thick but pipable. If it is too thick, add another tablespoon of powdered sugar. If it is too thin, add a teaspoon of water. If needed, continue to adjust the icing until you achieve your desired consistency.
- Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (I’m using a Wilton #3) and decorate your cookies as desired.
To Make Easy Cookie Icing:
- Add all icing ingredients (powdered sugar, milk, light corn syrup, and peppermint extract), to a medium mixing bowl and begin to stir using a fork. Stir for several minutes as it will be very hard at first but should soften.
- Use a piping bag filled with your icing to decorate the cookies as desired.
Notes
- Directions for Without a Stand Mixer: If you don’t have a stand mixer, a hand mixer can be used instead. If you don’t have a hand mixer, the dough can be made in a large bowl using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. The icing can be made in a large bowl using a whisk. But keep in mind that you will need a lot of muscle power!
- Decorating Notes: To create the snowmen cookies, remove 1 tablespoon of royal icing to a small bowl and mix it with ½ teaspoon of black food coloring. Mix another tablespoon of royal icing with ¼ teaspoon of orange food coloring. Transfer to piping bags and use as needed.
- Variations: Don’t want to make these peppermint flavored? Swap the peppermint extract for vanilla extract. Want to add a bit of warmth? Use vanilla extract instead of peppermint and add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the dough. Want to decorate your cookies with colorful icing? Add a few drops of your favorite food coloring to the icing.
- Additional Flavor Notes: The shortbread cookies are soft and tender and truly melt in your mouth! They are not overly sweet and have a very subtle hint of peppermint. The royal icing hardens into a stable, but still soft layer. It has a noticeable sweetness and peppermint flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 67mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg