Description
Festive Christmas shortbread cookie bites bring holiday cheer with their delicate crumble and merry flavor profile. Buttery, crisp, and sprinkled with seasonal joy, these mini treats will delight you during winter celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Festive Add-ins:
- 1/4 cup red and green sprinkles
- 1/4 cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, ensuring a smooth, even surface for your festive cookie bites.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, powdered sugar, and salt, creating a light and airy dry ingredient base.
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes and incorporate into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the texture resembles coarse, crumbly breadcrumbs.
- Drizzle vanilla extract over the mixture and gently fold in, allowing the aromatic essence to distribute evenly throughout the dough.
- Carefully fold in the vibrant red and green sprinkles and crushed candy canes, distributing them uniformly to create a festive, colorful appearance.
- Gather the dough together and knead gently until it forms a cohesive ball, being careful not to overwork the mixture.
- Roll the dough into a compact log, approximately 2 inches in diameter, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up and allow the flavors to meld together.
- Remove the chilled dough and slice into 1/2-inch thick rounds, placing them about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges turn a delicate golden brown, creating a crisp and tender shortbread texture.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
- Store in an airtight container, enjoying these festive, melt-in-your-mouth cookie bites throughout the holiday season.
Notes
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and maintains the cookie’s shape, ensuring a perfect bite-sized treat.
- For gluten-free options, swap regular flour with a high-quality gluten-free blend, keeping the same measurements and texture.
- Customize sprinkle colors to match different holidays or events, transforming these shortbread bites into year-round celebratory snacks.
- Use room temperature butter if you prefer a softer mixing process, but cold butter creates a flakier, more traditional shortbread texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 138
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg