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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!
Christmas is a special time of year, and what could make it more special than homemade Christmas cookies? These Christmas shortbread cookies are perfect for any holiday gathering. They’re made with buttery shortbread and decorated with simple but festive icing. Whether you’re looking for a delicious cookie to add to your holiday cookie plate or a fun activity to do with the kids, these Christmas cookies are perfect!
These shortbread cookies have a buttery taste and a rich sweetness with notes of vanilla and peppermint. They are tender and crumbly just like shortbread should be, and the cookie is delicate and will feel as if it’s melting in your mouth.
Be sure to check out all of ourChristmas Cookie recipes!Pecan MeltawaysandGingerbread Cookiesare two other classic favorites. If you’re looking for another Christmas tree-shaped cookie, check out these super cute Stacked Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies!
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Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Cut Outs or Slice and Bake: This recipe is perfect to make cut-out shortbread cookies. But if you wish, you can turn the dough into a log, chill, slice, and bake!
- No Leavening or Eggs: Shortbread is so simple, it does not require any leavening and does not contain eggs. This makes this cookie allergy friendly.
- Easy Icing: I’m giving you the instructions to decorate these with easy cookie icing, or royal icing. Whatever you prefer!
The Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need:
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions islocated in the recipe cardbelow
- Flour: You need all-purpose flour here, I recommend that you sift it after your measure it out and before you start the recipe to help remove any lumps.
- Butter: Shortbread is buttery, and it’s always made with butter. Butter is actually the base of the cookie dough and results in rich, crisp, and tender cookies. Use softened unsalted butter for the best results.
- Powdered Sugar: The reason why we’re using powdered sugar is that shortbread is a delicate cookie, and powdered sugar will give it a softer and fluffier texture.
- Extracts: I’m using a combination of vanilla and peppermint extracts, but you can use just one if you prefer. Vanilla enhances the sweetness of the cookie, while peppermint extract adds a bit of minty flavor to really make these cookies taste like the holidays!
How To Make Shortbread Cookies with Icing
- Cream Butter and Sugar: 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 Flour: 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.
- Chill: Flatten the dough into a disk shape and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
- Roll Out: 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 aSilpat mat. Chill in the fridge for 30 more minutes.
- Bake: 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.
- Decorate: Make a batch of royal icing, findthe recipe and instructions here. Or a batch of this easy cookie icing. Both recipes can be found in the recipe card below (just scroll down!). The icing should be thick but pipable. 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. Allow the icing to set completely then transfer the cookies to an airtight container to store them.
Top Tips
- Make sure that you’re using butter that is softened to room temperature, and not melted!
- Cream the butter and sugar together very well. You want the sugar to dissolve in the butter.
- Avoid Overmxing: If you overmix the dough, your cookies will become tough. So once you add the flour, mix until just combined.
- Chilling is Important: You must chill the dough right after you make it, and again after you make the cut-outs. This dough is soft, and will spread a lot when baked if you don’t chill it.
Recommended Cookie Making Tools
These tools are all in my kitchen, and help me bake cookies with ease. Pick up any that you don’t already have, and you’ll be ready for baking any time.
- Pyrex Mixing Bowls: There’s something about these clear glass mixing bowls that brings me back to baking with my mother. They are a must for me, even though I’ve tried other bowls, I still come back to these every time.
- Hand Mixer: No need to use a fancy stand mixer for a batch of cookies when a hand mixer does the job just fine. I use this one from Kitchenaid.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: This set from OXO is just so well designed! There are magnets in the handles so they stack and stick to each other perfectly.
- Kitchen Scales: for measuring ingredients or portions by weight, this glass kitchen scale is my favorite.
- Cookie Scoop: This scoop is a small size, and makes one tablespoon sized scoops, perfect for most drop cookie recipes. I suggest keeping a medium cookie scoop on hand as well.
- Cookie Sheet: I love my Nordic Ware half sheet pans. They are very high quality and last forever.
- Silpat: To line the cookie sheets, a Silpat silicone mat in half size is perfect for making everything non-stick, and you’ll never need to buy parchment paper again.
Storing Tips
Store shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. They can also be frozen baked in Ziploc bags for up to 3 months, make sure that they come to room temperature before consuming.
If you would like to freeze these cookies unbaked, you can do that! Place the unbaked cut-out cookies on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet in one layer. Cover and freeze for 20 to 30 minutes or until firm, then transfer to an airtight container and wrap each level of cookies in waxed paper.
More Delicious And Fun Christmas Cookie Recipes!
- Classic Gingerbread Cookies
- Eggnog Cookies
- Christmas Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
- Grinch Sugar Cookies
These Christmas Tree Shortbread Cookies are so fun to make, and everyone will be so impressed with them!Be sure to Pin the recipe for the holidays!
Recipe
Recipe
5 from 4 votes
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Christmas Shortbread Cookies With Icing
Created by: Fun Cookie Recipes
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins
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
Plastic wrap
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Cookies
- 1 cup 2 sticks salted 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
- 4 tablespoons 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 aSilpat 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
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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