Shortbread Christmas Cookies with Icing
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Chill Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
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Servings
48
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Calories
154 kcal
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Cuisine
American, International
Shortbread Christmas Cookies with Icing
Description
The dough blends room-temperature butter and cane sugar until smooth and creamy, then eggs and flavor extracts add richness and aroma. Dry ingredients including flour, baking powder, and salt are incorporated gently and the dough is chilled to firm up before rolling. Rolling the dough evenly to about 1/8 to 1/4 inch ensures uniform baking. Cookies are cut with festive shapes and baked until edges are just beginning to color, resulting in tender, slightly crisp shortbread.
The icing uses meringue powder to create a royal icing that dries hard, allowing detailed decoration without smudging. Almond and lemon extracts in the icing complement the cookie flavors. These cookies can be made in large batches, making them suitable for gift-giving or holiday gatherings.
Named in memory of Emily, or "Emmy's Angel Cookies," this recipe yields about 48 cookies. The sturdy dough and icing freeze well and can be shipped safely with proper packaging. While egg whites could be used to replace meringue powder, the powder ensures a reliable hard finish on the icing.
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1½ cups butter room temperature
- 1½ cups cane sugar
- 2 egg room temperature
- 1½ tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour
For the icing
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 5 tbsp water warm
- 3 tbsp meringue powder
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp lemon extract
Instructions
- In a KitchenAid standing mixer, mix together ROOM TEMPERATURE butter and cane sugar for 5-8 minutes or until combined.
- Still mixing, add room temperature eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract.
- Stop the mixer. Then, add flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Let the cookie dough mix until everything is combined. Then, chill for 1 hour.
- Next, flour a flat surface. Use a rolling pin to flatten chilled cookie dough, rolling until it's about ⅛” - ¼” thick. It's important to make sure the dough is even for the best bake.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using festive cookie cutters, cut out cookies. Then, place them on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. NOTE: Baking times may vary depending on your oven and cookie sheet. Keep a close eye on the cookies so they don't burn.
- Remove baking sheet from the oven. Then, transfer cookies to a plate, cooling rack, or another baking sheet. They should be firm enough to slide off the pan with a little assistance from a flat spatula.
- Allow the cookies to chill for 15-20 minutes in the fridge or outside. (Keep them away from animals! )
- While the cookies cool, make the icing. This is where a KitchenAid standing mixer is REALLY helpful.
- Add powdered sugar, warm water, meringue powder, and almond and lemon extract to the bowl of your standing mixer. Mix for 7-10 minutes or until very fluffy.
- Place icing into piping bags. NOTE: If you want to add food coloring to the icing, do it before adding to the piping bags.
- Now it's time to ice the cookies! Have fun with it! Add as much or as little to each cookie as you'd like. There will be enough icing to cover at least 50% of each cookie. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe yields approximately 48 cookies; halve the amounts if fewer cookies are needed.
- The meringue powder in the icing is essential to achieve a firm, non-smudging finish; egg white substitutes may not harden as well.
- The cookies freeze and ship well when packaged securely with padding to prevent breakage during transport.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 48Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 154 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cookie | |
| Calories | 154kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 26g | 9% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 13mg | 4% |
| Sodium | 63mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 16mg | 0% |
| Sugar | 17g | 34% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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