Christmas Shortbread Cookies
The shortbread cookie. The ultimate melt-in-your-mouth, tiny cloud, little piece of heaven cookie. One might call it basic, while one might spend countless nights dreaming about this perfect cookie. I am proud to admit that I do the latter.
I’ve tried baking and tasting many shortbread cookies and I’ve finally perfected my favorite beyond favorite recipe. These shortbread cookies are super buttery, rich, and quite tender, but they have a secret little twist in each bite… they’re filled with nonpareils (Christmas nonpareils to be specific) which gives them that incredible crunch, while the remainder of the cookie just crumbles inside your mouth. Oh my GOSH, I’M OBSESSED!
And one of my favorite parts about this recipe? Only. Five. Ingredients. We’re talking butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and flour. Should you choose to add in the nonpareils, then you’ve got yourself a funfetti-filled, six-ingredient shortbread cookie recipe.
Oh my gosh I’m literally salivating as I’m typing this right now (weird? TMI?) and I’m so ready to hop in the kitchen to whip these bad boys right up. So enough chitchatting, let’s start baking!
Christmas Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cup flour
- 2 1/2 tbsp nonpareils
Instructions
- Begin by placing a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Make sure the edges of the parchment sheet extend further than the walls of the baking sheet. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix room temperature butter and sugar together until combined. Add in salt and mix completely.
- Pour in the vanilla extract and mix.
- Slowly add the flour. Mix until well combined. The dough will come together and will be firm.
- Add in the nonpareils. Using your hands, fold in sprinkles.
- Gently press the dough down onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet so it’s about half an inch tall. Use either a cake decorating smoother or something with a flat bottom to even out the top so there aren’t any lumps from your fingers. Gently push nonpareils onto the top of the cookie dough for presentation purposes.
- Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Remove from fridge and cut into tiny squares, about half an inch by half an inch. Transfer the cut squares onto a bare new baking sheet, about an inch apart from one another. Place back into the fridge for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Quickly transfer the tray of cut squares from the fridge directly to the oven. Bake for 7 minutes.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and let cool.
- Bon appétit!
