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Rectangle shortbread cookie with a royal icing Christmas tree and sprinkles decoration.
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Christmas Shortbread Cookies
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
 
These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread and colorful royal icing they make the perfect gift and treat this holiday season.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: christmas shortbread cookies, christmas tree cookies
Servings: 30 cookies
Author: Jackie
Ingredients
Shortbread Dough
  • 2 cups salted butter room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup corn starch
Royal Icing
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • Green gel food color
  • Colorful sprinkles and stars
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
  2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and cornstarch. Combine both mixtures and work the dough until a crumbly mixture forms.
  3. Form the dough into a ball and separate into two equal balls. Wrap in a piece of plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
  4. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  5. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to ⅓-inch thickness and cut out rectangle shapes using a sharp knife or a cookie cutter.
  6. Place the cut-outs carefully on the prepared baking tray and bake for at least 12-13 min in a preheated oven.
  7. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes in the baking tray before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
ROYAL ICING:
  1. Pour the egg white into a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment and beat on high till it foams up. (You can also use a hand mixer)
  2. Add powdered sugar in batches and mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated and the mixture looks shiny.
  3. Turn the speed up to high and mix till the mixture becomes thick and starts to hold peaks.
  4. Tint the Icing with green gel food color till you get the desired shade.
  5. Put the icing in the icing bag and make tree shapes on the cookie, add a star on top and sprinkle some colorful sprinkles while the icing is still wet.
  6. Let the icing set completely. Seve and Enjoy! Merry Christmas!!
Recipe Notes

You can store these in an airtight container for 1-2 days at room temperature or for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
 
You can use green candy melts to make the tree instead of royal icing.
 
You can add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the icing if you like for an added flavor.