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Christmas Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Shortbread cookies are very popular at our house for a special Christmas treat. When my kids were younger, we used to make them every year and share with family and friends. I usually just take the recipe from my cookbook, but not this time around. I was talking to my friend Sandy from Canadian Blog House that I was going to write an article on shortbread cookies, and she mentioned that her mom, Sue, had the most amazing and delicious recipe. The recipe has been in her family since before she was born. I asked if she would happily share it with OMC readers and she gracefully accepted.

Christmas Shortbread Cookies Recipe in processPin

The recipe calls for Berry Sugar, a superfine sugar that dissolves quickly. I had never heard of this type of sugar, so I couldn’t wait to use it and see if it would make a difference in the texture of the cookies. Well, let me tell you that you won’t be disappointed by baking these Christmas shortbread cookies! They are so delicious that you will make more than one batch. Thanks Sue and Sandy!

Before baking the cookies, I thought I would share a few tips for making the best Christmas shortbread cookies:

Use Unsalted Butter

You should use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in the cookies for a more balanced and enhanced flavour.

Keep Your Butter at Room Temperature

I always take out the butter from the refrigerator and leave it on the counter overnight to soften. If you use hard butter, I find it’s difficult to work with the batter and it will leave chucks of butter. If you overwork the batter, it won’t make the cookies as soft, and melted butter is not a good option since it will make the cookies tough.

Christmas Shortbread Cookies RecipePin

Cream Butter, Lard, and Sugar together

Cream the butter and lard with sugar to make a smooth mixture before you add other ingredients. Again, this will help with not overworking the batter as you won’t have to mix it as much. Therefore, it will keep the cookies tender.

It’s very important to chill the dough before cutting them with cookie cutters to help retain the shape of the cookies. If not, they will spread in the oven and lose their shape while baking.

Christmas Shortbread Cookies RecipePin

Christmas Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 Pound of unsalted Butter (2 cups or 4 sticks)
  • 1 cup Berry Sugar
  • 4 cups Flour
  • 1 cup Rice Flour
  • 1 tsp Lard (Tenderflake or Crisco Shortening)
  • Maraschino cherries, sprinkles, frosting or baking gums for decorations

 Direction

  • 1. Preheat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle position. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
Christmas Shortbread Cookies Recipe in processPin
  • 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter, sugar and lard. Using paddle attachment on medium-high speed, mix until fluffy and light, several minutes.
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  • 3. Add all flour slowly and gradually and blend well after each addition. The dough should end up soft and pliable like play-dough and not sticky.
  • 4. Split dough into 2 equal round portions. Wrap the dough in plastic wraps and chill for a couple of hours at least.
  • 5. On a large surface or board, sprinkle 1/2 cup flour to keep dough from sticking to it and roll with a rolling pin.
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  • 6. Roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness and use holiday cookie cutters for shapes. Place each cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
  • 7. Place each cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Add a half maraschino or glacé cherry to the centre, or a baking gumdrop.
Christmas Shortbread Cookies Recipe in processPin
  • 8. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Bake longer for bigger shapes.
  • 9. Cool completely on wire rack before serving.
Christmas Shortbread Cookies Recipe in processPin
  • 10. You can add frosting and decorate with sprinkles and others.
  • 11. Keep cookies in a sealed airtight container at room temperature. These cookies will freeze quite well for several weeks.
Christmas Shortbread Cookies RecipePin

I hope you enjoyed this Christmas Shortbread Cookies Recipe. If you make it, make sure to share with us on Facebook or Twitter! Another one of our delicious holiday cookies recipe is the Crème Brulée Gingersnap. You can also check out all of our other Recipes!

Christmas Shortbread Cookies Recipe in processPin

Christmas Shortbread cookies

These Christmas Shortbread cookies recipe calls for Berry sugar. You won't be disappointed by baking these delicious cookies!
No ratings yet
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American, Canadian

Equipment

  • Mixer

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Pound Unsalted Butter 2 cups or 4 sticks
  • 1 cup Berry Sugar
  • 4 cups Flour
  • 1 cup Rice Flour
  • 1 tsp Lard Tenderflake or Crisco Shortening
  • Maraschino cherries, sprinkles, frosting or baking gums for decorations

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle position. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter, sugar and lard. Using paddle attachment on medium-high speed, mix until fluffy and light, several minutes.
  • Add all flour slowly and gradually and blend well after each addition. The dough should end up soft and pliable like play-dough and not sticky.
  • Split dough into 2 equal round portions. Wrap the dough in plastic wraps and chill for a couple of hours at least.
  • On a large surface or board, sprinkle 1/2 cup flour to keep dough from sticking to it and roll with a rolling pin.
  • Roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness and use holiday cookie cutters for shapes. Place each cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
  • Place each cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Add a half maraschino or glacé cherry to the centre, or a baking gumdrop.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Bake longer for bigger shapes.
  • Cool completely on wire rack before serving.
  • You can add frosting and decorate with sprinkles and others.
  • Keep cookies in a sealed airtight container at room temperature. These cookies will freeze quite well for several weeks.
Keyword Christmas, cookies, shortbread cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Do you have a favourite Christmas Shortbread cookies recipe? Comment below!

Lyne Proulx
Lyne Proulxhttps://ottawamommyclub.ca/
Lyne Proulx is a Certified WEBB Bodywork Pet Practitioner, Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI), Certified Professional Wedding Consultant, and an Event Planner. She loves all things Disney and is an avid teaholic and chocoholic. She coordinated the Annual Infant Information Day/Early Years Expo for the City of Ottawa for 8 years. She was the Queen B of the BConnected Conference, Canada's Digital Influencer and social media Conference in Ottawa and Toronto. She was also the co-chair of the Navan for Kraft Hockeyville 2009-2011 committee that organized five community events within 6 months, and helped Navan reach the top 10 finalists in Canada. In April 2011, she received the City of Ottawa Mayor's City Builder Award.

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Comments

  1. Mmmm – I love shortbread cookies! They are the perfect Christmas cookie, in my opinion (well, gingerbread, too) because you can decorate them anyway you want and it is a fun activity to decorate with your family.

  2. I will have to try this recipe, though my sister-in-law makes fantastic shortbread. She does have an inherent advantage though, she’s a Scot. 🙂 I’ve never heard of berry sugar nor lantic sugar, however now I know that the former is castor sugar and I’m thinking that lantic sugar is even finer than castor sugar – I didn’t even know that there was a product like that!

  3. This is a perfect recipe! quick, easy and perfect for the holidays. I have this bookmarked so that I can make these for my girls upcoming Christmas 🙂

  4. My Mom used to make real shortbread at Christmas and it was so good but I have only made whipped shortbread. Maybe I’ll try this year!

  5. I love shortbread during the holidays but I always get store-bought ones. I think I might have to attempt making my own with your recipe… I bet freshly baked ones are even better!

  6. Shortbread has always been a favourite of mine. I like to make it with potato starch as well as flour, but I’m curious what it would be like with rice flour. I’ve not made it with unsalted butter but that’s a good tip.

  7. I love shortbread cookies . I haven’t made them in so long . I used a very basic recipe , going to try this one .

  8. Usually when unsalted butter is used in a recipe, 1/4 tsp of salt per lb of butter, is added. Is Unsalted butter ,with no salt added correct?

    Also 1 tsp of lard in a mixture this size? Could it be noticed if it was skipped?

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