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Shortbread Christmas Trees

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These buttery, tender shortbread Christmas tree cookies are a festive holiday treat that’s easy to make and fun to decorate. Perfect for cookie exchanges, gifting, or enjoying with a cup of hot cocoa, they feature classic shortbread flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (225g), room temperature
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar (90g)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Green sanding sugar or sprinkles, for decorating
  • Royal icing or simple glaze (optional)
  • Mini chocolate chips or silver dragees (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, beat unsalted butter and powdered sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  2. Mix in vanilla extract until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed or stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
  4. Scoop dough onto a large sheet of parchment paper, shape into a flat disk (about 1 inch thick), wrap, and chill in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Roll out chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thickness.
  7. Dip a Christmas tree cookie cutter into flour, then cut out tree shapes. Transfer to prepared baking sheets with a thin spatula, spacing about 1 inch apart. Gather and reroll scraps as needed.
  8. Sprinkle with green sanding sugar or add mini chocolate chips as ornaments if desired. If using icing, decorate after baking and cooling.
  9. Bake for 13-16 minutes, until edges are just barely golden. For softer cookies, bake 13 minutes; for crisper cookies, bake longer.
  10. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. If decorating with icing, wait until completely cool before drizzling or piping designs.

Notes

For best results, use room-temperature butter and avoid overmixing the dough. Chilling the dough helps cookies keep their shape. Decorate with sanding sugar before baking or use icing after cooling. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze undecorated cookies for up to 2 months. Gluten-free and dairy-free adaptations are possible using appropriate flour blends and plant-based butter.

Nutrition

Keywords: shortbread, Christmas cookies, holiday baking, festive cookies, butter cookies, easy cookies, tree cookies, decorated cookies

Find it online: https://tessierecipes.com/shortbread-christmas-trees-recipe-easy-festive-cookies-for-holidays/