Description
Rich Christmas shortbread cookie bites bring festive cheer with buttery, melt-in-mouth texture. Crisp edges and delicate crumble make these tiny treats perfect for holiday celebrations you’ll savor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (40 g) holiday sprinkles
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Position oven rack in center and preheat to 350°F (175°C), lining baking sheets with parchment paper for seamless cookie creation.
- Dough Foundation: Cream butter and powdered sugar until achieving a silky, pale mixture that serves as the quintessential shortbread base, blending thoroughly to eliminate any lumps.
- Flavor Infusion: Introduce vanilla extract, stirring carefully to distribute the aromatic essence uniformly throughout the developing dough.
- Texture Development: Fold in flour and salt, gently combining ingredients until a cohesive dough forms without overworking, which could compromise the delicate shortbread consistency.
- Festive Incorporation: Delicately mix holiday sprinkles throughout the dough, ensuring colorful specks are evenly distributed for a celebratory appearance.
- Shaping Process: Craft compact marble-sized spheres by rolling dough between palms, creating uniform bite-sized cookies that promise consistent baking.
- Baking Technique: Arrange cookie balls on prepared sheets with minimal spacing, then bake for 8-10 minutes until edges transform to a subtle golden tone, signaling perfect doneness.
- Cooling Method: Rest cookies on baking sheet for five minutes to stabilize structure, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling, allowing them to achieve an ideal crisp texture.
- Preservation: Carefully store the finished shortbread bites in an airtight container or festive packaging, preserving their delicate crumb and creating delightful holiday gifts.
Notes
Temperature Control: Maintain precise 350°F oven temperature to prevent over-browning and ensure delicate, uniform cookie texture.
Butter Preparation: Use room-temperature butter for smoother creaming, which creates lighter, more tender shortbread without dense consistency.
Handling Dough: Minimize hand contact when forming balls to keep butter cool and prevent tough cookies; roll quickly and gently with light touch.
Sprinkle Distribution: Fold holiday sprinkles gently at end of mixing to prevent color bleeding and maintain vibrant, distinct festive appearance.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 134
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 14 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg