Description
Delightfully buttery and tender Christmas Shortbread Bites flavored with almond extract and adorned with festive colored sprinkles. These bite-sized cookies are perfect for holiday gatherings and easy to customize with your favorite sprinkle colors and extracts. Chill the dough for easy cutting or skip to save time. Baked to a light golden perfection, they offer a classic festive treat with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 teaspoons Christmas colored nonpareils
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line an 8 or 9-inch baking dish with plastic wrap or parchment paper and set it aside for the dough.
- Mix Butter, Sugar, and Extract: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, and almond extract. Beat these ingredients together until creamy, making sure to scrape down the bowl frequently for an even mixture. Then turn off the mixer.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Slowly and very gently add the all-purpose flour and kosher salt in small increments. Beat the mixture until it just begins to form a dough. Take your time with this step to avoid overworking the dough.
- Incorporate Sprinkles: Carefully stir in the Christmas colored nonpareils to distribute them evenly throughout the dough.
- Form Dough and Chill: Knead the dough several times by hand until it forms a cohesive ball. Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish. Cover and place the pan in the refrigerator, chilling it for 20 minutes to firm up.
- Cut Dough Into Squares: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Use the plastic wrap or parchment paper to lift the dough from the pan and place it on a cutting board. Cut the dough into ½-inch squares.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the cut shortbread squares carefully onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing them slightly apart to allow for baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, watching closely for a slight browning which indicates they are done. Remove from the oven promptly to avoid over-baking.
Notes
- You can substitute the almond extract with vanilla extract—use ½ teaspoon if baking in an 8x8 inch pan.
- If you're using salted butter, omit the added kosher salt for balanced flavor.
- To make a larger batch, double the ingredients and use a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- For extra festivity, sprinkle more nonpareils on top of the dough before baking.
- Measure flour by scooping it with a tablespoon into the measuring cup and leveling it off with a butter knife for accuracy.
- Change sprinkle colors for different holidays to customize the treat.
- Try adding chocolate chips for a chocolate chip shortbread variation.
- If short on time, you can skip chilling the dough, but chilled dough is easier to cut neatly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 mini cookies
- Calories: 70 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 12 mg
