Description
Delight in these festive Christmas Shortbread Sugar Cookie Bites, perfect for holiday gatherings. These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies are studded with colorful red, green, and white sprinkles, adding a joyful crunch and a sweet, vanilla-infused flavor. With a simple dough and quick baking time, they’re an easy and fun treat to prepare in advance or share with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
Topping
- 1/4 cup holiday sprinkles (red, green, and white)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, incorporating air for a tender cookie. Stir in the vanilla extract to add a warm, aromatic flavor.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually incorporate the all-purpose flour and salt into the butter-sugar mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels dry, knead it gently with your hands until smooth and cohesive.
- Fold in Sprinkles: Gently fold the holiday sprinkles into the dough, distributing them evenly to add festive color and texture to each cookie bite.
- Shape the Cookies: Roll the dough into small balls about the size of a marble (approximately 1/2 inch or 1.25 cm in diameter). Alternatively, shape the dough into a log and slice into uniform cubes.
- Bake: Place the shaped dough pieces on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart to allow for slight spreading. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are just beginning to turn golden but the centers remain pale for a tender crumb.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your festive shortbread cookie bites!
Notes
- For best results, use unsalted butter and ensure it is softened to room temperature before creaming.
- Do not overbake; the cookies should remain light in color for a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- You can customize the sprinkles colors or omit them for plain shortbread bites.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- For even baking, try to keep dough pieces uniform in size.
