Less than week until Christmas. I love this time of year! Our neighbors host a cookie day every year where we go and make dozens of cookies. The kids roll out sugar cookie dough and use Christmas themed cutters to create their batch. After the cookies bake, we all spend time decorating them. It’s so much fun, and we really love doing it every year.
One of the features of cookie day is bringing your own cookie recipe to share. You can either make them ahead of time, or bring the ingredients over to bake then and there. I decided to make a batch of good old-fashioned shortbread cookies to take over. I have made several recipes over the years, but this one is just unbeatable. It is simple, fast, and goes great with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa.
Classic Shortbread Cookies
You will need:
- 2 cups of flour
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter (1/2 lb) at room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
Preheat your oven to 350*F
Cream the butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add in the flour, salt, and vanilla. Mix until incorporated.
Pour the dough onto a floured sheet of parchment paper. Shape into a cylinder with your hands, and then use the parchment paper to roll it up and smooth it out into a cylindrical log. Gently press in the ends of the dough so they are flat. You can also do this with plastic wrap if you don’t have parchment paper.
Roll up the log, tuck in the ends, and put into the refrigerator for 30 minutes (this is important in order for the cookies to hold their shape when they bake).
One it is chilled, slice into 1/4 inch pieces, and quickly roll into a ball. Press down gently between your palms to flatten them a bit. This is a rough cookie shape, but it is one I always use for shortbread if I am just making basic cookies. You can also roll the dough into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle and cut it into bars. The less you handle the dough, the better.
Bake at 350*F for 12-14 minutes, or until pale golden. Top them with a sprinkling of powdered sugar, and enjoy 🙂
I hope you love these cookies as much as I do. Sometimes I like to add a 1/2 cup of chopped pecans into the dough for a little change. They are also delicious dipped into warm melted chocolate.
This is a great recipe to let the kids get involved with. They can dump the ingredients into the bowl and help form the dough into a log. Kids love to be a part of things, and it’s a great opportunity to spend some time together while talking about the real meaning of (Christ)mas. My kids are still little, so we have to keep building on the story every year with more detail. It’s so funny to hear the little ones try and remember everything. Their imaginations are hilarious 🙂
As always, thank you for your support.
Lots of love and many blessings,
Chelsea
Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:38
The Catholic Kitchen 
It sounds like a fun gathering.
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