Pecan Shortbread Christmas Tree Cookies Recipes

PECAN SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter/sugar mixture. Add the pecans and mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut into 2 1/2-inch squares with a plain or fluted cutter (or cut into any shape you like). Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature and serve.

PECAN SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Spray or lightly grease 2 large cookie sheets. In large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and food color. On low speed, beat in flour just until mixed. Stir in chopped pecans.
• Divide dough into 4 equal parts; shape each into ball. Place 2 balls of dough on each cookie sheet, on opposite ends. With rolling pin or floured fingers, gently flatten and shape each ball into 6-inch circle. With large knife, divide and cut each round into 8 wedges, slightly separating each cut with knife. Poke tops of wedges with fork, and place 1 pecan half in middle of each outer edge to make tree trunk.
• Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until firm but not brown. While still warm, cut into wedges again. Cool completely on cookie sheets, about 30 minutes.
• Place cooled tree wedges on cooling racks or waxed paper. Place baking chips in small resealable freezer plastic bag. Microwave on High 40 to 60 seconds, turning bag over after 30 seconds. Squeeze bag gently until chips are melted and smooth. Cut small tip off one corner of bag, and drizzle side to side over wedges to make tree garland. Sprinkle with sugar Top each tree with star.

SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl; with a pastry cutter, chop in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir the rum extract and almond extract into the water in a small bowl. Mix into the dry ingredients, a little bit at a time, until the mixture holds together in a ball when you squeeze it.
• Place the dough onto a floured work surface, and sprinkle with flour; roll out into a sheet 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with floured cookie cutters, and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Bake the cookies just until the edges are lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Allow to cool on sheets for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to finish cooling. Cool completely before decorating.
• For frosting, whisk the confectioners' sugar and milk in a bowl until smooth. If desired, divide frosting into small bowls, and tint each bowl a desired shade with food coloring. Frost fully cooled cookies, and sprinkle with edible glitter before the frosting sets.

SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together butter and vanilla until smooth.
• Add in all dry ingredients (sugar, cornstarch, salt, flour) and mix until evenly combined. The dough will be dry and crumbly, but will hold it's shape.
• Quickly mix in the sprinkles, and then turn dough onto a large sheet of parchment. Lift parchment into a square baking dish and then evenly press dough into the bottom, about 1/2 inch thick.
• Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
• Remove from fridge and lift the dough out of the square dish using the parchment.
• Cut into triangles. Bake at 325 for about 10 minutes, until light golden brown on the bottom. Let cool completely.
• Put powdered sugar into a bowl and add vanilla and water, starting with 2 tbsp. Mix until smooth.
• You want the icing to be pretty thin, so that you can easily drizzle over cookies, so add more water if necessary.
• Stir in a few drops of green food coloring and then spoon into the corner of a zip-top bag for drizzling.
• Lay cookies out on parchment paper and snip the corner off the bag of icing. Just pipe or drizzle over the triangles, back and forth in one direction so that they resemble trees. Add a few sprinkles if you want, and then let sit until the icing dries.