There’s something truly special about making Shortbread Cookie Cutouts with Icing Recipe from scratch — the buttery scent fills the kitchen, and decorating them is a super fun way to get creative. Trust me, once you try these, they’ll become a holiday staple or your go-to treat for anytime you want a little sweetness with charm.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Why They Work
- Make It Your Way
- Step-by-Step: How I Make Shortbread Cookie Cutouts with Icing Recipe
- Top Tip
- How to Serve Shortbread Cookie Cutouts with Icing Recipe
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Final Thoughts
- Shortbread Cookie Cutouts with Icing Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
I've made many cookies over the years, but this Shortbread Cookie Cutouts with Icing Recipe stands out because it’s simple yet incredibly satisfying. It’s perfect for sharing with friends or as a fun activity with family. Decorating the cookies brings out the kid in all of us, and the flavor? Buttery, tender, not too sweet — pure cookie bliss!
- Simple Ingredients: Uses pantry staples you probably already have, making it easy to whip up anytime.
- Perfect Texture: The blend of cornstarch and butter gives these cutouts that melt-in-your-mouth shortbread texture.
- Fun to Decorate: Icing and decorations let you personalize each cookie, which makes baking more joyful.
- Versatile for Occasions: Whether Christmas, birthdays, or just because, these cookies fit every celebration.
Ingredients & Why They Work
The magic of this Shortbread Cookie Cutouts with Icing Recipe really comes down to choosing ingredients that create that perfect crumbly yet buttery texture. A few tips on what to look for when shopping and how each element plays its part:
- Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted lets you control the saltiness and ensures a rich, creamy base for the shortbread.
- Powdered Sugar: This dissolves beautifully and creates a tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookie crumb.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: I love this for authentic vanilla flavor with little flecks of vanilla beans — it gives a homemade vibe.
- Salt: Just a pinch helps balance the sweetness and enhances the buttery flavors.
- All-Purpose Flour: The backbone of the dough; if you need gluten free, just swap in a gluten-free blend.
- Cornstarch: This is my secret for that delicate, tender texture without being crumbly or dry.
- Milk: Adds just the right moisture to the icing, making it smooth and perfect for dipping.
- White Chocolate & Food Coloring: Essential for creating those fun festive decorations like Santa hats or colorful wreaths.
- Rosemary & Sprinkles: Don’t underestimate the power of fresh rosemary sprigs and sprinkles — they turn simple cookies into elegant treats.
Make It Your Way
One of the things I adore about this Shortbread Cookie Cutouts with Icing Recipe is how easy it is to tweak depending on your mood or occasion. I often switch up the decorations or add my own twist to the icing colors.
- Variation: Last Christmas, I swapped red food coloring for green and piped tiny Christmas trees instead of Santa hats — my kids loved helping, and it made the cookie exchange stand out.
- Dietary tweaks: Using gluten-free flour blend works perfectly if you need it — just keep an eye on flour type as some blends absorb more liquid.
- Flavor boost: Try adding a little lemon zest to the dough or a dash of almond extract to the icing for a fresh seasonal flair.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Shortbread Cookie Cutouts with Icing Recipe
Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar
Start by beating the room temperature unsalted butter in your stand or electric mixer on medium-high speed. I like to do this for about 1-2 minutes until it’s smooth and creamy. Don’t forget to scrape the bowl down! Then, add your powdered sugar and beat again for another minute. This step is crucial — it sets the texture tone for the whole dough, making it tender and smooth.
Step 2: Add Flavor and Dry Ingredients
Next, mix in the vanilla bean paste and salt until combined. Then, switch your mixer to medium-low and slowly add the flour and cornstarch. At first, the dough seems dry and crumbly, but keep scraping down the bowl — it'll come together after a minute or two. Once it pulls away from the sides and forms a dough, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. This chilling step helps the dough hold its shape when rolling.
Step 3: Roll, Cut, and Chill Again
Flour your work surface generously, then roll the dough out gently to about ¼ inch thick. I like to dust the cookie cutters with flour too, so the shapes come out clean. Use your favorite cutters — round and scalloped ones are perfect for making wreaths and Santa hats. After cutting, gather the scraps, re-roll, and repeat until the dough is all used. Place the cutouts at least an inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then pop them back in the fridge for another 15-30 minutes. This extra chill reduces spreading in the oven.
Step 4: Bake to Perfection
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, rotating halfway, until the edges are just set and starting to turn a pale golden. I keep a close eye here — you want to avoid overbaking so they stay tender and buttery, not crisp and dry. Let them cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
Step 5: Whisk and Dip the Icing
Mix the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk in a shallow bowl until smooth and lump-free. This is your glossy icing that’s perfect for dipping. I find that dipping cooled cookies upside down gives the best smooth coating. Just be gentle lifting them so they don’t break — shortbread can be delicate. Place cookies on parchment to let the icing set before adding decorations.
Step 6: Decorate Your Masterpieces
For wreaths, I arrange small rosemary sprigs and sprinkle red sugar or tiny red sprinkles while the icing is still wet so they stick well. For Santa hats, I melt white chocolate and put a portion into a piping bag, then mix the rest with oil-based red food coloring for a vibrant color. Use small tips and pipe the hat shape, adding white chocolate trims and sparkling sugar for that festive wow factor. If you want, swap the red for green to make Christmas trees — the kids will love helping!
Top Tip
Through trial and error, I’ve learned a few insider tricks that really kick this Shortbread Cookie Cutouts with Icing Recipe up a notch – they help you get the best texture and the prettiest icing every time.
- Chill Thoroughly: Don’t skip chilling the dough before and after cutting — it prevents spreading and keeps shapes crisp.
- Use Oil-Based Food Coloring: When tinting melted white chocolate, always use oil-based food coloring to avoid seizing.
- Flour Hack: Lightly flour cookie cutters and your rolling surface to keep dough from sticking without adding too much extra flour.
- Gentle Lifting: When dipping cookies in icing, hold them carefully so they don’t break — trust me, I learned this the hard way!
How to Serve Shortbread Cookie Cutouts with Icing Recipe
Garnishes
I love to keep it simple yet festive for garnishes — fresh rosemary sprigs add a lovely piney aroma that pairs well with the buttery shortbread, while colorful sanding sugar and tiny sprinkles add just the right sparkle. Sometimes I even toss on edible glitter for extra holiday magic.
Side Dishes
Pair these cookies with a warm cup of spiced tea or rich hot chocolate — it really complements the buttery sweetness. They also make a charming addition to any dessert board alongside nuts, dried fruit, or a light fruit compote for contrast.
Creative Ways to Present
One of my favorite presentations was setting these Shortbread Cookie Cutouts with Icing Recipe on a wooden board lined with fresh evergreen branches and cranberries — it made them look straight out of a magazine! For parties, I arrange them in colorful tins or wrap them individually in clear bags tied with ribbon for sweet gifts.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Once decorated and dry, store these cutout cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh and delicious for up to 5 days. In my experience, they actually taste better a day after baking once all those flavors settle in, so don’t rush to eat them right away!
Freezing
I often freeze the baked cookies before decorating, especially during busy holidays. Just pop them into airtight containers or freezer bags, and they keep for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw completely at room temperature before adding icing and decorations to avoid condensation issues.
Reheating
Shortbread cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature, so I don’t usually reheat them. If you want to freshen them up, just let frozen cookies thaw fully. For a touch of warmth, a 5-10 second zap in the microwave can soften them slightly, but be careful not to melt the icing or decorations.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! I recommend making the dough and freezing it in a disk wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. When you’re ready to bake, thaw in the fridge overnight and roll as usual. This saves time on busy days.
No worries — pure vanilla extract works just as well! The vanilla bean paste just adds a touch of flecked texture and richer flavor, but the cookie’s deliciousness won’t suffer without it.
If your icing gets too thin, add a little more powdered sugar to thicken it up. The goal is to have a dip-able consistency that's thick enough to coat but still smooth. Adding milk a teaspoon at a time helps you find the perfect texture.
For mixing with melted white chocolate, it's best to use oil-based food coloring. Gel or water-based colorings can cause the chocolate to seize up and become grainy, which can be frustrating. For icing, gel food coloring works fine, though.
Final Thoughts
Making these Shortbread Cookie Cutouts with Icing Recipe has become one of my all-time favorites, especially around the holidays. There’s something joyful about mixing the simple dough, rolling out the shapes, and then bringing them to life with colorful icing and decorations that feels both nostalgic and creative. I hope you’ll enjoy the process as much as the result — whether you’re baking with kids, prepping for a party, or just treating yourself, these cookies bring happiness in every bite.
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Shortbread Cookie Cutouts with Icing Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 20 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Shortbread Cutout Cookies are a delightful holiday treat featuring a tender, buttery dough that is perfect for rolling and cutting into festive shapes. The cookies are decorated with a smooth vanilla icing, white chocolate accents, and seasonal garnishes like rosemary sprigs and colorful sprinkles, making them ideal for Christmas celebrations or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour (gluten free if needed)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
Decorations
- 4 ounces white chocolate
- Rosemary sprigs, sprinkles, sanding sugar for decorating
- Red food coloring oil-based
Instructions
- Prepare the Butter and Sugar: Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl if using an electric mixer, and beat on medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until the butter is smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the powdered sugar and beat again for 1 minute until well combined.
- Add Vanilla, Salt and Flour: Mix in the vanilla bean paste and salt, beating until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the all-purpose flour and cornstarch, then beat on medium-low speed until just combined and the dough starts to pull away from the bowl sides. It may seem dry at first; continue scraping and beating until a cohesive dough forms. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill.
- Roll and Cut the Dough: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Flour a clean work surface generously, then roll the chilled dough to ¼ inch thickness. Using a floured round cookie cutter, cut out half the cookies, and use a scalloped round cutter and small cutter to create wreath shapes. Gather any scraps, re-roll, and repeat until all dough is used. Arrange cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheet, then chill again for 15 to 30 minutes before baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the edges are set and just starting to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Icing: In a shallow dish or bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk until smooth and lump-free. Dip the cooled cookies upside down into the icing carefully to avoid breakage, then allow excess icing to drip off.
- Decorate Wreath Cookies: While the icing is still wet, place rosemary sprigs on the cookies and sprinkle sanding sugar and red sprinkles as desired to resemble wreath decorations.
- Decorate Santa Hat Cookies: Let the remaining iced cookies set on the baking sheet. Melt white chocolate and fill a pastry bag to pipe the white embellishments. Mix remaining white chocolate with red oil-based food coloring to desired color, place in another piping bag, and pipe the shape of Santa hats. Add white chocolate trim and top, then sprinkle with sanding sugar. Optionally, use green food coloring for Christmas tree designs.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- For extended storage, freeze baked and undecorated cookies for up to 3 months; thaw completely before decorating.
- You can also roll out cookie dough and freeze for up to 3 months; bake directly from frozen for convenience.
- Use oil-based food coloring when mixing with white chocolate to prevent seizing; water-based colors like gel can cause the chocolate to seize.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
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