Recipe: Delicious Christmas Shortbread Cookies

When winter arrives, and the days shorten and chill, there’s nothing better than retreating into the warmth of your home. And to make things even cozier, we light up the oven and whip up these foolproof Christmas shortbread cookies!

Ingredients (makes about 50 cookies):

• 300g flour
• 150g cane sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• Zest of a half lemon
• 2 eggs
• 150g soft butter
• 1 heaping tsp ground cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• Christmas cookie cutters

For the icing:

• 200g powdered sugar
• 1 egg white
• Juice of the lemon you zested
• Red and green food coloring

Steps to Follow:

1. Take the butter out of the fridge at least an hour before you start.
2. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, then stir in the cane sugar, cinnamon, vanilla sugar, lemon zest, and pinch of salt. Add the butter (cut into small cubes) to the mixture and rub together with your fingers until the dough is crumbly.
3. Using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs until frothy. Create a well in the crumbly dough, add the eggs, and knead the mixture by hand until it forms a smooth dough.
4. Once the dough is ready, cover it with plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for 1 hour.
5. After an hour, preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF, gas mark 6). Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and use your cookie cutters to shape the cookies. Place them gently on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the edges start to brown.
6. While the cookies are baking, prepare the icing. Feel free to divide it into several small bowls to make the red and green colors. Using the electric mixer, beat the egg white with the powdered sugar until thick and smooth. Divide the mixture into 3 bowls, adding food coloring to each.
7. Once the cookies are fully cooled, start decorating them with the icing!

Have fun and enjoy your Christmas shortbread cookies!

👩‍🍳Pro Tip: Play your favorite Christmas playlist while making these cookies to get into the festive spirit!