Shortbread Christmas Trees
Preheat oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter, powdered sugar and vanilla at medium speed until smooth, about 1 min. Add flour and salt. Mix on low until just combined.
In between two sheets of parchment, roll out dough to ¼-inch thickness. Lightly flour the cookie stamp and press. Using a large star-shaped cookie cutter, stamp two large cut outs. Transfer cut out sto prepared baking sheet. Using a star-shaped cookie cutter one size smaller, stamp two cut outs and transfer to baking sheet, placing cookies 2 inches apart. Repeat steps with smaller cookie cutters and place smaller cut outs on second baking sheet. Smaller cut outs will require less baking time. Repeat with remaining dough.
Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer for 10 minutes, this will prevent the cookies from spreading in the oven.
Bake until the edges are lightly golden brown, about 12 - 15 minutes for larger cutouts and 9 – 12 minutes for smaller cut outs. Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating.
While cookies are cooling, prepare royal icing. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat together powdered sugar, water, meringue powder, and green food colouring on medium – high speed for 1 – 2 minutes. Royal icing should be able to hold its shape on the whisk. If icing is too runny, add more powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time.
Transfer royal icing into a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (I prefer open star tip) and begin piping dollops of icing on the tops of each cookie. Stack cookies together (two of each size) to form a tree. Decorate with additional icing and sprinkles.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter, powdered sugar and vanilla at medium speed until smooth, about 1 min. Add flour and salt. Mix on low until just combined.
In between two sheets of parchment, roll out dough to ¼-inch thickness. Lightly flour the cookie stamp and press. Using a large star-shaped cookie cutter, stamp two large cut outs. Transfer cut out sto prepared baking sheet. Using a star-shaped cookie cutter one size smaller, stamp two cut outs and transfer to baking sheet, placing cookies 2 inches apart. Repeat steps with smaller cookie cutters and place smaller cut outs on second baking sheet. Smaller cut outs will require less baking time. Repeat with remaining dough.
Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer for 10 minutes, this will prevent the cookies from spreading in the oven.
Bake until the edges are lightly golden brown, about 12 - 15 minutes for larger cutouts and 9 – 12 minutes for smaller cut outs. Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating.
While cookies are cooling, prepare royal icing. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat together powdered sugar, water, meringue powder, and green food colouring on medium – high speed for 1 – 2 minutes. Royal icing should be able to hold its shape on the whisk. If icing is too runny, add more powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time.
Transfer royal icing into a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (I prefer open star tip) and begin piping dollops of icing on the tops of each cookie. Stack cookies together (two of each size) to form a tree. Decorate with additional icing and sprinkles.
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