Description
These Christmas Tree Shortbread Sticks are delightful festive treats perfect for holiday snacking or decorating your cakes. Made from a simple, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread dough, these crisp cookies are shaped like trees and decorated with chocolate drizzle and sprinkles to mimic Christmas tree branches. They are easy to prepare and bake, making them a fun and quick holiday baking project.
Ingredients
Scale
Shortbread Dough
- 1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
Decoration
- 8oz (225g) Baker’s chocolate or candy melts
- Sprinkles (optional – to decorate the tree branches)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Add the softened unsalted butter and mix until the dough comes together smoothly and is well incorporated.
- Shape the Cookies: Roll out the shortbread dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut the dough into small Christmas tree shapes or sticks, ensuring you get approximately 32 small cookies. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake the Shortbread Sticks: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Bake the cookies for around 15-18 minutes or until they are lightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
- Melt the Chocolate: While the cookies cool, gently melt the Baker’s chocolate or candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 20-30 seconds until smooth.
- Decorate the Cookies: Using a spoon or piping bag, drizzle the melted chocolate over the shortbread sticks to resemble Christmas tree branches. Add sprinkles immediately while the chocolate is still wet to give a festive look. Allow the chocolate to set and harden before serving or using them as cake toppers.
Notes
- Use candy melts or chocolate, or a combination of both, to dress up your Christmas tree sticks with colorful branches.
- These shortbread sticks can double as decorative cake toppers or as a charming snack by themselves.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain crispness for up to a week.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend that measures equally.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 25mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 12mg
