Christmas Shortbread Cookies

Christmas is almost here! Only a week to go now

I feel like I write the same post every year – that Christmas has come so fast, and it’s already upon us, another year gone by.

But seriously now, how quickly has this year gone?! I swear the older I get, the faster time flies by.

Christmas baking is already in full swing at work. Lots and lots of fruit mince pies, christmas puddings baked in little jars and gingerbread cookies are being churned out by yours truly on a daily basis.

And my Christmas tree is up at home! It’s real, like in a pot. As in, alive. So I have to try not to kill it (because I’m failing at that guys, the keeping-plants-alive thing. Seriously).

The tree is probably up to my shoulder, covered in lights and little white, silver and purple baubles. It brings gorgeous light to our apartment in the evenings and has presents spilling out from underneath it.

The presents are actually spilling out quite far! There are all the ones under the tree, another big pile of presents has taken up the corner and the ottoman, then there’s another pile by the bookcase, and Mr Man’s hoard of gifts for me is still under the bed (where he thinks that they’re well hidden) waiting to be wrapped.

Basically, there are presents everywhere. And I’m really, super excited for Christmas to get here already so I can claim my apartment back from all the presents.

But what can I say, I love buying presents. And wrapping them is so much fun! There’s nothing cheesier I love more than playing Christmas carols, wrapping gifts, watching a Christmas movie and baking Christmas cookies. Now all I need in my fantasy land is for it to snow!

I love shortbread cookies for christmas because they’re deliciously buttery, keep so well, make a great gift and look so Christmassy covered in the lightest dusting of powdered sugar.

Don’t forget that there are lots of other Christmas recipes on the blog, too!

These gingerbread cookies are so Christmassy and another great option to give as gifts.
I’ll be making these peppermint chocolate truffles this weekend to take to a Christmas lunch.
This scorched almond and chocolate nougat was my favourite Christmas treat last year and makes such a great present!
This Christmas spiced brown sugar shortbread just melts in your mouth.
And who could forget my gingerbread macarons with eggnog buttercream?! Yum!

I hope you all enjoy your Christmas baking! Have a very merry Christmas filled with joy, love, laughter and beautiful food (and snow! I hope you get snow!). X

• 225g unsalted butter, softened (1 cup)
• ½ cup caster (superfine) sugar
• 2 cups plain flour
• ½ tsp sea salt

1. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer.
2. Add the flour and salt and mix on a low speed until just incorporated.
3. Bring the dough together into a ball. Roll out between two sheets of baking paper until the dough is ½ inch thick.
4. Refrigerate the rolled out dough for about 15 minutes.
5. Remove the shortbread from the fridge, take off the top sheet of baking paper and use Christmas shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the dough.
6. Place the cutout cookies onto lined baking trays. Bring the leftover dough together in a ball and repeat the whole process.
7. Refrigerate the trays of cutout cookies for 10 minutes and preheat the oven to 170 (325 F).
8. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until lightly golden. Makes about 30 cookies.
9. Happy baking! And merry Christmas!