Recipe and photo by Molly Bolton
The most impressive, beautiful, delicious cookie at the cookie swap this year. With a hint of orange, a touch of spice, and a buttery texture, these festive treats are as fun to make as they are to share.
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Cookies
226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
60 g (½ cup) powdered sugar
50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
1 Tbsp orange zest
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
281 g (2¼ cups, spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour, sifted
¾ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cardamom
For the Decorations and Glaze
Several sprigs of rosemary
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
300 g (2½ cups) powdered sugar, sifted
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp milk
Assorted sprinkles
Directions
Cookies:
Make the dough. Add butter, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, and orange zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (alternatively, you can use an electric hand mixer). Mix on high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through and again at the end. Add orange juice and vanilla and mix to combine.
In a large bowl, combine the sifted flour, kosher salt, and ground spices. Add the dry ingredients to the batter in 2 additions, mixing on low speed after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix.
Turn half of the cookie dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Using lightly floured hands, shape the dough into a disc, about 1/2″ thick, then wrap tightly in the plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough.
Chill the dough. Place the discs in the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours, up to 3 days (NOTE: for chill times longer than 3 hours, place the wrapped discs in a zip-top bag to keep them from drying out). For freezing instructions, refer to my recipe notes below*.
When you’re ready to bake. Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. If the dough has been chilling for longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften a bit before rolling out.
Roll and cut the dough into shapes. Working with one disc at a time, place one portion of chilled dough on a clean, floured work surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough and your rolling pin. Roll the dough into a 1/4″ thickness, re-flouring the surface and/or dough as needed to prevent sticking. Use a cookie cutter** to cut the dough into shapes, gathering and re-rolling the scraps until you’ve used up all of the dough (TIP: if the dough begins to get too sticky, press it into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and place in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up).
Chill the cutouts. Place the cutouts on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 to 2 inches apart. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. (If you can’t fit baking sheets in the fridge, place the cutouts on a plate and return them to the baking sheet once they’ve chilled!)
Bake. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through bake time, until the bottoms of the cookies are just beginning to lightly brown. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Glaze + decorations:
Make the sugared rosemary. Brush the sprigs of rosemary with the egg white, then sprinkle generously with granulated sugar. Allow to set for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until dry.
Make the glaze. Add the powdered sugar, orange juice, and milk to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add more liquid (orange juice or milk) as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the glaze reaches a thick drizzling consistency.
Decorate. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Dip the top side of each cookie into the icing, holding the cookie over the bowl to let excess drip off. Place the cookie on the parchment paper. Use a toothpick to pop any bubbles that appear. Decorate with sugared rosemary leaves and sprinkles. Repeat this process with each cookie.
Set. Allow the glaze to dry, about 1 hour.
Notes
*Make-ahead/ freezing instructions: Cookies can be baked and stored in an airtight container for 1 to 2 days before glazing.
Cookie dough may be stored wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a zip-top bag for up to 3 days.
To freeze discs of dough, wrap the dough in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, and store in a freezer-safe zip-top bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove foil and leave in the fridge overnight. To freeze dough cutouts, place the cutouts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer until the dough is frozen solid. Place frozen cutouts in a freezer-safe zip-top bag for up to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to your bake time.
**Cookie cutters: Feel free to use any size or shape cookie cutters for your shortbread cookies! To create wreaths, I used a 3-inch and a 1 1/2- inch round cutter with a scalloped edge. For the snowflakes, I used a 3-inch cookie cutter.
Storage: Make sure the glaze has set completely before storing cookies. Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container, placing sheets of wax or parchment paper between layers of cookies.
Additional info
Makes: 24 cookies
Active time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Total time: 6 hours
