Description

This Spiced Christmas Shortbread recipe offers a delightful twist on traditional buttery shortbread by incorporating warm festive spices like cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and ginger. Perfectly crisp and lightly golden, these cookies are brushed with melted butter and coated in a fragrant spice mixture, making them a delicious holiday treat to share with family and friends.

Ingredients

Shortbread Dough

115 g unsalted butter, softened (1 stick / ½ cup / 4 oz)
50 g caster sugar (superfine sugar) (1 ¾ oz)
130 g plain flour (all-purpose flour) (1 cup / ~4 ½ oz)
40 g rice flour (~1 ½ tbsp)

Spice Mix & Finishing

2 tablespoons caster sugar (superfine sugar)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground ginger
½ teaspoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

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Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Trays: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) or 160°C fan forced. Line two baking trays with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Make the Dough: Beat together the softened butter and 50g caster sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Sift the plain flour and rice flour together, then add these to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat until everything is incorporated and the dough begins to clump together.
Roll Out Dough and Cut Shapes: Lightly flour a clean surface and bring the dough into a ball. Roll it out evenly to about 5mm to 6mm thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out as many cookies as possible. Gather and re-roll scraps to maximize the number of cookies. Use a palette knife to carefully transfer the shaped dough onto the lined baking trays.
Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until they begin to turn golden around the edges, indicating they are cooked through.
Prepare Spice Mix: Combine the additional 2 tablespoons caster sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon allspice, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of ginger, and ½ teaspoon dark brown sugar in a bowl. Rub the dry ingredients between your fingers to distribute the spices evenly.
Butter and Spice the Cookies: Once baked, brush each cookie lightly with the melted butter. Then, flip each cookie and press the underside into the spice mixture to coat thoroughly.
Final Notes: Allow the cookies to cool completely before serving. Enjoy these festive treats with family and friends, and consider leaving a comment or rating to share your experience.

Notes

Rice flour adds a lighter texture to the shortbread and helps achieve a delicate crumb.
The combination of spices creates a warm, festive flavor perfect for the holiday season.
Use a palette knife for easy transfer of delicate cookies to avoid breaking them.
Ensure you don’t overbake the shortbread to keep it tender and crumbly rather than crisp and dry.
This recipe yields about 40 small cookies, making it ideal for holiday gift-giving or large gatherings.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: British