Shamrock Shortbread Cookies

The general consensus with my family and friends seems to be that shortbread cookies trump sugar cookies.  So when I make roll out cookies shortbread is the dough of choice!!  I decorated my shamrock cookies with sparkling sugar and shamrock sprinkles.  Frosted, of course, with royal icing!

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small bowl whisk together flour and salt.  Set aside.  In mixer bowl beat butter until smooth.  Scrape the bowl so that all the butter is at the bottom.  Add in sugar and mix until combined.  Mix in vanilla.  Slowly add in flour and mix until just combined.  Mixture will look crumbly but will be buttery soft to the touch!  Place mixture onto plastic wrap and form into a disc shape.  Refrigerate for one hour!

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll out dough and cut into desired shapes.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Allow to cool completely.


Royal Icing

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon meringue powder

3 tablespoons water

gel food coloring

In large mixer bowl combine all ingredients.  Starting on low speed mix until combined.  Once combined increase to high and mix until glossy, about 3 minutes.  Separate into smaller bowls depending on how many different colors you are using and tint icing. 

At this point the icing will be at the appropriate consistency for outlining and writing on the cookies.  Once you go to fill in the cookies add a tad of water to each bowl, continue to add water and stir until at the correct consistency for easy spreading. 

To make the shamrock design shown above:  Outline the cookie with white icing and allow to dry.  When dry fill the cookie in with white icing.  Do not allow to dry.  Immediately after filling, place three dots of green icing on the cookie where the leafs of the shamrock are (shown above).  Using a thin knife (paring works or a tooth pick) start at the top of the dot and drag it down the middle of the cookie.  Repeat with the other dots, bringing them into the middle from the sides.