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Overhead view of Shortbread Christmas Cookies with Icing on a silver tray with white linen.
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5 from 82 votes

Shortbread Christmas Cookies with Icing

Looking for the ultimate Christmas cookie? These Shortbread Christmas Cookies with Icing are perfect to make with your family this holiday season.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Chill Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, bakery, holiday
Servings: 48
Calories: 154kcal
Author: Courtney Paige

Equipment

  • Standing or hand mixer
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Baking sheets
  • Piping bags and tips
  • Festive cookie cutters
  • Rolling Pin
  • Flat spatula

Ingredients

For the cookies

  • 1½ cups butter room temperature
  • 1½ cups cane sugar
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1½ tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4½ cups all purpose flour

For the icing

  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 5 tbsp warm water
  • 3 tbsp meringue powder
  • ½ tsp almond extract
  • ½ tsp lemon extract

Instructions

  • In a KitchenAid standing mixer, mix together ROOM TEMPERATURE butter and cane sugar for 5-8 minutes or until combined.
  • Still mixing, add room temperature eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract.
  • Stop the mixer. Then, add flour, baking powder, and salt.
    Dough for Shortbread Christmas Cookies with Icing in a metal mixing bowl.
  • Let the cookie dough mix until everything is combined. Then, chill for 1 hour.
  • Next, flour a flat surface. Use a rolling pin to flatten chilled cookie dough, rolling until it's about ⅛” - ¼” thick. It's important to make sure the dough is even for the best bake.
    raw Shortbread Christmas Cookie Dough after being flattened on a wooden cutting board with parchment paper.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Using festive cookie cutters, cut out cookies. Then, place them on an ungreased baking sheet.
    Cutting Shortbread Christmas Cookie dough with festive holiday cookie cutters.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes. NOTE: Baking times may vary depending on your oven and cookie sheet. Keep a close eye on the cookies so they don't burn.
  • Remove baking sheet from the oven. Then, transfer cookies to a plate, cooling rack, or another baking sheet. They should be firm enough to slide off the pan with a little assistance from a flat spatula.
  • Allow the cookies to chill for 15-20 minutes in the fridge or outside. (Keep them away from animals! )
  • While the cookies cool, make the icing. This is where a KitchenAid standing mixer is REALLY helpful.
  • Add powdered sugar, warm water, meringue powder, and almond and lemon extract to the bowl of your standing mixer. Mix for 7-10 minutes or until very fluffy.
  • Place icing into piping bags. NOTE: If you want to add food coloring to the icing, do it before adding to the piping bags.
  • Now it's time to ice the cookies! Have fun with it! Add as much or as little to each cookie as you'd like. There will be enough icing to cover at least 50% of each cookie. Enjoy!
    Icing a snow angel shaped Shortbread Christmas Cookie with Icing.

Notes

This cookie recipe is in honor of my sister, Emily, who is my heavenly angel. Em, you are missed beyond measure and forever will make these cookies "the best." Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. In her memory, I am also naming these cookies Emmy's Angel Cookies. ❤️️
This recipe makes 48 cookies. If you don't need this many, feel free to half the recipe.
These cookies freeze and ship very well. If you put them in plastic bags and pad the box with some tissue paper, they arrive nicely. 
You must use the meringue powder. It makes a HUGE difference by allowing the icing to harden so you don't get smudgy cookies. I've read that you can substitute egg whites, but I haven't tried it myself.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 16mg | Sugar: 17g