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Shortbread Christmas Cookies and a Gingerbread House Cake

December 20, 2019 by Heather Smoke 10 Comments

It’s been such a busy week of cookie baking!  I wanted so much to create a really beautiful Christmas cookie box with an assortment of shortbread Christmas cookies, so I’ve just been baking up a storm in our kitchen. My goal of making and decorating this many different cookies in just a few days was maybe a little overly ambitious.

All together, I made 8 different cookies this week, and all of the recipes are linked at the bottom of this post. I loved creating and styling this Christmas cookie box – and my boys loved sampling all the cookies – so I hope to make this a yearly Christmas tradition.

For more Christmas cookie inspiration, be sure to check out my 2020 Christmas cookie box and 2021 Christmas cookie box.

A box full of assorted Christmas cookies.

This site contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This means that I may make a small commission if you purchase a product using those links.  This in no way affects my opinion of those products and services.  All opinions expressed on this site are my own.

Shortbread Christmas Cookies

I love shortbread, so I decided to do a variety of shortbread flavors for our cookie box, in addition to a few other cookies and treats.  My vanilla shortbread recipe holds its shape beautifully for cutout cookies, and doesn’t spread while baking, which makes it perfect for Christmas cookies. I prefer it to any sugar cookie recipe I’ve ever tried.

Although all this cookie baking was a lot of work, I’m not one to back down from a baking project once I’ve begun. So on the first day, I made all the dough, one batch right after the other, then wrapped and labeled everything to chill for a bit. After making and chilling the dough, I set to work rolling and cutting the cookies, which is my three-year-old’s favorite part.  He absolutely loves rolling out dough (and eating it) and using all my cookie cutters.

There was vanilla bean shortbread, which I made into tiny little cookie houses.  I mean, how adorable are they? I’m so in love with them. I made them using this gingerbread house cookie cutter, and it worked perfectly.

Then there was almond shortbread, with almond icing and crushed almonds on top. So good.  I also made maple pecan shortbread with maple icing, crushed pecans and toffee bits, which ended up being my husband’s favorite.  And chocolate shortbread trees, with snickerdoodle buttercream tinted a deep woodsy green.

A mini vanilla bean shortbread cookie house, with a Christmas mug full of coffee.
A box full of assorted Christmas cookies.
Christmas tree chocolate shortbread cookies.

Other Cookies for our Cookie Box

I also made soft and chewy peanut butter chocolate chip blondies.  Then there were soft chocolate sugar cookies filled with pink peppermint buttercream.  And, last but not least, homemade English toffee, which I only make once a year for Christmas.

Those little houses were definitely my favorite to decorate.  I was so excited to use my new cutter, and I had the dough all ready to go as soon as the cutter arrived on my doorstop.  And I just loved how they turned out.  Pretty and sweet, and so little and delicate.

We sampled some of the cookies, gave some away as gifts, and froze the rest for later, so we’ll be able to enjoy homemade cookies for a while.

A mini vanilla bean shortbread cookie house.
A box full of assorted Christmas cookies.

A Christmas Cookie Cake

My husband had asked me if I would make a cake for him to take to his department’s work party. And I love any excuse to make a Christmas cake! I already had a few extra layers of chocolate cake tucked away in the freezer, so I made a batch of fluffy buttercream flavored with vanilla and orange extracts to give it a pretty white coat.  I envisioned a Christmas cookie cake, and it was just so much fun to add cookies and sprinkles and sugar pearls here and there.

The cake was so cute and whimsical, and I just love how it turned out.  After I decorated the cake, my three-year-old (who had been observing the process quite intently), exclaimed, “It’s beautiful!  I’m ready to taste it!”

A Christmas cake decorated with candy canes and Christmas cookies.
A Christmas cake decorated with candy canes and Christmas cookies.

Christmas Cookie Recipe Links

  • Vanilla Bean Shortbread (Mini Houses): A double batch of the vanilla bean shortbread makes enough dough for 12 mini houses.  Use a stiff royal icing for assembling the pieces.  This is the cutter I bought on Amazon.
  • Chocolate Shortbread (Trees):  Substitute 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder for 1/2 cup of flour in the vanilla shortbread recipe.  Chocolate shortbread is a bit more delicate than vanilla, so handle the cookies gently.  The chocolate dough also bakes a little quicker.  The green buttercream is a Snickerdoodle Buttercream.  I used a few drops each of “Forest Green”, “Electric Green”, and “Super Black” Americolor gel colors to create the deep woodsy green color.
  • Almond Shortbread: Make the vanilla shortbread recipe, using 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon almond extract.  Make a basic royal icing recipe, flavored with almond extract, thin enough for flooding. Pipe or spoon the icing onto the cookies.  Immediately press the iced top of the cookie into crushed almonds and sprinkle with a small amount of coarse finishing salt.
  • Maple Pecan Toffee Shortbread:  Make the vanilla shortbread recipe, using 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon maple extract. Add 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans to the dough.  Make a basic royal icing recipe, flavored with maple extract, thin enough for flooding. Pipe or spoon the icing onto the cookies.  Immediately press the iced top of the cookie into crushed pecans and toffee bits and sprinkle with a small amount of coarse finishing salt.
  • English Toffee Recipe
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies: This recipe is from Half-Baked Harvest.  I didn’t do the peanut butter swirl throughout the batter, though.  These are probably the best, most moist cookie bars I’ve ever had.
  • Soft Chocolate Sugar Cookie Sandwiches with Peppermint Buttercream: I used this recipe for soft-baked Homemade Oreos.  For the filling, add peppermint extract and red or pink food coloring to the buttercream.
  • Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Lemon Icing (these cutout cookies are on top of the cake)

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.


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Filed Under: Christmas and Thanksgiving, Christmas Cookies

Previous Post: « Goldie and Bear Cake
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. La Table De Nana

    December 21, 2019 at 1:15 pm

    He must beam with pride carrying in your gorgeous confections.
    Cheers to you all.
    And cheers to you and all your talents!

    Reply
  2. babs

    December 22, 2019 at 1:27 pm

    You, my friend, are amazing! To receive a box of treats such as the one pictured above would be like winning the million dollar lottery.
    Wishing you happiness in 2020.

    Reply
  3. ROSA ENRIQUEZ

    August 21, 2021 at 11:25 am

    Hello!
    I know I’m late, but any info on the flat gingerbread house cookie in your very first picture? The one right next to the 2 trees? I LOVE it!! I would appreciate any info on where to purchase. Thank you!
    P.S. Your cookie box is PRECIOUS!!!

    Reply
    • Heather

      August 21, 2021 at 9:00 pm

      Rosa, I found that cookie cutter at Michael’s a few years ago. Keep an eye out closer to Christmas – they always have tons of cute cookie cutters. 🙂 I bet you could find something similar on Etsy!

      Reply
  4. Abby

    September 17, 2021 at 9:23 am

    Hi, I was just wondering what tip you used to pipe the icing on the green tree shortbread cookies. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Heather

      September 19, 2021 at 1:10 pm

      I used tip #17.

      Reply
  5. Janis

    October 29, 2021 at 5:36 am

    Where did you get the box, or did you make it? I’m looking for another size box for my treats this year. These are adorable, by the way.

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      October 30, 2021 at 6:20 pm

      I probably found it at Michaels.

      Reply
  6. Cat

    November 27, 2021 at 3:45 pm

    What cutter did you use for the small snowflake cookies?

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      November 27, 2021 at 3:50 pm

      That’s a small plunger-style cookie cutter that I found at Michaels a few years ago.

      Reply

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I'm Heather, and welcome to my Colorado kitchen, where you will find high-altitude tested recipes for beautifully photographed cakes, baked goods and sweets. I believe that the kitchen is the heart of a home, and everyone is welcome in mine. So stay a while, sip a cup of coffee, and bake something delicious with me!

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