Looking for bite-sized sweet treats or snacks for this Holiday season? Try these Christmas shortbread bites. These are buttery, melt-in-your-mouth kind and a must-add to your cookie tray for gifting.
Take softened room temperature butter in a bowl, add sugar and almond extract. Start beating using a hand mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment) until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.
Add flour and salt. Again beat it until incorporated well. It will look crumbly like breadcrumbs.
Add sprinkles. Again beat just until mixed.
Pinch a small portion in your palm and it should come together and hold its shape. If it falls apart then add ½ teaspoon of milk at a time and mix until it comes together.
Using your hand, just gather the dough and knead lightly.
Line 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper that is hanging on the sides for easier lifting. Add the prepared dough in it and start pressing the dough throughout the pan. Spread it evenly.
Chill the pan for 20-30 minutes and use the parchment paper to take out the dough. After a halfway chilling time, preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
Now using a sharp knife cut into ½ inch sized squares.
Dump most of the cookie bites on the cookie tray and spread them out by keeping some space between them.
Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes.
Let the cookie bites cool down on the cookie sheet itself and then store or serve.
Notes
Use room-temperature softened butter. Make sure that is not melted, it should be just soft to the touch. So make sure to take out the butter from the fridge for a few hours prior. Or use the tricks that you find online to soften the butter instantly. But Never microwave the butter to soften, this way it never softens evenly.
Short on time? Skip the chilling time. I recommend chilling because it is easy to cut and you’ll get a nice shape.
After adding sprinkles do not overwork the dough otherwise they bleed too much.
Scalable: You can double, triple the amount as needed.