If you're looking for a sweet and festive treat to enjoy during the holiday season, chocolate shortbread trees are a perfect choice. These delicious cookies are made with a simple shortbread dough that is flavored with chocolate and then baked into the shape of Christmas trees. Once the cookies are cooled, they are decorated with a variety of festive toppings, such as sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, or candy canes. Chocolate shortbread trees are a fun and easy holiday baking project that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
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CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD TREES
You can use this rollout chocolate cookie dough to create all kinds of shapes and sizes, but I like to make trees because they are so easy to decorate. -Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 30m
Yield about 3 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until blended. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and cocoa; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-1/4-in. tree-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. If desired, sprinkle with nonpareils., Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 81 calories, Fat 5g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 14mg cholesterol, Sodium 41mg sodium, Carbohydrate 8g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.
CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD TREES WITH RASPBERRY JAM & WH
My husband favorite cookie is a buttery shortbread. I love chocolate. The combination of the two is a perfect marriage. :)
Provided by nadine mesch
Categories Chocolate
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- 1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
- 2. In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Stir in sugar, salt and vanilla, using a spatula.
- 3. In a small bowl sift the flour and cocoa; add to the butter mixture. Stir until ingredients are combined and a soft dough forms.
- 4. Divide dough in half, place dough on opposite sides of the cookie sheet. Using your fingers, pat each piece of dough into a 6 inch round. Using a sharp knife score each dough round into 8 slices. Place entire cookie sheet in freezer for 25 minutes.
- 5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove cookie sheet from freezer and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Prick dough all over with a fork and bake for approximately 15 minutes until center is dry to the touch.
- 6. Remove from oven, place cookie sheet on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Slice shortbread into wedges. Remove wedges from baking sheet and cool completely on racks.
- 7. When cooled, spread a thick layer of jam on each wedge.
- 8. In a small bowl, combine white chocolate and shortening, place in microwave, cook until melted; stir until smooth. Place chocolate in a pastry bag with a small tip and pipe "garland" on each "tree wedge". Allow cookies to sit, until chocolate has hardened. Place in an air tight container with waxed paper between layers.
Tips:
- Use high-quality butter and chocolate for the best flavor. Make sure the butter is cold before creaming it with the sugar to create a light and fluffy dough.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling and cutting out the trees. This will help the cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Bake the cookies until the edges are just beginning to brown. Overbaking will make them dry and crumbly.
- Let the cookies cool completely before decorating them. This will help the icing set properly.
- To make the chocolate tree trunks, melt chocolate chips or baking chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir until smooth, then dip the bottom of each cookie in the melted chocolate. Place the cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate is set.
- To make the green icing, combine powdered sugar, milk, and green food coloring in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cookies, then decorate with sprinkles or chopped nuts.
Conclusion:
Chocolate shortbread trees are a delicious and festive holiday treat. They're perfect for gift-giving or enjoying with friends and family. With a little bit of time and effort, you can create these beautiful and tasty cookies that will be the hit of any party. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and get ready to make some delicious chocolate shortbread trees!
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