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Sugar Plum Fairy Shortbread Bites Recipe

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4 from 6 reviews

Sugar Plum Fairy Shortbread Bites are delicate, buttery shortbread cookies infused with almond and vanilla extracts, lightly tinted with pink food coloring, and decorated with colorful nonpareils. These charming treats are finished with an optional sweet glaze for a festive touch, perfect for gifting or holiday celebrations.

Ingredients

For the Cookies

  • 1 cup very soft butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • a few drops of pink or red liquid food coloring (optional)
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons multi-colored nonpareils (plus 1–2 teaspoons reserved for topping)

For the Glaze (Optional)

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 6 tablespoons half & half (may need more for consistency)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Baking Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang on two sides for easy removal. Spray the foil and sides with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the very soft butter, granulated sugar, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is creamy and well blended. Gradually add pink or red food coloring one drop at a time until you achieve the desired shade, if using.
  3. Add Dry Ingredients: Incorporate the all-purpose flour and kosher salt into the butter mixture using a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon, mixing until all flour is fully combined. The dough will be crumbly. Stir in 3 tablespoons of multi-colored nonpareils, reserving 1-2 teaspoons for later.
  4. Form the Dough in the Pan: Transfer the crumbly dough into the prepared baking pan. Use a flat-bottomed glass or metal spatula to press and smooth the dough evenly across the pan surface. If you opt out of glazing, sprinkle the reserved nonpareils evenly over the dough and press gently to adhere.
  5. Chill and Cut Dough: Refrigerate the dough in the pan for 10 minutes to firm up. Using the foil overhang, lift the dough from the pan onto a cutting surface and cut into 1-inch squares. Arrange the cut squares 1 inch apart on two ungreased cookie sheets and discard the foil.
  6. Second Chill: Refrigerate the cookie sheets with cut dough squares for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. This step is crucial for maintaining shape while baking.
  7. Bake the Cookies: Place the cookie sheets on the center oven rack. Bake for 13 to 18 minutes or until the bottoms begin to just brown. Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a cooling rack until completely cooled. Repeat with the second batch.
  8. Prepare the Glaze (Optional): In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, half & half, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth and thick but still spoonable. Adjust thickness by adding more powdered sugar (to thicken) or half & half (to thin).
  9. Glaze the Cookies: Pour the icing into a shallow bowl. Dip 3 to 4 shortbread bites into the glaze, coating them completely. Lift each with a fork and let excess glaze drip back into the bowl. Wipe the fork bottom on the bowl edge before placing each cookie onto a cooling rack. Immediately sprinkle with reserved nonpareils.
  10. Dry the Glaze: Allow the glazed cookies to dry at room temperature for 3-4 hours or until the icing is hard and dry to the touch. Once dry, flip cookies to allow bottoms to dry as well.
  11. Store or Gift: Store cookies in an airtight container or freeze for longer storage. If gifting, place cookies in cellophane or plastic bags and secure with a twist tie to maintain freshness.

Notes

  • Use very soft butter to ensure easier mixing and better texture.
  • Pink food coloring is optional; you can omit it or add it just to the glaze for a subtler color.
  • Chilling the dough twice helps maintain the shape and prevents spreading during baking.
  • The glaze must dry completely for the cookies to be stackable and ideal for gifting.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container to keep fresh, or freeze and thaw in a single layer before serving.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/sugar-plum-fairy-shortbread-bites-recipe/