There’s just something about a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth treat that makes the holidays feel extra special. This Christmas Shortbread Bites Recipe captures that magic perfectly—tiny, colorful, and utterly satisfying little cookies you can share or keep all to yourself. Trust me, these bites bring that nostalgic festive joy in every crisp crumb.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I’ve made a bunch of shortbread recipes over the years, but these Christmas Shortbread Bites have a little extra charm. The dough is delicate yet holds together beautifully, and those festive sprinkles add such a joyful pop of color. They’re simple enough to whip up even on busy days but always impress.
- Quick to Prepare: With just a handful of ingredients and under an hour from start to finish, these bites are perfect for last-minute holiday baking.
- Beautiful Presentation: Tiny, uniform squares sprinkled with colorful nonpareils make them irresistible and gift-worthy.
- Flexible Flavor: Almond extract adds a special touch, but you can easily swap it for vanilla or add chocolate for your own twist.
- Kid-Friendly Fun: Getting kids involved to add the sprinkles is always a highlight — plus, these bites are perfectly sized for little hands.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Every ingredient in this Christmas Shortbread Bites Recipe plays a crucial role in achieving that crumbly, buttery texture and festive look. Plus, no weird extras—you probably already have everything in your kitchen!
- Unsalted butter: Using unsalted butter lets you control the saltiness perfectly and gives that classic rich flavor.
- Powdered sugar: This helps keep the texture extra smooth and delicate, better than granulated sugar in shortbread.
- Almond extract: A little goes a long way to add a lovely nutty aroma that pairs beautifully with the buttery dough.
- All-purpose flour: The base that holds it all together, scoop and level for accuracy to get consistent results.
- Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness and amplifies the butter’s flavor.
- Christmas colored nonpareils: These tiny sprinkles add festive fun and texture, making the bites look as joyful as they taste.
Make It Your Way
One of my favorite things about this Christmas Shortbread Bites Recipe is how adaptable it is. I often swap out the almond extract for vanilla when I want a softer flavor, and sometimes I toss in mini chocolate chips for a surprise twist. You’ve got full creative freedom here to make these your own.
- Variation: Try swapping the Christmas nonpareils for holiday-themed sugar crystals or even crushed peppermint candies for a minty zing—I did this last year, and it was a hit!
- Dietary Adjustment: For dairy-free, I’ve had success swapping the butter for a good-quality vegan buttery spread—just make sure it’s solid and cold for the right texture.
- Seasonal Switch-Up: Though perfect for Christmas, changing the sprinkles to pastel colors makes these bites great for Easter or baby showers.
- Skip the Chill: In a pinch, you can skip refrigerating the dough, but chilling it makes cutting much easier and keeps your bites perfectly shaped.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Shortbread Bites Recipe
Step 1: Creaming the Butter and Sugar
Start by beating your softened butter, powdered sugar, and almond extract together in your mixer until the mixture looks light and creamy. You want to take your time here, scraping the bowl often so everything blends evenly—the smoother the butter and sugar, the more tender your shortbread.
Step 2: Adding Flour Gently
Here’s where patience pays off. Slowly add your flour and salt, mixing carefully until the dough starts coming together. Overworking the dough can make it tough, so once it looks cohesive, stop mixing. It’s okay if it’s a bit crumbly at this stage—you’ll bring it together by hand next.
Step 3: Stir in the Sprinkles and Form the Dough
Fold in those cheerful sprinkles gently with a spatula, then knead the dough a few times in your bowl until it holds together in a soft ball. This step is key to keep bursts of festive color throughout the dough without squashing your sprinkles.
Step 4: Chill and Prepare to Cut
Press the dough evenly into your lined pan, smoothing the top nicely. Pop it in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes—this helps solidify the dough, making it so much easier to slice neatly. You don’t want your shortbread smushing when you cut!
Step 5: Cut and Bake Your Bites
Use your parchment or plastic wrap to lift the chilled dough from the pan and set it on a cutting board. Slice into uniform ½-inch squares—this size is just right for bite-sized perfection. Arrange them on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving a little space between pieces. Bake at 325°F for 10–12 minutes, watching closely—these brown quickly, and you want them just golden at the edges.
Top Tip
Making Christmas Shortbread Bites takes some gentle handling, but trust me, it’s worth it! Here are some tips I swear by to get perfect bites every time.
- Use Room Temperature Butter: I used cold butter once, and it made the dough hard to work with. Soft but still cool butter blends best.
- Measure Flour Properly: Too much flour can make your bites dry. I always scoop with a spoon, then level with a knife for accuracy—it changed my baking game.
- Don’t Skip the Chill: Chilling firms up the dough, so your cuts stay neat and cookies bake evenly without spreading.
- Watch Your Bake Time: Keep a close eye near the end—the difference between perfect golden edges and burnt bites is just a minute or two.
How to Serve Christmas Shortbread Bites Recipe
Garnishes
I love adding a little extra flair by dusting my finished bites with a tiny sprinkle of powdered sugar or a few more colored nonpareils right before serving—it looks so festive on a holiday platter and adds a little crunch contrast.
Side Dishes
These shortbread bites are such a treat alongside a warm cup of spiced tea or hot cocoa. I also like them paired with a sharp cheese board for a fun sweet-and-savory holiday snack table.
Creative Ways to Present
For holiday parties, I’ve arranged these bites in colorful mini muffin liners or piled them in clear glass jars tied with a red ribbon for gift-giving. Layering them with sprigs of fresh rosemary or holly leaves makes a simple but stunning centerpiece.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftover Christmas Shortbread Bites in an airtight container at room temperature, and they stay fresh and crisp for up to a week. I’ve found that layering parchment paper between them prevents sticking and keeps the sprinkles looking perfect.
Freezing
If you want to prep early (or double the batch), these bites freeze beautifully. I freeze them flat on a tray first so they don’t stick, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready, just thaw at room temperature, no baking needed!
Reheating
Reheat briefly in a low oven (about 275°F for 5 minutes) if you want to refresh their crispness after freezing. Just keep an eye to avoid browning them too much!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! If you use salted butter, just skip the additional salt in the recipe to avoid over-seasoning your shortbread. It’s an easy swap with no impact on flavor.
Chilling the dough is highly recommended because it makes cutting the shortbread into neat squares much easier. You can skip it if you’re in a hurry, but the texture might be a bit softer and harder to slice cleanly.
Definitely! Vanilla extract is a great substitute, and I sometimes use it for a milder flavor. Just use the same amount as almond extract unless you want a more pronounced vanilla taste, then you can adjust slightly.
Using the scoop and level method works best. Scoop the flour lightly with a spoon into your measuring cup, then level it off with a butter knife. This prevents packing too much flour, which could make your shortbread tough.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, this Christmas Shortbread Bites Recipe has become my go-to for seasonal baking. They’re fuss-free, festive, and remind me of cozy afternoons baking with family. Whether you’re gifting them or nibbling by the fire, I hope these bites bring little moments of joy and that you enjoy making them as much as I do. Give it a try—you’ll be reaching for sprinkles all season long!
Print
Christmas Shortbread Bites Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 160 mini cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delightfully buttery and crisp Christmas Shortbread Bites studded with festive colored sprinkles, perfect for holiday gatherings or gifting. These bite-sized treats offer a tender texture with a subtle almond flavor and a charming sprinkle crunch.
Ingredients
Shortbread Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Topping
- 3 teaspoons Christmas colored nonpareils
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 325°F. Line an 8 or 9-inch baking dish with plastic wrap or parchment paper to prevent sticking and set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, and almond extract. Beat until the mixture is creamy and smooth, scraping down the sides often to ensure even mixing. Turn off the mixer.
- Add Dry Ingredients Gently: Gradually add the all-purpose flour and kosher salt a little at a time to the creamed mixture. Beat carefully until the ingredients begin to form a dough. This process will take patience to avoid overworking the dough.
- Incorporate Sprinkles: Stir in the Christmas colored nonpareils evenly throughout the dough to add festive color and texture.
- Form Dough and Chill: Knead the dough gently a few times to bring it into a ball shape. Evenly press the dough into the prepared baking dish. Place the pan into the refrigerator and chill the dough for 20 minutes to firm up and make cutting easier.
- Cut the Dough: Remove the pan from the fridge. Use the plastic wrap or parchment paper to lift the dough out and transfer it onto a cutting board. Cut the dough into ½-inch squares carefully.
- Arrange and Bake: Place the cut squares onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing them slightly apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to brown. Watch closely as they brown quickly.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the shortbread bites to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy these festive mini cookies with your holiday celebrations!
Notes
- You can substitute almond extract with vanilla extract (use ½ teaspoon if baking in an 8×8-inch dish).
- If using salted butter, omit the added kosher salt in the recipe to avoid over-salting.
- Double the recipe and bake in a 9×13-inch pan for more cookies.
- For extra festive appeal, sprinkle additional nonpareils on top of the dough before baking.
- Measure flour by scooping with a tablespoon and leveling with a knife for consistent results.
- Customize the cookies for different occasions by changing the sprinkle colors.
- Add chocolate by using a chocolate chip shortbread variation if desired.
- For time-saving, you may skip the chilling step but baking chilled dough yields cleaner cuts.
- Refer to the blog post for additional tips and tricks for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 mini cookies
- Calories: 70 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
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