Shortbread Christmas Cookies

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup white sugar
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 cups cold butter
  • 0.5 teaspoon rum extract
  • 0.5 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 teaspoons milk
  • 1 drop food coloring, or to desired shade
  • 1 tablespoon colored edible glitter, or as desired

Steps

  1. Whisk flour, white sugar, and salt together in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  2. Stir rum extract, almond extract, and water together in a small bowl. Stir into flour mixture, a little bit at a time, until mixture holds together in a ball when you squeeze it.
  3. Place dough on a floured work surface and sprinkle with flour; roll out into a sheet 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with floured cookie cutters, and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to help the cookies hold their shape.
  4. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
  5. Bake cookies in the preheated oven just until the edges are lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Allow to cool on sheets for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to finish cooling. Cool completely before decorating.
  6. To make the frosting: Whisk confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and 2 teaspoons milk together in a bowl until smooth. If desired, divide frosting into small bowls and tint each to desired shade with food coloring.
  7. Frost cooled cookies. Sprinkle with edible glitter before frosting sets.