Day 3: Vanilla Chai Shortbread
December 15, 2017
It's Day 3: Vanilla Chai Shortbread!
Today's cookie is kinda fancy, but it's so easy and so yummy!
Who doesn't love a good shortbread cookie. They're so buttery, and they just melt in your mouth.
I mean, that's basically what a shortbread cookie is: butter, sugar, and flour. No wonder they're so incredible!
You start to see shortbread cookies a lot this time of year in those blue tins...you know the ones I'm talking about. But today, we're stepping up our shortbread game by adding some extra special flavor to it!
Vanilla Chai.
To achieve the vanilla chai flavor in our cookie, we're actually going to cut open a tea bag and dump the tea leaves right into the dough. Not only does it add great flavor, but the tea adds some pretty little specks to our dough.
Now, this is not a super sweet cookie. And, I like it like that. But, if you want to sweeten it up a touch and make them even more special, dip them in white chocolate. That takes these cookies to the next level!
My taste tasters were pretty much at a 50/50 split on whether to dip in chocolate or not to dip. And, I'm right there with them. I like them both ways!
Though, if you dip them in the white chocolate, you can also add some sprinkles on top. And, who doesn't love some extra décor on your Christmas cookies!
But let's be clear...these cookies are not just for Christmas time. They'd be a perfect afternoon tea cookie, a perfect wedding or baby shower cookie, or pretty much a cookie for any holiday gathering!
Speaking of cookies, let's recap what we've already made:
Day 2: Samoa S'mores
Day 1: Brownie Biscotti
Enjoy, and let’s bake!
Vanilla Chai Shortbread
Serves: 20 cookies Print
Ingredients:
2 sticks butter (1 cup), softened
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 vanilla chai teabag, cut open to release tea leaves
8 oz white chocolate (optional)
Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Mix on low until combined. Add flour and tea leaves and mix on low until the ingredients are mixed and the dough starts to come together. Dump out on to a clean countertop and form in to a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for 30 mins.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap dough from plastic wrap but leave it sitting on plastic wrap. Top with another sheet of plastic wrap, and roll the dough using a rolling pin to about ½ inch thick. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap. Use a 2 inch scalloped edge cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out cookie shapes. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Re-roll out the dough and repeat until all of the dough has been used. Bake for 15-17 mins until the edges just start to turn golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
If desired, melt white chocolate according to package directions. Dip half of the cookie in chocolate and top with sprinkles or decorating sugar. Store in an airtight container.
Recipe notes:
*Rolling out the dough between sheets of plastic wrap eliminates the need for additional flour for the counter and rolling pin. I like to do it this way so the cookies don't have to absorb any extra flour, and they stay nice and buttery. Plus, easy clean up!
*If you want a sweeter cookie, dip it in the white chocolate. If you want more buttery and fragrant than sweet, skip the chocolate.
*I like the scalloped edge cutter because it's so pretty, but you could certainly use a plain round cutter.
