Holiday Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
- 1¼ cups sugar, divided
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp orange zest, divided
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 (4-oz) bittersweet chocolate bar, finely chopped
Instructions
- Beat butter and 1 cup sugar in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment 3 minutes or until mixture is pale and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and 2 tsp orange zest.
- Sift in flour and salt; beat on low speed just until dough comes together, about 1 minute.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface; shape into a flat disk. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine ¼ cup sugar and 1 tsp orange zest in a small bowl. Rub zest and sugar between fingers and sift into another bowl; set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough out to ½-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut using holiday-shaped cookie cutters, rerolling as necessary.
- Transfer cookies to parchment paper-lined baking sheets; sprinkle with reserved sugar. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are slightly golden brown; cool completely on baking sheet.
- Meanwhile, microwave 2 oz chocolate in 30-second increments until melted and smooth. Stir in remaining 2 oz chocolate until smooth. Stir vigorously until chocolate is slightly cool.
- Drizzle cookies with chocolate.
