Oh, my pathetic-looking shortbread cookies… you’re not going to smile for the camera, are you? You, with your two tone coloring–you look like flesh-colored Christmas trees that got embarrassed and are now blushing green. And that white garland… I mean… what…? Well, if there is one thing I’ve learned from all of Facebook’s inspirational memes, it’s not how you look on the outside that counts, it’s what’s on the inside that matters, and your insides are so clogged with butter you happen to be one of the most delicious cookies I’ve ever eaten. So be proud of your ugliness, Mr. White Chocolate And Creme De Menthe Shortbread. Your inner character is sweet, minty, buttery, and sublime. I think I’m in love.
These cookies are good. They are delicate and buttery, with a very light taste of mint. I got this recipe from the Better Homes And Gardens 2014 issue of 100 Best Cookies. They are easy to make too! Just watch.
First, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
Next, pour this flour mixture into a food processor. Add cut up, cold unsalted butter, and pulse until it resembles pea-sized crumbs.
Dump the dough into a large bowl, and stir in a tablespoon of green colored Creme De Menthe. This will turn the dough green…ish. I’d advise adding a drop or two of green food coloring for a better, more consistent green.
Squish and knead the dough until it comes together into a smooth ball. Divide the dough in half, wrap each half in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough between a piece of parchment, and plastic wrap, and then cut out your shapes.
Sprinkle each cookie with a bit of sea salt, and then bake in a 325 degree F. oven for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Once cooled, drizzle with minty-sweet, melted white chocolate. Refrigerate the drizzled cookies for 15 minutes to set the chocolate.
- 2 and 1/2 cups (312 g) All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- 1/2 cup (100 g) Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226 g) Unsalted Butter, cold and cut up into tablespoon-sized pieces
- 1 TBS Green Crème De Menthe
- Coarse Sea Salt for sprinkling
- Green Food Coloring (optional)
- 6 oz. (170 g) White Chocolate
- 1 TBS Vegetable Shortening
- ¼ tsp. Peppermint Extract
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and sugar. Pour dry mixture into a food processor. Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
- Dump the butter mixture into a large bowl, and pour in the Crème De Menthe. With a fork, mix until the Crème De Menthe is distributed. The dough should appear green. Add a drop or two of green food coloring if needed.
- Knead the dough until it becomes smooth, and you can form it into a ball. Divide the ball into two pieces, flatten each piece into a disk, and wrap each disk in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Take the dough out of the refrigerator. If the dough is hard, set it aside to soften. Roll the dough out to ¼ inch thickness between a sheet of parchment and plastic wrap. Using your cookie cutter cut out your shapes and place on baking sheet 1-inch apart. Sprinkle cookies with a smidgeon of coarse sea salt.
- Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies turn golden at the bottom edge. Cool on cooling rack.
- Place the white chocolate, and vegetable shortening in a small heat proof bowl sitting atop a saucepan filled with simmering water. Be sure that the bowl is not touching the water. Continually stir until white chocolate mixture is melted and smooth. Immediately remove bowl from saucepan, and stir in peppermint extract.
- Fill decorating bag with the white chocolate mixture, cut a tiny opening at the tip, and drizzle the melted white chocolate over the cooled shortbread cookies. When done, refrigerate the cookies for at least 15 minutes to set the white chocolate.
- 2 baking sheets
- Food processor
- Small heat-proof bowl
- Saucepan
- Decorating bag
- Cookies will last 3 days if stored in an air tight container at room temperature. Cookies will last up to 3 months if wrapped well and frozen (make sure cookies are undrizzled).
