Shortbread Christmas Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups cold butter

1/2 teaspoon rum extract

1/2 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 (optional)

1 tablespoon colored edible glitter, or as desired

Instructions:

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl; with a pastry cutter, chop in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir the rum extract and almond extract into the water in a small bowl. Mix into the dry ingredients, a little bit at a time, until the mixture holds together in a ball when you squeeze it.

Place the dough onto 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.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Bake the cookies 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.

For frosting, whisk the confectioners' sugar and milk in a bowl until smooth. If desired, divide frosting into small bowls, and tint each bowl a desired shade with food coloring. Frost fully cooled cookies, and sprinkle with edible glitter before the frosting sets.