Christmas cookies are a great way to have fun with some festive, Christmas baking!
This is a quick and easy shortbread recipe for these classic Christmas Cookies with Frankincense. Easy to make and decorate, they also make great Christmas gift ideas.
Frankincense Oil adds a divine flavour and goes really well with chocolate and is lovely in a chocolate drizzle too.
You can use other oils if you would like to have different flavours for your cookies. Try experimenting with different culinary oils in place of the Frankincense Oil, such as Lavender Oil, Cinnamon Bark Oil, or Bergamot Oil. You can also divide the unbaked cookie dough in half and flavour with 2 different oils.
NOTE: I have included a chocolate drizzle recipe for these cookies, it’s optional and delicious. You can also use white chocolate in place of the dark chocolate or do some of each. Just double the recipe if you desire more cookies.
Chef Kate TIP: These shortbread cookies can be paleo friendly if you use coconut flour. You can use regular flour if you prefer or a gluten-free flour mix in too. The cookies are not super sweet so if you would like them sweeter I suggest adding 2 tbsp organic white sugar to the dough or making a glaze to brush over them with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of melted butter and then drizzle on the chocolate or dip them in the chocolate.
Ingredients
- Cookie Ingredients
- • 2/3 cups flour or coconut flour (or gluten-free flour)
- • ½ cup (110g) butter (cold)
- • 2 tbsp maple syrup (to taste)
- • 2 tbsp organic white sugar (optional)
- • ½ tsp vanilla essence
- • a pinch of sea salt
- • 1 – 2 drops of Frankincense Oil (to taste)
- Chocolate Drizzle
- • ¼ cup dark chocolate chips (or white chocolate chips)
- • 1 drop Frankincense Oil
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 180C and line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
- 2. Place the flour in a medium size bowl and cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or 2 knives until the mixture forms pea sized pieces.
- 3. Add maple syrup, sugar (if using), vanilla essence, sea salt and 1-2 drops of Frankincense Essential Oil and cream the dough together until it is smooth.
- 4. Divide into 16 balls, place them on the baking sheet with ample space between and gently flatten with a fork forming the shortbreads.
- 5. Bake for 8-10 minutes (or a little longer, if needed, being careful not to burn), then remove from oven to cool.
- 6. Meanwhile melt the chocolate in a double boiler. When melted completely, remove from heat, but leave the pan with the melted chocolate in the warm water. Add the Frankincense Essential Oil and stir well, taste and add another drop, if desired.
- 7. When the shortbread cookies are completely cooled drizzle the melted chocolate over them with a spoon and let the chocolate set before storing. You can also dip half of a cookie in the chocolate instead of drizzling.
Have fun with the kids and make up a big batch of cookies for parties or you might like to try Chef Kate’s Greek Antipasto Platter! It is a real crowd pleaser at Christmas time.
What are your favourite culinary oils to infuse in your Christmas cookies? Let us know in the comments below:
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