Description
Sugar Plum Shortbread Cookies are delicate, buttery treats infused with warm spices, chopped nuts, and bright orange zest. Each cookie is topped with a thin layer of fruity jam and finished with a sparkling sugar sprinkle, making them a festive and flavorful delight perfect for holiday gatherings or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 315 g all-purpose flour
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.25 tsp ground cloves
- 30 g finely chopped pecans or walnuts
- 72 g granulated sugar
- 1.5 tbsp freshly grated orange zest
Wet Ingredients
- 227 g salted butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces
Toppings
- Jam, such as plum, raspberry, or strawberry, homemade or prepared
- Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
- Sparkling white sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 163ºC (325ºF). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, finely chopped pecans or walnuts, granulated sugar, and freshly grated orange zest until the mixture is evenly blended.
- Incorporate Butter: Using a pastry blender or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on low speed, gradually add the room temperature salted butter into the dry mixture. Mix until the dough resembles fine crumbs and begins to cling together.
- Knead Dough: Turn the crumbly dough out onto a clean work surface. Gently knead it until it forms a smooth, cohesive ball. Then flatten this ball into a compact disk shape.
- Roll and Cut Dough: Lightly flour your surface and roll the dough out to a thickness of about 1.25 cm (half an inch). Use cookie cutters to shape the dough into your desired shapes and arrange the cut pieces about 5 cm (2 inches) apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Add Jam Layer: With a small pastry brush, carefully spread a thin layer of jam over each cookie, leaving a border around the edges to prevent the jam from overflowing during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Place the baking sheets on the centre rack of your preheated oven. Bake the cookies for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the centers are set.
- Finish and Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven. While still warm, immediately sprinkle each cookie with granulated sugar followed by sparkling white sugar. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets before serving.
Notes
- The nuts can be substituted with your favorite variety or omitted to suit dietary preferences.
- Ensure the butter is at room temperature to help achieve the perfect crumbly texture in the dough.
- You can use any jam flavor for topping, but plum, raspberry, and strawberry work best with these spices.
- For festive occasions, try using colored sparkling sugar to add a colorful sparkle.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to maintain freshness.
