Candy Cane Sheet Pan Shortbread
Welcome to 12 days of Christmas Cookies, my way of celebrating the holidays by sharing with you all 12 unique yet nostalgic cookie recipes to bake over the holidays. For day 5, I am sharing this Candy Cane Sheet Pan Shortbread; this is one of my favourite Christmas cookie recipes because they are so easy to make and yield delicious little two bite squares that are perfect for sharing. Instead of having to roll out and shape your shortbread cookies, you throw this cookie dough into a pan and bake it until set. Slice up the bars and enjoy! I love to add crushed candy cane on top of these but you could also get fancy with any festive sprinkles you love.
12 Days of Christmas Cookies is inspired by nostalgic, holiday flavours but combined in a way that you hopefully haven’t seen before. Cookies are kind of my thing…. the limits of creativity feel endless when it comes to cookies and I am always so giddy about coming up with a new flavour combination, and so combing my favourite dessert with my favourite holiday just felt fitting! Between December 1st to the 12th you will see 12 completely different cookie recipes, ranging from easy, throw together recipes to recipes with a little more TLC, but something for bakers of every level. A lot of these cookies compliment each other if you want to throw them together in a cookie box to bring in to the office or gift to someone you love. They also all freeze really well if you are like me and would like to get a head start on your Christmas baking early in the month so that you have goodies to pull out on December 21st when you want something sweet but are overwhelmed with beautiful chaos!
All of the cookie recipes you see over the next 12 days are unique recipes that I have created, tested and retested for you to enjoy in your own kitchens. If you do decide to make any of these recipes, please do tag me on socials because I love to see what you come up with!
The Ingredients
- 1 cups butter cold, from the fridge
- 3/4 cups icing sugar
- 1.75 cups flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 cup crushed candy canes for topping
The Instructions
- First step is to grab all of your ingredients and set them aside. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenhiet.
- Grab an 8×8″ baking tray that is semi deep, deeper than your typically cookie sheet. Line this with parchment paper.
- Start by combing your butter and icing sugar in an electric mixer. Allow this to mix on medium speed for a few minutes until well combined.
- Add in your salt and vanilla bean paste.
- Combine your flour and cornstarch in a separate bowl and then gradually add to the wet mixture until well combined.
- Transfer the well combined dough into your lined baking tray. Flatten out with a spatula until evenly distributed and then use a fork to press some fork marks in to the top of the dough, this will help it to cook evenly.
- Bake this for about 25-30 minutes until it is golden on the edges and set in the middle.
- As soon as you remove it from the oven, sprinkle your crushed candy canes on top.
- Allow it to cool and then slice in to your desired bars. I love slicing these into little two bite pieces! An 8×8 tray will yeild 16 small bites but this recipe is easily adjustable to double!
Ingredients
Method
- First step is to grab all of your ingredients and set them aside. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenhiet.
- Grab an 8×8″ baking tray that is semi deep, deeper than your typically cookie sheet. Line this with parchment paper.
- Start by combing your butter and icing sugar in an electric mixer. Allow this to mix on medium speed for a few minutes until well combined.
- Add in your salt and vanilla bean paste.
- Combine your flour and cornstarch in a separate bowl and then gradually add to the wet mixture until well combined.
- Transfer the well combined dough into your lined baking tray. Flatten out with a spatula until evenly distributed and then use a fork to press some fork marks in to the top of the dough, this will help it to cook evenly.
- Bake this for about 25-30 minutes until it is golden on the edges and set in the middle.
- As soon as you remove it from the oven, sprinkle your crushed candy canes on top.
- Allow it to cool and then slice in to your desired bars. I love slicing these into little two bite pieces! An 8×8 tray will yeild 16 small bites but this recipe is easily adjustable to double!