Shortbread Christmas Trees

Years and years ago, the Canada Cornstarch company printed a four-ingredient recipe for shortbread on the side of a cornstarch box and the rest is history.

Here in Canada, shortbread is in our DNA. This beloved cookie is simplicity personified. If the holidays had their own taste, I’m pretty sure it would be a shortbread cookie.

Over 40 years ago a Canadian company, by the name of Mary Macleod’s Shortbread was opened in Toronto, Canada. Mary, a homemaker and fantastic baker who took her love of this cookie and created Canada’s first shortbread-only bakery.

Her shop was an instant hit when she first opened its doors – she’d bake until midnight, and her goods would be sold out by noon the next day. Mary’s business grew and expanded, and her loyal customers followed her everywhere, but, to this day, the company crafts small-batch, all-butter shortbreads, the best butter being the key.

Mary Macleod’s Shortbread became synonymous with the Christmas season. Many people have made shortbread part of their holiday and family traditions.

Shortbread is undoubtedly one of the best cookies, but it’s without question that it all comes down to the butter. A good shortbread cookie can be transformed into the stuff of  dreams by placing freshly baked shortbread into a tin, store it in the back of your pantry, somewhere cool, and forget it  for a few months. You’ll be amazed at the flavor when it comes time to eat it.

So here we are … the famous Canada cornstarch shortbread cookies!

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Shortbread Christmas Trees

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Rating: 5
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Course

dessert

Cuisine

American

Keyword

shortbread Christmas trees

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 cups flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 cups butter,
• 1 1/2 tsp almond flavor, optional
• green & brown icing tubes
• red & white tiny sprinkles
• yellow stars

Course dessert Cuisine American Keyword shortbread Christmas trees Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 1 cup cornstarch 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted 2 cups flour, sifted 1 1/2 cups butter, 1 1/2 tsp almond flavor, optional green & brown icing tubes red & white tiny sprinkles yellow stars

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. In a bowl, sift together cornstarch, powdered sugar & flour. Blend in butter & flavoring with a spoon, mixing until a soft, smooth dough forms. If dough is too soft to handle, cover & chill about 1 hour.
2. Between 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll dough out into a rectangle about 12" x 7" & 1/2-inch thickness. Make 7 strips on the longest side & 6 strips on the short side. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets spacing 1 1/2-inches apart. Place baking sheets in refrigerator & chill 30 minutes. Halfway through preheat oven to 300 F.
3. Bake for about 20 minutes or until edges are just barely browned.
4. When shortbread is cooled, decorate with icing & sprinkles to create Christmas tree design.

Recipe Notes

• The almond flavor is optional but I think it adds a nice touch.