★★★★★

Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookie Sticks

Get festive with these Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookie Sticks. These melt-in-your-mouth treats disappear fast. . .you may want to double the recipe!

Get festive with these Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookie Sticks. Melt in your mouth delicious! You may need to double the recipe, these go fast!
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Today’s cookie recipe is my favorite type. Shortbread.

At Christmas, when everyone else is rushing to get their share of Chocolate Chip Cookies or the Frosted Sugar Cookies, I’m going straight for the shortbread. I love the buttery flavor and the crisp bite that dissolves into sugary crumbs in your mouth.

Shortbread is so versatile, too! You can add so man mix ins, toppings and icings to create a variety of flavored shortbread desserts.

Shortbread Cookie Sticks

For this recipe, I turned shortbread cookies into Cookie Sticks perfect for dipping into coffee. Because every cookies is better when you can eat it with a cup of coffee.

I’ve packed these with some dried cranberries and topped them with melted white chocolate for a festive touch. These were a hit on my cookie platter this year!

Get festive with these Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookie Sticks. Melt in your mouth delicious! You may need to double the recipe, these go fast!

Ingredient Notes

For these Christmas cookies, you need real butter and powdered sugar. Shortbread cookies get their signature texture and buttery taste from butter, so substitutes just don’t quite taste the same. The powdered sugar gives the sticks that “melt-in-your-mouth” quality I can’t get enough of.

I used cranberries this time but other dried fruits would be tasty, too. In the event you don’t have dried cranberries or aren’t a fan, go ahead and leave them out.

White chocolate chips melted down create the glaze you drizzle on to the cookie sticks. Vanilla candy wafers could be used instead, or you can substitute the chocolate you prefer. (I can’t wait to make these with a mix of dark and white chocolate next time!)

I happen to love the combination of White Chocolate Cranberry flavors, especially around the holidays.

A little sanding sugar adds the finishing touch to the shortbread sticks, but I realize not everyone just has this lying around in their pantry. Consider it strictly optional if it means you’ll give this Shortbread Christmas Cookie recipe a try!

Step by Step Instructions.

STEP 1. Make the shortbread dough

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy. Add in flour and beat until combined. Fold in dried cranberries.

STEP 2. Bake

Drop the dough into center of baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using the heels of your hands, press the dough into a large rectangle. Keep pressing until you have a rectangle about 12×10-inches and about 1/4-inch thick throughout.

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 F, until edges begin to lightly brown.

STEP 3. Cut

Remove from oven and immediately cut the shortbread into strips using a pizza cutter. Let cool.

STEP 4. Garnish

While the cookies are cooling, melt the chocolate.

Once cooled, drizzle each Shortbread cookie stick with melted white chocolate and add sparkly white sanding sugar for a garnish if desired. ENJOY!

More Tips and Tricks

  • Melting chocolate: To melt the chocolate chips, I microwave them in a glass bowl in 30 second increments. Stir the chocolate between each interval until it’s completely melted and smooth.
  • Storing: Store covered at room temperature. You can freeze these cookies but they will lose some of their crispiness, so I prefer them served soon after baking.
  • No pizza cutter? You can use a very sharp knife to cut these bars. Cut carefully to keep the shape of the sticks and make clean lines.

White Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread Cookies are different enough from your everyday Christmas cookies to be exciting but still filled with traditional, old-fashioned great taste.

Served with your after dinner coffee or as a pick-me-up any time of day, Shortbread Cookie Sticks are guaranteed to get you in the Christmas spirit!

Get festive with these Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookie Sticks. Melt in your mouth delicious! You may need to double the recipe, these go fast!
Get festive with these Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookie Sticks. Melt in your mouth delicious! You may need to double the recipe, these go fast!
Yield: 30 cookie sticks

Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookie Sticks

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Get festive with these Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookie Sticks. Melt in your mouth delicious! You may need to double the recipe, these go fast!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
  • ¾ cup melted white chocolate chips
  • white sanding sugar, for garnish, optional

Instructions

  1. Line a 15x10-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degree.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy. Add in flour and beat until combined. Fold in dried cranberries.
  3. Drop dough into center of baking sheet, and using the heels of your hand, press dough into a large rectangle. You want the dough to be the same thickness throughout, so keep pressing until you have a rectangle about 12x10-inches and about ¼-inch thick.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until edges begin to lightly brown. Remove from oven and immediately cut into strips using a pizza cutter. Once cooled, drizzle with melted white chocolate and add sparkly white sanding sugar for a garnish. ENJOY!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

30

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 131Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 1g

*Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.

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Get festive with these Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookie Sticks. Melt in your mouth delicious! You may need to double the recipe, these go fast!
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About Aimee

Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

Learn more about Aimee.

Affiliate Disclosure:**There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love! Thank you for supporting Shugary Sweets! See my disclosure policy for more info**

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Posted on December 20, 2016

Comments & Reviews

  1. These cookies sound absolutely delicious. I will definitely have them on my cookie plate this year. Thank you and have a very Merry Christmas!

  2. Why did you not give the recipe for the white chocolate chips and cranberry cookies? You only gave the recipe fot the cookie sticks. Please give the one for cookies

    1. You are commenting on the recipe for the shortbread cookie sticks. If you want the recipe to the white chocolate cranberry cookies, go here: https://www.shugarysweets.com/white-chocolate-and-cranberry-cookies/

  3. I could not get anything to stick on top. They are delicious but I think I will put the white chocolate chips in before baking next time.

  4. These are SO good. They melt in your mouth and I like that they’re in stick form which is different than my other cookies. Luckily, I checked them at 18 minutes and mine were finished so I guess I have a hot oven. These will definitely be made again before Christmas Day. And after! Great recipe to finish out the year.

  5. Thanks for sharing they look delicious. I hope your Christmas is full of love, laughter and togetherness and the New Year brings you an abundance of blessings.

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