Today I will be doing ALL of my holiday shopping, so I’ll have to keep it short and sweet much like these cookies.
I will be sitting in the comfort of my own home office, sipping a gingerbread latte and eating these chocolate ganache topped shortbread cookies. I love the internet; have I mentioned that? I realized on Friday just how many people do that whole black Friday thing. I feel so out of the loop! Why would anyone do that? I honestly just don’t understand. What could you possibly want so badly that it’s worth battling and potentially arguing with a bunch of crazy people super thrifty spenders ? I asked Mike too and he had no idea either.
Of course, if I did do all of my shopping on Friday, then I would have more time to chat with you right now, but I can give you cookies and hope you forgive me. That’s something.
I promise they’re delicious too. I have the crumbs on my desk to prove it.
Shortbread Cookies
- 3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Beat butter with an electric mixer on high for one minute. Add cream, vanilla and sugars and beat on medium low for one minute and gradually increase speed until butter and sugar are thoroughly creamed together. Turn off mixer and sift in flour and salt. Mix on medium low until all ingredients are fully mixed and you are able to form a ball of dough.
Form into disc, wrap in wax paper and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to three hundred fifty degrees fahrenheit and remove dough from refrigerator. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out dough until half an inch thick. Cut three inch in diameter rounds and place onto ungreased baking sheet. Place baking sheet in preheated oven for 13 minutes or until edges of cookies begin to brown.
Remove and transfer to cooling rack while warm. Place parchment paper under cooling rack and spoon ganache (recipe follows) onto shortbread and top with your favorite toppings.
Chocolate ganache frosting
- 8 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons Irish cream whiskey
Place chocolate in microwave safe bowl and cook in microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until thoroughly melted. Add cream and whisk until thoroughly blended and creamy. Whisk in Irish cream whiskey and bring to room temperature.
Note: These are my most favorite holiday cookie. They’re great for gifts and for personalizing to those you’re giving them to by simply adding different toppings. There is always a batch of these ready to go in my freezer just in case I need an emergency gift. You may freeze shortbread dough for at least 3 weeks wrapped in wax paper and sealed in an air tight container. Remove from freezer and place in refrigerator overnight (or for at least 8 hours) and they’ll be ready to roll out in the morning. Recipe Adapted from Ina Garten’s Shortbread
I have this overwhelming desire to do the voice from Austin Powers, you remember Fat Bastard….”get in mah bellah”. Honestly it just keeps popping in my head.
I could swim in that ganache!
These are so adorable! I’m gonna make them too, it is perfect for the holidays =)
I love shortbread cookies. Why I have never tried them with ganache is beyond me. Thanks for sharing!
Mmmmm….I can see why these are your favorites!! Beautiful, too!!
These Look mighty good!:)) Love the recipe..and very tempting photos, Kate! Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful night!
These look so good, love the chocolate on top!
My husband does a little Black Friday shopping, but not much. He went at 10:00 when Walmart opened on Thursday night, and was home by 11:00 – got a few good things too. But he said people were crazy, so he steered clear of parts of the store
Beautiful cookies! And I bet they taste as good as they look!
I’m with you, I love internet shopping. When you have two small kids, sometimes it’s the only way I can shop. These cookies look perfect for munching while spending too much money on holiday gifts
Love these cookies and really love that ganache on top!
These shortbreads look good but the chocolate ganache sounds even better using Irish cream whisky may I be so rude to suggest Baileys as some cream whiskey’s can be a bit harsh all the same nice post especially after a day shopping.
Those cookies are just lovely–and I do all my shopping online, too–I just can’t handle malls!
Good plan! I’ll be doing the same ‘holiday shopping’ this weekend
I think I need these cookies to help me through the process!
Buzzed
Shortbread cookies are my favorite and your spiked ganache take something wonderful and makes it perfect! I’ve saved these for my holiday cookie baking.
I hope you had a great time shopping today. I’m with you…the Friday madness is just not for me. These little cookies look delightful (I’d skip the chocolate, but that’s because I’m nuts.).
This recipe looks divine! It’s funny, I told myself that I’d do all my shopping online this year too. And yet, somehow I managed to make it out on Friday a couple of times! I always have good intentions of keeping my sanity and hunkering down and doing it all online… kudos to you for actually doing it!
Just two tablespoons whisky? I am guessing the rest needs to go in the coffee to make it through a crazy day of shopping (on-line or in store).
These are fantastic looking cookies, and I am sure they taste as good as they look.
Gotta say, I love that you use whiskey in your ganache.