Chocolate spiced shortbread biscuits are the perfect Christmas cookie. The texture of shortbread with the flavours of a hot chocolate. What's not to love?
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One Christmas when I was little my cousin let me in on a little secret.
He is 6 years older than me so much wiser and we were chatting about Santa.
He said to me 'if you ever hear Santa on Christmas Eve, keep your eyes shut and don't try to catch a peek of him.
If you look, he won't visit you again.'
From that day on I never once opened my eyes if I heard Santa at the bottom of my bed.
Before I had kids, every year after moving out of home I returned to Mum and Dad's house to stay on Christmas Eve so that Santa knew where to find me.
In my eyes you're never too old for Santa!
I feel terribly guilty to admit it but while I've been hanging my stocking on Christmas Eve every year, it has been a long time since I've left a little treat for Santa to thank him for his gifts.
Oh how he used to enjoy his milk and cookies (I think we even left him a beer one year which he liked even more than the milk!).
When I saw this month's Sweet Adventures Blog Hop theme was 'sweets for Santa' I knew this was my year to make up for years of neglect.
Seeing as Santa has to visit so many houses and I'm sure he receives treats from nearly everyone, I thought teeny tiny biscuits might be more his style with a little sip of milk.
He can pop one chocolate spiced shortbread star in his mouth then take the jar filled with the rest home to share with Mrs Claus and all the elves.
They do deserve a reward for all their hard work after all.
I'm sure they'll appreciate the buttery biscuit.
They'll love the way it crumbles in their mouths with just a tender bite and the way the spices burst in every mouthful, that is if they make it home with Santa.
He mightn't be able to resist eating them all himself.
It's a bit of a strange recipe this one with the only 'wet' ingredient being the butter.
Try as I might just couldn't get the dough to come together so I added a little bit of yoghurt.
That seemed to do the trick and it came together nicely.
Now all my American readers I mean you no offense (you know I love you) but boy you guys do things big over there.
This recipe says that it makes 20-24 cookies.
Admittedly I made baby stars but just less than half the dough made 70 cookies.
I froze the other half of the dough for later.
Their stars must be enormous!
You can decorate these however you like.
I topped them with a chocolate and royal icing drizzle but the rest of the dough I made into Christmas trees and decorated like this.
Just make sure you put a sheet of baking paper underneath to catch all the drips.
You might also like to try the Lemon and Ginger shortbread recipe as well.
I probably should have mentioned in the note that they were for him to share but I'm sure he'll realise they're not all for him because there's not nearly enough milk to wash them all down.
Enjoy Santa!
What about you?
What are you leaving for Santa this year?
Recipe
Chocolate spiced shortbread stars
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups plain flour
- ⅓ cup caster sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 125 g butter cubed and softened
- 2 tablespoon Greek yoghurt
- melted chocolate and white chocolate for decoration
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 150C fan-forced and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, salt, nutmeg and cloves.
- Add the chopped up butter and beat until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs and starts to stick together.
- If the dough doesn't come together, add the yoghurt and mix it through.
- Use your hands to bring it all together and knead the dough until it's nice and smooth (this can be done in the bowl or on a floured surface).
- Turn it out onto a lightly-floured work surface and roll the dough out to 1cm thickness.
- Use a floured cookie cutter to cut out stars and transfer them onto the lined baking tray.
- They don't really spread so you can put them pretty close together.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they are just firm in the middle.
- Leave them to cool for a couple of minutes on the trays then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Place a big sheet of baking paper under the wire racks and drizzle the cookies with melted chocolate to decorate.
Sophie - thestickyandsweet says
These are gorgeous! I hope you have a fabulous Christmas with your loved ones.
Claire says
You too Sophie! Merry Christmas!
Monica (@gastromony) says
I can just imagine how good these shortbreads taste with all those spices :) Lovely!
K-bobo @ Gormandize with A-dizzle & K-bobo says
These look lovely, makes me wish I was santa. Although it's no wonder santa is so fat - everyone leaves him out sweets! The recipe does sound interesting, how did the biscuits turn out? I've bookmarked them to try!
Claire says
Wouldn't that be lovely! The biscuits were great!
Stephanie @ henry happened says
I've been wanting to make cookies with Caroline and this looks totally doable! I'm not a fan of sugar cookies - chocolate is definitely the way to go!
Claire says
I agree Stephanie... there's nothing that's not improved with chocolate!
JJ - 84thand3rd says
Very cute! Little things always taste better in my opinion - and make it frighteningly easy to have just one more ;)
Claire says
Very true JJ. Just one more won't hurt right? Except when you say that one too many times.
BakingMyselfHappy says
These are so cute! I just got given some star shaped cookie cutters as a KK present, will try out a version of these myself. Santa hasn't gotten anything on Christmas Eve in my house for years, maybe he will get lucky this year with something sweet.
Claire says
Well I hope Santa gets lucky this year! Cookie cutters are a great idea for KK. We're doing one this weekend and I still haven't bought my present. Better get on that!
Jennifer Wickes says
These look amazing! I made a similar one last week and they were awesome! I will try these this weekend.
Claire says
Thanks Jennifer. Hope you like them!
Li @ Words and Cake says
Ooh, these are like chocolate gingerbread cookies! The mini stars are super cute.
Claire says
They are just like chocolate gingerbread!
Christina @ The Hungry Australian says
Awwww! I don't know what's cuter - the biscuits, the note, the jar or the ribbon. Great post, Claire! Thanks so much for joining this hop.
Claire says
Thanks Christina! Thanks for hosting!
The Life of Clare says
I've recently had the same thing, where I followed a gingerbread recipe and was told I might get 24, but I got 70 cookies. I like the small bite of Christmas cheer! We always left milk and cookies out for Santa too.
Claire says
It happens to me all the time Clare! I guess it's better than it not making enough.
Christine @ Cooking Crusade says
Mmmm yum! I just love Christmas cookies and these look super yummy :) Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe!! Hope you and your family have a wonderful Chrissy full of deliciousness!
Claire says
You too Christine!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Aww you are too cute Claire! I love your little note to Santa! :D
Claire says
Thanks!
Kirsten says
Your spiced shortbread stars look lovely, Claire. On Christmas Eve we leave a carrot and a dish of water for Rudolph, and a glass of milk alongside a homemade cookie for Santa. They both must enjoy their treats as on Christmas morning only biscuit crumbs and the greenery from atop the carrot stalk remain!!
Claire says
Rudolph must love his carrots! We used to do the same and he'd only ever leave a few little bits on the lawn.