Holiday Checkerboard Cookies
Celebrate the holiday season with a delightful combination of shortbread and sugar cookie! Our cookies are light, buttery, and infused with a subtle peppermint flavor. As you take a bite, the checkerboard pattern will melt in your mouth, leaving a deliciously sweet taste. These cookies are destined to be the highlight of your festive dessert table!
Holiday Checkerboard Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- Red and green, gel food coloring
- Coarse sugar
Instructions
Nutrition Facts
Calories
123.09Fat (grams)
5.55 gSat. Fat (grams)
3.37 gCarbs (grams)
16.6 gFiber (grams)
0.38 gNet carbs
16.22 gSugar (grams)
6.01 gProtein (grams)
1.66 gSodium (milligrams)
112.25 mgCholesterol (grams)
23.89 mgDirections
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy.
3. Add the sugar and beat until well combined.
4. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.
5. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until combined and crumbly.
6. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the milk and mix until dough sticks together.
7. Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Dough will still be very crumbly.
8. Add remaining milk and mix until the dough will hold together between pinched fingers.
9. Knead dough with your hands in bowl until it holds together.
10. Remove half of the dough and place to the side in another bowl.
11. Add peppermint extract to remaining half dough and mix until incorporated. This will be the dough without color.
12. Remove the dough mixed with peppermint, split evenly in half, and place on a lightly floured silicone mat or work surface.
13. Take half of the dough that does not contain peppermint extract and place back in the mixing bowl and add 2-3 drops green food coloring.
14. Mix until well combined. Remove the green dough and set on the floured surface. Clean or get a new bowl before moving on the next step.
15. Place the remaining dough that does not contain peppermint extract back in the mixing bowl and add 2-3 drops red food coloring.
16. Mix until well combined. Place red dough with the others on floured surface.
17. Do your best to form all the dough balls into rectangle blocks around 1 ½ inches tall and 1 ½ inches wide and around 6 inches long.
18. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator and chill for about an hour.
*Start with the green dough and move on to the red using the same steps.*
19. Remove the green dough and one peppermint dough from the refrigerator.
20. Using a sharp knife, cut each dough block lengthways into 3 even strips.
21. Then cut each strip into thirds again making 9 long pieces per dough block.
22. Build the first layer by alternating the color strips. (white, green, white)
23. Build the second layer by alternating the color strips again. (green, white, green)
24. Build the last layer by alternating the color strips. (white, green, white)
25. Build another block with the remaining green and white pieces. Start with green, white, green on the bottom section then alternate.
26. Measure out each new rectangle trim off the end until all pieces are the same length.
27. Press the individual pieces of the rectangle together lightly until the structure feels stable. Wrap in plastic wrap and place back in the refrigerator for another 1-2 hours until firm.
28. Repeat the steps with the red dough and remaining peppermint dough.
29. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper about 20 minutes before it’s time to bake.
30. Remove a green/white brick and red/white brick from the refrigerator. With a sharp knife slice ½” thick slices and place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
31. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
32. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies should not be browned at the bottom. Do not over bake!
33. Remove from oven and let cool completely before storing. Repeat steps for remaining bricks of dough.