Patriotic Glazed Shortbread Cookies

A classic, old-fashioned shortbread recipe is the basis of this festively decorated and garnished, beautiful Patriotic Glazed Shortbread Cookies. These are gorgeous and look super appealing. They make a great gift idea too! The light, buttery, crisp cookie stands up well to the shiny, sugary icing!

PATRIOTIC GLAZED SHORTBREAD COOKIES

I look for any excuse I can find to dust off one of my favourite shortbread cookie recipes! Because I love shortbread. I can honestly say that it’s my favourite cookie-like, ever! And, I’m sure I’m not the only one, so why do we only make shortbread at Christmastime? Personally, I make shortbread cookies throughout the year.

Celebrating the Fourth of July with my readers to the south is no exception. These Patriotic Glazed Shortbread Cookies are adorably cute and a perfect way to show off some of that American pride. (Plus, I’ve been dying to use this sprinkle collection for the past six months!)

I’ve mentioned before that about half of the readers and subscribers of Lord Byron’s Kitchen are from the United States. In comparison to the rest of the world’s population, that is quite high. I don’t try to overthink my Google Analytics reports. And, I can’t tell you why Americans seem to love food blogs, but I’m happy that they do!

A CANADIAN AND THE 4TH OF JULY

That is why I have no issues with publishing recipes that celebrate America’s Independence Day. People ask me why I do it and the answer is simple – it’s food! Food is synonymous with celebrations and holidays and I’m a food blogger. If a particular cuisine is one I feel comfortable with, I’ll work on a recipe which celebrates it.

No matter where you live, you can adapt these glazed shortbread cookies accordingly and put your own spin on it. You can cut them into shapes that coincide with the holiday or celebration you’re looking forward to. You can use sprinkles that work for that particular celebration.

THE BEST SHORTBREAD RECIPE!

This is a shortbread recipe that works every single time. If you’re looking to use a cookie cutter for your shortbread, then this recipe is for you! This shortbread dough holds its shape very well. It does puff up and rise a little bit. But, the details and fine lines from your cookie cutters remain true and very distinct.

Obviously, for this particular version of my shortbread cookie, I used a star cookie cutter. Actually, I used two stars – one very large and one very small. I like everything supersized, but not everyone does. John.e is the first person to point out that a cookie should be smaller. Or, that a piece of cake should be thinner if it’s too rich.

So, rather than re-roll the leftover shortbread dough to cut more large stars, I decided to use it to cut smaller stars. That way, everyone has a choice – large with sprinkles, or small with just the glaze. (There’s really no way to please everyone, but at least this way, you have two preferences covered!)

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

To Prepare the Shortbread:

• Butter – Be sure the butter is soft and at room temperature! I always use salted butter, unless stated otherwise.  To be perfectly honest, there isn’t much of a difference in taste in the end. Use what you have on hand.
• Confectioner’s Sugar – Some people call it powdered sugar.  I use it in frostings quite often.  When dusted lightly onto cakes and cookies, it adds just a touch of sweetness, but more importantly, it looks very visually appealing!
• Vanilla Extract – Probably the most common extract and the most common flavouring used in cakes and cookies. 
• Cornstarch – When added to cake, cookie and shortbread recipes, cornstarch helps create a crumbly and tender dessert-like texture.
• Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.

Ingredients for the Glaze:

• Confectioner’s Sugar
• Milk – When a baking recipe requires milk, I always use whole milk, unless otherwise stated. 
• Corn Syrup – There are a lot of misconceptions about corn syrup. One of them is bad for you. The other is liquid sugar from corn. We are using the latter, which won’t hurt anyone in moderation.
• Vanilla Extract
• Sprinkles

WHAT IS CORN SYRUP?

I’m not an expert on corn syrup, so I sourced this information from the Food Network. They write that corn syrup is made from corn. The glucose in the corn is extracted and then refined. That leaves behind a thick and gooey light golden syrup that is pure glucose. Corn syrup is not high fructose corn syrup. They are two very different things. The latter is a combination of both glucose and fructose, whereas grocery store corn syrup is just glucose.

The type of corn syrup you buy in grocery stores will dissolve well in liquids and doesn’t crystalize like many other sweeteners. It helps to keep sweet sauces looking shiny. Most of the beautifully decorated cookies you eat at Christmastime will have corn syrup in the icing to keep it looking glossy. Some baked items use it to help with the consistency of the final product.

If you are 100% against using corn syrup, a quick internet search will suggest some alternatives that you can use. A great alternative is agave syrup. It’s neutral in flavour, so it would be a good choice. Honey is a close second choice and one that most of us are familiar with. Honey has a flavour to it though, so it will affect the overall outcome. I have not tested this recipe with anything and I have only ever used the Crown brand. You can use white or golden corn syrup for this recipe.

HOW TO MAKE PATRIOTIC GLAZED SHORTBREAD COOKIES

For the Shortbread:

Beat together the butter and the sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and incorporate it into the butter and sugar mixture. Add the flour and cornstarch.  On low speed, mix the butter and sugar until well incorporated. Divide the dough into two portions, wrap each portion completely in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 2 hours.

When ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for a few minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone liner.  Set aside.

Roll one portion of the dough to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface.  Use a star shape, or your favourite cookie cutter shape to cut out the cookies.  Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

For the Glaze:

Once the cookies are completely cooled, whisk together the icing ingredients and set aside. Line the cookies up on the cooling rack so that they are evenly spaced.  Place a layer of paper towels under the cooling rack for easy cleanup. (This will catch the icing if any drips over the side.)

Dip each cookie, top side down, into the icing. Do not submerge the cookie. Just dip the surface. Gently shake off the excess and place the cookie, icing side up, back onto the cooling rack. Top the cookie with sprinkles and move on to the next cookie until all cookies have been iced and sprinkled. Allow the iced cookies to sit undisturbed for one hour. This will allow the icing to harden. Cookies can be stacked.  Store in a food-safe container.  Can be frozen for up to 3 months.

SPRINKLES, SPRINKLES, AND MORE SPRINKLES!

Okay, let’s talk patriotic sprinkles. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – I’m addicted to sprinkles. Don’t believe me? Search the term “sprinkles” in the search field at the top right of this page. Or, take a look at my credit card bill that time I ordered sprinkles to the tune of $200!

Who’s my go-to sprinkle source? I buy most of my sprinkles from Sweetapolita. They’re the best and you should check them out. They’re located in Canada, and I’m not sure if they deliver to the United States. But, state-side, Fancy Sprinkles stocks very similar mixes and themes.  Listen, I know that shopping for sprinkles online might seem a little over the top, but I’ve never once pretended to shy away from pretty things.

And, of course, if you’re not about to shop online for sprinkles, you can get red, white, and blue sprinkles at any Walmart, any baking supply store, and Target, and there’s always discount sprinkles at Marshall’s, HomeSense, and Winners. (PS: This is not a sponsored post for Sweetapolita. I just really like their sprinkles!)

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE HOLIDAY!

Okay, that’s it. Here’s the recipe for my Patriotic Glazed Shortbread Cookies, my southern neighbours. Have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July celebration with your family and friends!