Frosted Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon extract (any flavor)
• food coloring

Instructions

1. Cream together 1 cup of butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a large bowl until fluffy and smooth.
2. Add 1 egg to the mixture and beat well until fully incorporated.
3. Sift together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in another bowl and stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until combined.
4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
5. Once chilled, roll out the dough to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface and cut out fun shapes with cookie cutters.
6. Place the cookie shapes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they have some space between them.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
8. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting them.
9. For the frosting, combine 4 ounces of cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, and 1/2 teaspoon of your chosen extract in a mixing bowl.
10. Mix the frosting well until smooth, adjusting the consistency with more milk or powdered sugar as needed. Tint with food coloring to your liking before spreading it on the cookies.
11. Store the frosted cookies in tightly covered containers to keep them fresh.