This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for details.
Hi Bold Bakers!
I’m excited to share with you my traditional Irish Shortbread Cookies recipe with a BIG & BOLD twist: we’re making Shortbread Christmas Tree Cookies. So let’s get baking!
I have gotten a lot of requests from you to see more traditional Irish recipes so this is one of them.

Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Make my traditional delicious Irish Shortbread Cookies into adorable Christmas Tree Cookies perfect for the holiday season!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 20
Ingredients
- FOR THE COOKIES:
- 1 1/2 cups (12oz, 345g) butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (7.5oz, 216g) sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups (1lb 1/2oz, 469g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- FOR THE ICING:
- 1 cup (41/2oz, 127g) confectioners sugar (icing sugar)
- water
- green and yellow food dye
- Red edible pearl decorations
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350oF (180oC).
In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the room temperature butter and sugar until they are light and pale in color.
Add the vanilla.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 60 minutes.
Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut using star cutters. Here is where I bought them: https://bit.ly/starcutters
Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges begin to brown lightly. Allow to cool to room temperature.
To make your frosting: Mix your confectioners sugar with a few drops of water and stir. Take care to not add too much for it will be really hard to get it thick again.
In seperate bowls, add the food dye to reach desired color of green and yellow.
Frost each cookie for the trees. Make sure to save some small stars to be dyed yellow to go on top. Leave to dry.
Stack the cookies on top of each other binding each layer with a drop of frosting.
Once dry, place your pearl decorations on the points of the stars.
Finish the tree by placing the star on top!!! Enjoy this cookie 🙂
This Recipe Made By Bold Bakers
9 Images
Míša Eruvië Karafiátová
Murri
Ekaterina R.
Valeriesultan
Kristy Anne Denholm
Jenna Anastasia