Ghost Shortbread Cookies

By ldelmas

Ingredients

• Cookies:
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Icing:
• 12 oz white chocolate, chopped
• Store-bought black icing, black licorice, or black jelly beans (for decoration)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line one (or more) baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, lemon zest, salt, and vanilla on medium speed. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour, and mix on low speed until a dough forms.
3. Place the dough on a surface dusted with flour and form it into a flat disk. Wrap it in plastic and chill for 25 minutes.
4. Return the dough to the lightly floured surface and roll it to a 1/3'' thickness. Cut with a ghost-shaped cookie cutter. Place the cookies on the baking sheet(s) and bake 18-23 minutes, until the edges are light brown. Set the cookies aside to cool completely.
5. While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. Melt 10 oz of the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over warm water. Stir constantly until completely melted. Add the other 2 oz of white chocolate and stir until melted.
6. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate on top of each cookie and place the cookies on a parchment paper-lined surface (even a cookie sheet). While the chocolate is still warm, decorate the cookies, as desired, with the black candy.