Chocolate Shortbread Trees

By Wollygator

Ingredients

• Cookies
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Icing
• 1 1/2 cups white baking chips
• 2 tablespoons shortening

Details

Preparation time 90mins
Cooking time 160mins

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 350°. Combine butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour, cocoa and cinnamon. Beat until well mixed.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-half at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to ¼ inch thickness. Cut with 2 1/3 to 3-inch tree shaped cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool completely.

Melt baking chips and shortening in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth (2-3 minutes). Place icing in small resealable plastic food bag. Snip 1/8-inch off one corner. Pipe icing as desired onto cooled cookies. Decorate as desired. Let stand until set.