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Homemade Christmas shortbread

Name: Homemade Christmas shortbread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: PT10-12M
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 24
Ingredients: 250g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing; 125g caster sugar; Finely grated zest of 2 oranges and juice of 1; 250g plain flour, plus extra for mixing (optional) and dusting; 125g rice flour; 1 tsp ground mixed spice

Published: 8 Aug 19
Updated: 14 Nov 24

If you fancy making your own homemade gifts this Christmas, these spiced orange Christmas biscuits make a wonderful treat to dunk in a cup of tea.

Stack your homemade shortbread high and tie with a thin ribbon or string before packing into tins for a thoughtful Christmas food gift.

Easy
December 2013

Test kitchen approved

24
Hands-on time 15 min, cooking time 10-12 min

If you fancy making your own homemade gifts this Christmas, these spiced orange Christmas biscuits make a wonderful treat to dunk in a cup of tea.

Stack your homemade shortbread high and tie with a thin ribbon or string before packing into tins for a thoughtful Christmas food gift.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 155kcals
Fat: 8.8g
Protein: 1.1g
Carbohydrates: 18g (5.8g sugars)
Fibre: 0.5g
Salt: trace

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Ingredients

250g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
125g caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 2 oranges and juice of 1
250g plain flour, plus extra for mixing (optional) and dusting
125g rice flour
1 tsp ground mixed spice

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Method

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy. Stir in all the grated orange zest and the juice. Sift in both the flours and the mixed spice, then mix together until the dough is soft and smooth but not sticky. Add a little more plain flour if the dough is still sticky. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in cling film, then chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan150°C/gas 3½. After the biscuit dough has been chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured work surface to about 6mm thick, then cut into rounds and stars, or any shape you choose. Put the shapes onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper and bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden.
Leave on the tray for 10 minutes to cool a little, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. The shortbread will keep in an airtight tin for 2 weeks.

Recipe from December 2013 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 155kcals
Fat: 8.8g
Protein: 1.1g
Carbohydrates: 18g (5.8g sugars)
Fibre: 0.5g
Salt: trace

delicious. tips

For a flavour twist, flavour your dough with lemon zest and vanilla extract and mix poppy seeds into the dough.
Freeze the dough at the end of step 1 for up to 3 months. Wrap it in cling film, then wrap well in foil. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then continue with the recipe.