Gorgeous star-shaped shortbread cookies. Flavoured with cinnamon and dipped in white chocolate, these yummy cookies are enjoyed by both children and adults. Decorate with sprinkles for extra wow-factor.
There's something very comforting about shortbread. Perhaps because it's one of those simple, multi generational cookie recipes. Enjoyed by people today as much as it was by our parents, grandparents and great grandparents.
I first created these Star Shortbread Cookies to celebrate Matariki. In New Zealand, where I live, this is a time of celebration for Maori. Matariki is the name given to the Pleiades star cluster which rises at the end of June or start of July each year. For many Maori, this time marks the start of Maori lunar New Year.
One way to celebrate this special occasion is by making and sharing food together. Our kids often have a shared lunch or dinner at school and this year we made and shared these cookies.
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Ingredient notes:
- Cornflour: Cornflour is essential to making shortbread. It helps to bind the dough together and gives the cookies a melt-in-you-mouth texture.
- White chocolate: This optional topping looks so pretty on these star cookies. You could also use milk or dark chocolate - but it wouldn't have quite the same, starry effect!
- Cinnamon: With only ½ a teaspoon of cinnamon in this dough, the flavour is subtle enough to not overpower the cookies. Yet strong enough to notice and, it goes so well with the white chocolate.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.
Cut the butter into cubes and add to the bowl of a mixer. Add the icing sugar and beat for a few minutes until pale and fluffy.
Sift in the cornflour, cinnamon and flour. Mix on low until it forms a fine crumb. Press the dough into a ball and knead a few times on the bench.
Roll the dough out to a 1cm thickness. Use a star shaped cookie cutter to cut into shapes.
Carefully transfer to a lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes until starting to brown on the edges but still soft.
Once the shortbread has cooled, dip each one in the melted chocolate and spoon over the sprinkles.
Once the chocolate has firmed up, serve or store in an airtight container for later.
Recipe FAQs:
It depends on the amount of cinnamon. This recipe calls for ½ a teaspoon of cinnamon which gives the shortbread a lovely subtle flavour.
Yes! Shortbread can be frozen for up to three months. See the Storage section below for more tips and tricks.
Storage:
These beautiful cookies can be store in an airtight container for up to a week. If you are covering them with chocolate (as I did) they will stack nicely on top of each other.
These cookies also freeze well. You can either freeze them with the chocolate already on, or just the plain cookies. If you freeze them un-iced, make sure you place a piece of baking paper between each layer to prevent them from freezing together.
Top tips:
These cookies are a lovely treat to share during Matariki celebrations. Matariki is a great time to come together and to cook and share food. If you have children and they are having a shared lunch at school to mark this holiday, these would be a great treat to bring along.
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Star Shortbread Cookies
Lightly spiced cinnamon shortbread cookies dipped in white chocolate and covered with blue sprinkles.
Ingredients
- 150g salted butter, softened
- ½ cup icing sugar, 75g
- ½ cup cornflour, 75g
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup plain flour, 150g
- White chocolate, melted
- Sprinkles to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.
- Cut the butter into cubes and add to the bowl of a mixer. Add the icing sugar and beat for a few minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Sift in the cornflour, cinnamon and flour. Mix on low until it forms a fine crumb. Press the dough into a ball and knead a few times on the bench.
- Roll the dough out to a 1cm thickness. Use a star shaped cookie cutter to cut into shapes.
- Carefully transfer to a lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes until starting to brown on the edges but still soft.
- Once the shortbread has cooled, dip each one in the melted chocolate and spoon over the sprinkles.
- Once the chocolate has firmed up, serve or store in an airtight container for later.
Notes
- You can swap the white chocolate for milk or dark chocolate or make the shortbread with no chocolate at all.
- These gorgeous star-shaped cookies are the perfect treat to share at Matariki. Matariki is a time of celebration for the Maori people of New Zealand. Matariki is the name given to the Pleiades star cluster which rises at the end of June or start of July each year. For many Maori, this time marks the start of the Maori lunar New Year.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 120Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 52mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
Megan Port says
5 * These are so easy to make and absolutely delicious. 11/12 year olds decorated them for a birthday party. They loved them. Thank you.
VJ cooks says
That's awesome. Thanks for the feedback, Megan!
Andrea says
Thinking of mixing it up a bit. Swapping the cinnamon for a tsp of lemon rind for lemon shortbread. Do you think that would work?
VJ cooks says
Sounds delicious!
Andrea says
Worked a treat! Thanks for the encouragement!
VJ cooks says
Oh that's great! Thanks for the feedback!