Last Updated April 21st, 2023 at 10:03 am by Lisa
Shortbread Christmas Cookies are baked with peppermint white chocolate bark and buttery macadamia nuts, these peppermint cookies say Mele Kalikimaka and Aloha with their tropical vibe...
Why You Will Love These Cookies...
Each year I create at least one new cookie recipe, and these remind me of a relaxing island getaway...
- Christmas shortbread cookies take less than an hour to make.
- Shortbread cookies are easy with simple ingredients.
- Macadamia nuts make them rich and amazing.
- There are no eggs or salt in this recipe.
- Butter cookies, gingerbread cookies, thumbprint cookies, chocolate chip, snowball cookies, and gingersnap cookies are all traditional classic Christmas cookies, but these cookies are so fun and different.
- Chopped peppermint bark inside each bite, and the melted peppermint bark drizzled icing on top certainly make these cookies festive for the holidays.
Peppermint Shortbread Cookie Recipe
You can order a tropical pineapple-shaped cookie cutter if you wish, but any cookie cutter shape will work!
Since colonial times, pineapples have been used during the holidays and especially at Christmas. They are a sign of friendship and gracious hospitality in homes around the world.
- butter softened
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract (or swap in almond extract)
- all-purpose flour
- macadamia nuts finely chopped
- peppermint bark chips finely chopped (or use white chocolate chips and finely crushed candy canes or milk or dark chocolate bark)
- more peppermint bark chips (melted) for icing decoration
- optional: sparkling sugar sprinkles
PRO TIP: Before chopping your macadamia nuts, try one. They're prone to going rancid quickly, so you want to make sure you're using fresh macadamias in this recipe. Store them sealed in their bag in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.
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Step 1: On a cutting board, finely chop both the macadamia nuts and peppermint bark chips, you can do them both together. Set aside.
Step 2: Preheat oven to 375.
Step 3: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
Step 4: Add flour 1 cup at a time and mix well.
Step 5: Add finely chopped macadamia nuts and peppermint bark chips, and mix well.
Step 6: Roll out cookie dough to ¼" thick on a lightly floured surface, and cut into pineapple shapes. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 7: Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden brown. Cool cookies completely.
PRO TIP: Place melted peppermint chocolate in a strong gallon zip-top bag, snip a tiny corner of the bag tip, and decorate with drizzles of melted peppermint bark in a criss-cross pattern on the pineapple cookies.
To Make The Cookie Icing
Step 8: In a small glass bowl, melt about 1 cup of the peppermint bark (chips) in the microwave on high for 30 seconds, keep melting in 30-second increments until just melted, and stir.
Step 9: Let the melted chocolate set for a couple of hours before stacking the cookies. Or super chill them in the fridge for about 30 minutes to set the icing.
A shortbread cookie tastes like a sugar cookie but they do not have a leavening agent (like baking soda or baking powder etc.), so shortbread cookies are a bit harder with a special snap or crunch compared to the softer, crisper sugar or butter cookie.
Where can I find peppermint bark?
Palmer sells Peppermint Bark chunks, and these work perfectly. I found mine in a local grocery store, and they are available online.
You can also use a peppermint bark with dark or milk chocolate, these are more popular chocolate barks and easier to find.
What can I substitute for peppermint bark?
Peppermint bark chips are available from the Palmer company, if you can't find this product use some white chocolate chips and finely crushed candy canes to mix into the cookie dough and melt together for the icing.
More Holiday & Christmas Cookie Recipes
Holiday baking is a time to slow down and create delicious sweets that only come once a year, and Christmas cookies are a special treat, here are some of my favorite recipes!
- Santa's Cookies and Milk is the way to write a wish list!
- Santa's Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies are loaded with milk chocolate chips, Andes Creme De Menthe baking chips, and peppermint crunch pieces, which are such a hit with everyone.
- Bake a Christmas Cake loaded with your favorite holiday flavors of peppermint and is gorgeous for a fancy holiday dinner party and easy enough to make with kids for a merry, joyful, perfect dessert.
- S'more Cookie Dough Truffles are no bake and adorable.
- Pile all your freshly baked cookies and candy on a Peppermint Candy Plate, people will ask how you made it!
- Taste the difference of homemade Vanilla Extract in frostings, ice cream, cookies, cakes, pies, and other desserts, and make your own!
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Peppermint Macadamia Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
cookie dough
- 2 cups butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup peppermint bark Palmers White Candy Peppermint Bark Bar finely chopped
- 1 cups macadamia nuts finely chopped
cookie icing
- 1 cup peppermint bark chips melted for drizzle decoration
Instructions
- On a cutting board, finely chop both the macadamia nuts and peppermint bark chips. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix softened room temperature butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract at medium-high speed.
- Add flour 1 cup at a time and mix well.
- Add finely chopped macadamia nuts and peppermint bark chips, mix well.
- Roll out cookie dough ¼" thick on lightly floured surface with a rolling pin, and cut into pineapple shapes. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- In a small glass bowl, melt about 1 cup of the peppermint bark (chips) in the microwave on high for 30 seconds, keep melting in 30-second increments until just melted and stir.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden brown. Cool cookies completely on wire racks.
- Place melted peppermint chocolate in a strong gallon zip-top bag, snip a tiny corner of the bag the tip, and decorate with drizzles of melted peppermint bark in a criss-cross pattern on the pineapple cookies.
- Let the melted chocolate set for a couple of hours before stacking the cookies so the "icing" dries in an airtight container.
- Enjoy, and Mele Kalikimaka.
- If you want to make the cookie dough ahead, you can wrap it really well in plastic wrap, and keep chilled in the fridge or freezer until ready to bake.
I made these at Christmas and then again recently. First I made them with the peppermint chips - yummy and unexpected -and then with white chocolate chips. Next I am going to try them with dark chocolate or some kind of premium "tropical" flavored chocolate bar. As I love all things tropical, I fell in love with that pineapple cookie cutter and had to hunt one down. I love it!