Fairy Shortbread

A buttery shortbread spin on a beloved Aussie classic — finished with a simple butter icing and a generous coating of 100's and 1000's. Fun and easy to make!

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 15

Chill Time: 1

Total Time: 1 35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Australian

Servings: cookies

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* Please note: all cup measurements are approximate and based on Australian standard cups (250ml). For best results, weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale.

Equipment

hand mixer, or stand mixer with the whisk attachment
rolling pin
bench scraper, or pizza cutter or a sharp knife
baking sheet(s)
ruler, optional (helps with cutting even triangles)

Ingredients

For the shortbread

170 g (⅔ cup) butter, softened
85 g (½ cup) icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk, room temp
260 g (2 cups) plain flour, spooned and levelled if using cups
¼ tsp salt, omit if using salted butter
190 g (1 cup) 100's and 1000's (rainbow sprinkles), see notes

For the butter icing

20 g (4 tsp) butter
20 ml (4 tsp) milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
120 g (¾ cup) icing sugar

Instructions

Make the shortbread

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, icing sugar, and vanilla together until pale and creamy (a couple of minutes).
Add the egg yolk and beat until just combined.
Gradually add the flour and salt (if using) and beat until the mixture forms a crumbly dough. It may seem dry at first, but keep mixing and it will come together.
Use your hands to form the dough into a disc. Wrap tightly with cling film, and chill for 30-60 minutes. The dough can stay in the fridge like this for up to 3 days, if you'd like to make it in advance.
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper until roughly 6-7 mm (¼ inch) thick. Cut the dough into 6 x 7 cm rectangles using a ruler as a guide. Then, cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangular "bread slices." Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, and cut more cookies. If the dough starts to feel quite soft or greasy at any point, place it back in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to firm up.
Place the formed shortbread on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure there is at least 2 cm of space around each cookie. Chill for 15-30 minutes to minimise spreading. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 160℃ (140℃ fan/325℉).
Bake the shortbread for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges. If they have spread during baking, you can use a bench scraper or any tool with a straight edge to carefully straighten the sides while warm. Allow to cool and firm up on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Make the butter icing

Place butter and milk in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 10-second increments until the butter is just melted.
Add the vanilla extract and sifted icing sugar to the melted butter mixture. Whisk together until smooth and the icing is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. The icing will continue to thicken as it cools.

Decorate

Set up an assembly line with your fully cooled shortbread cookies, butter icing, and a shallow dish of sprinkles. You'll want to work with one cookie at a time as the icing will begin to set quickly once spread.
Take a shortbread triangle and spread a thin layer of icing on top, then press the iced side face-down in the sprinkles to coat. You can use your finger or a butter knife to carefully neaten up the edges and remove any excess sprinkles.
The icing should fully set within about 10 minutes, at which point the cookies are ready to eat!

Notes

100's and 1000's: These are what we call small, round, colourful sprinkles here in Australia and New Zealand. They're the traditional topping for fairy bread. If you can't find them, feel free to substitute with nonpareils or any other sprinkles of your choice.
Suggested chilling times: This dough needs to be chilled twice. First to firm it up so that it's easier to roll out, and second to help the shortbread maintain its shape during baking. Stick to the times for best results! If you're in a hurry, you can cut the second chill down to 15 minutes, but expect some minor spreading.
Tips for cutting even triangles: Sadly, triangle-shaped cookie cutters are hard to come by, so I use a ruler to measure and cut the dough into even rectangles before slicing them diagonally. If you'd rather not measure every time, you can make a template out of a piece of card stock, then trace around it instead.
Make a big batch: This recipe can easily be scaled up for parties and events. Just divide the dough into multiple discs before chilling. It will firm up faster and be much easier to roll out in batches.
Storage instructions: These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. To maintain their crisp texture, keep them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. If you're in a particularly hot or humid climate, store them in the fridge instead.

Nutrition

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