Matcha Shortbread Christmas Tree

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Matcha Shortbread Christmas Tree.jpg

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 2 cups unsalted butter
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons green tea powder (matcha)

Icing

  • 3 cups icing sugar
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup milk
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla

Method

Cream butter and sugar until well combined. Sift together flour, salt and green tea powder and stir into butter mixture. Form into 2 balls and chill for 30 minutes. Place dough in between 2 layers of plastic wrap and roll out into a ¼-inch thick rectangle. Using star shaped cutters, cut out cookies and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Chill again for 30 minutes. Repeat with second ball of dough.

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Bake cookies 15 to 20 minutes or until just starting to colour. Cool.

Combine icing sugar, ⅓ cup milk and vanilla in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed for 5 to 10 minutes or until smooth. If the mixture looks slightly dry, add the remaining milk.

 

To Assemble:

Place a spoonful of icing on the centre of each cookie and with a small spatula, or the back of a spoon, spread toward edges. Allow icing to set, about 1 to 2 hours. Stack cookies in the shape of a Christmas tree. Dab a small amount of remaining icing on the centre of each cookie to hold the layers together. Decorate with silver balls.