Painted Hazelnut Shortbread Trees

Cooking Instructions

Pulse toasted hazelnuts and sugar in food processor just until nuts are very finely chopped.

Add butter, vanilla and salt; pulse to blend. Add flour; pulse just until blended and a soft dough forms. Divide dough into fourths; shape each into a 4-in.-round disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 20 minutes.

Heat oven to 300°F. You’ll need 2 baking sheets.

Cookie Paint: Place 2 yolks in each of 2 small cups. Tint one red and one green with food color.

Place 2 disks of dough on each ungreased baking sheet; sprinkle with a little flour. Pat or roll each disk into a 7-in. round, about 3/8 in. thick. Flute or crimp the edges of each round with your finger. With large knife, cut each round into 8 wedges (don’t separate).

Using photo as guide, use cookie paint to paint simple swirls and dots or stripes on each wedge, as desired. Place a whole hazelnut near bottom of each wedge for tree trunk. Bake 1 sheet at a time (refrigerate remaining sheet) 35 minutes, or until pale-golden around edges. While hot, recut wedges. Cool slightly on baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Storage Tip: Store airtight at cool room temperature with wax paper between layers up to 1 week, or freeze up to 3 months.