sweetest gifts

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Theres something deeply satisfying about baking your own holiday gifts and watching the sugared ingredients rise to life in your oven. And it doesnt have to take all day! Longos shortbread mother dough is a buttery base for incredible cookies and squares. Even the most novice pastry roller can wow friends and relatives with these heavenly little gift-wrapped treats. Here are five delicious recipes that use our signature dough.

One shortbread dough, five holiday treats

Shortbread mother dough
Use this basic recipe as the mother dough. Prep: 10 min, Chill: 1 hr 1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar, sifted 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) Western Family all-purpose flour 1/2 cup (125 mL) Western Family corn starch In large bowl, using stand or hand mixer, beat butter and icing sugar together. In separate bowl, whisk together flour and cornstarch. Add flour mixture to butter one third at a time mixing until flour has been absorbed before adding the next. If using a mixer, scrape down sides regularly. Scrape dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and press into a rectangle about a 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick. Wrap and chill for 1 hour or up to 3 days if recipe you are using requires it chilled.

Holiday decorated cookies

These shortbread cookies are buttery rich so use smaller cookie cutters to create bite-sized treats. Prep: 10 min, Bake: 8 min per batch 1 batch 1 batch Shortbread Mother Dough, chilled Royal Icing

11 g carbohydrate; 0 g fibre; 0 mg sodium

Apricot orange & coconut bars

The combination of the fresh orange rind with apricots and coconut brings a sunny lightness to these squares. The increased flour to the Shortbread Mother Dough strengthens the shortbread base to support the topping. Prep: 15 min, Bake: 40 min 1/2 cup (125 mL) Western Family allpurpose flour + 1 tsp (5 mL) flour for topping 1 batch Shortbread Mother Dough, unchilled 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) granulated sugar 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated orange rind 1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla 10 Longos dried apricots, cut into thin slices (about 1/2 cup/125 mL) 1/2 cup (125 mL) sweetened shredded coconut Add 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the flour to batch of mother dough, and mix to combine. Press dough into a greased and parchment paperlined 8 inch (1.5 L) square baking pan using an off-set spatula or your hands. Bake in preheated 350F (160C) oven for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden and baked through. Meanwhile, in bowl, whisk eggs. Add sugar, 1 tsp (5 mL) flour, orange rind and vanilla until well combined. As soon as the base has baked, pour orange topping over and then sprinkle with apricots and coconut. Return to oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the topping is set and firm. Let bars cool completely to firm up. To cut into bars, use the overhanging parchment to remove from pan (a knife may be required to loosen from pan and also from parchment). Using a long knife cut into 1 1/2inch ( 3.5 cm) squares. Makes 25 squares.

Cut chilled dough in half and on lightly floured surface roll dough to scant 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick. Cut into small shapes and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated 325F (160C) oven for 8 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack to cool completely before decorating. Decorate cookies as desired using Royal Icing. Makes about 32 cookies depending on size of cutter. Tip: For decorations, try using candy-coated chocolate and sprinkles.

Royal Icing Royal Icing is an egg white based icing that dries hard. Use a paint brush to paint the icing Triple lemon wreath cookies onto cookies. If icing is too thick, add a drop or These tangy cookies are the perfect addition to two of water to thin it out. the cookie exchange. With their butter base, Prep: 5 min easy lemon filling and lemony sweet glaze they are a tasty combination. 3 tbsp (45 mL) pasteurized carton egg whites Prep: 20 min, Bake: 10 min 2 cups (500 mL) icing sugar 1 batch Shortbread Mother Dough, unchilled Food colouring as desired (recipe page 28) Whisk together egg whites and icing sugar until 1/2 cup (125 mL) Western Family well combined and smooth. Divide into small all-purpose flour bowls and add desired colouring. Cover bowls 1/4 cup (60 mL) granulated sugar with damp paper towels and plastic wrap as 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated lemon rind icing dries quickly. Use to decorate cookies. 3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice 1 cup (250 mL) icing sugar Makes about 1 1/2 cups (375 mL). 1/3 cup (80 mL) lemon flavoured jam spread Per each of 32 decorated cookies: Sprinkles 110 calories; 1 g protein; 6 g fat; Mix mother dough, flour, sugar and lemon 15 g carbohydrate; 0 g fibre; 5 mg sodium rind together until well combined. Press into a 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick disk and cut in half. Wrap Chocolate espresso coins each in plastic wrap and chill for about 1 hour or until firm. Super easy with loads of crispy crunchy taste. On well-floured surface, roll out each disk to about 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch (6 cm) scalloped edged cutter, cut cookies out of dough and transfer to a parchment paper lined baking pan. Discard remaining dough trimmings.

Using a 1-inch (2.5 cm) plain edged cutter, cut out middle of half of the cookies and discard. Bake cookies in 325F (160C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until very lightly golden brown and Mix mother dough, cocoa, sugar and coffee until well combined. Roll 1 tbsp (15 mL) of firm. Transfer to a rack to cool. dough into a ball. Roll balls in icing sugar to Meanwhile to make glaze, whisk together coat and place on parchment paper lined baking lemon juice and icing until smooth. sheet. Bake in preheated 325F (160C) oven for 10 to12 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool. On the whole cookies spread thin layer of lemon jam over entire surface of cookie. Top Makes about 32 cookies with cookie with middle removed. Place on Per serving: 110 calories; 1 g protein; 7 g fat; a rack and brush cookies with glaze letting excess drip off. Immediately cover with sprinkles. Repeat with remaining cookies. Makes 12 cookies Per serving: 210 calories; 1 g protein; 8 g fat; 33 g carbohydrate; 0 g fibre; 10 mg sodium

experience magazine

These cookies are perfect to enjoy with a milky Per serving: 190 calories; 2 g protein; 8 g fat; 26 g carbohydrate; 0 g fibre; 15 mg latte on Christmas morning. sodium Prep: 15 min Bake: 12 min Tip: Line pan with two pieces of parchment 1 batch Shortbread Mother Dough, unchilled crisscrossing and hanging over edges to aid 6 tbsp (90 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder with removal from pan. 6 tbsp (90 mL) granulated sugar 1 tbsp (15 mL) instant espresso coffee 3 tbsp (45 mL) icing sugar

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Holiday decorated cookies

Apricot orange & coconut bars

Chocolate espresso coins

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