Christmas Ribbon Cookies
Old-fashioned Christmas ribbon cookies made from one butter dough divided into chocolate pecan, vanilla, and cherry layers, pressed into a loaf pan, chilled overnight, and sliced into thin, crisp striped cookies.
Servings 60 cookies
Ingredients
For the Butter Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened, 226g
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar 250g
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, 313g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Layers
- 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled
- ¼ cup pecans very finely chopped
- ¼ cup candied red cherries finely chopped and patted dry
- 3 to 4 drops red gel food coloring
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix into the butter mixture on low just until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough into three equal portions. Mix the melted chocolate and pecans into one, the cherries and red gel coloring into another, and leave the third plain.
Layer and Chill
- Line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment, leaving an overhang. Press the chocolate pecan dough evenly into the bottom and freeze 10 minutes.
- Press the plain dough over the chocolate layer and freeze 10 minutes. Press the cherry dough on top.
- Fold the parchment over, press firmly to seal the layers, and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 5 days.
Slice and Bake
- Heat the oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment.
- Lift the loaf out and cut it in half lengthwise into two bars. Keep one bar chilled while slicing the other crosswise into scant ¼-inch slices.
- Place slices 1 inch apart and bake 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are just golden. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet, then cool completely on a rack. Repeat with the remaining bar.
Notes
- Slice thin: A scant ¼ inch gives crisp cookies. Thicker slices bake up soft.
- Freeze between layers: Ten minutes in the freezer after each layer keeps the stripes straight.
- Make ahead: The dough loaf keeps 5 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen.
- Storage: Baked cookies keep airtight at room temperature for 2 weeks.