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There’s a secret ingredients in these Irish Shortbread Cookies.  It makes them super crunchy and deliciously irresistible.  Double the batch because you’ll want to nibble on these through the holidays. 

This post is sponsored on behalf of #ChristmasCookiesWeek. The generous sponsors, YumGoggle, Sprinkle Pop, Silpat and Adams Extracts have provided us with products for recipe creation and a giveaway for our readers. As always, all opinions are my own.

I told y’all I was going back to my roots for my cookies this week, right?  Well, today is no exception.  My maiden name is Irish.  Of course, we couldn’t trace that name back.  If you read this post, you’ll see why.  But, I still maintain that I’m Irish because we can trace a maternal name back to Ireland.  And since we were raised with LOTS of Irish influences, I was thrilled to see it was true.

I hear ya.  You’re trying to tell me that shortbread is typically Scottish.  Trust me when I say I know this.  Mom loved shortbread.  Especially Walker’s brand shortbread.  It was a delight to get in that tin every now and then.  When I was growing up, it wasn’t easily available everywhere like it is now.  It was a special treat when we did find it.

Of course, now you can find that shortbread almost anywhere.  The grocery store, gift shops, specialty shops.  Heck, they even have single serve packages by the registers in the grocery store sometimes.  I see that iconic red plaid and remember all those times Mom brought home a special tin for the holidays.  It always puts a smile on my face.

But this post right here is about Irish shortbread cookies.

You’re wondering what the difference is.  For the most part, it’s corn flour.  Yes.  I said corn flour.  Not cornmeal or corn starch.  Corn flour.  It’s that stuff in the Mexican foods aisle that they make tamales out of.  Like the pumpkin chorizo tamales I made a few months ago.

I couldn’t find a small package of corn flour to make tamales.  It just doesn’t exist in the grocery stores I shop at.  Trust me when I say I would have preferred a smaller package.  But, that just means I need ot find other creative ways to use this corn flour.

I could easily make more tamales.  Because they’re oh so good.  But when I stumbled on recipes for Irish shortbread, I knew that’s the perfect way to use up the corn flour.  Well, along with more tamales.  Maybe a dessert tamale?  We’ll just have to see.

Anyway, Irish shortbread has corn flour in there.  If I didn’t tell you that already.  Or maybe I did.  I can’t remember.  I was interested with the addition to the typical shortbread recipe wondering if it would alter the flavor, but it didn’t.  At least not as far as I could taste.

However, the corn flour did alter the cookie.

In a way I didn’t quite expect.  The corn flour didn’t alter the flavor.  But it did alter the texture.  I had no idea this would happen.  The corn flour made these shortbread cookies super crunchy and delicious.  Like, irresistibly crunchy delicious.  I cannot stop eating them.  They’re crack.

I know, I’ve called things crack quite often.  But these cookies?  Serious crack.  I had to hide them and try to ignore them until I could decorate and photograph them.  I ate two when they came off the sheet pan and knew this would be a recipe I could make often.  However, I’m not sure the hubs will agree.

He ate more of the sugar cookies than these cookies.  Of course, I used a larger cookie cutter.  This meant fewer cookies to eat anyway.  It is a rather small batch.  That’s probably a good thing.  If it was a larger batch you’d be forced to eat more cookies.  Because there’s no way to resist these babies.

I made royal icing for the first time!

I’m not a cookie decorator.  I mean, I always said I’m not a huge cookie baker so it shouldn’t be a surprise that I’m not a cookie decorator.  However, I was watching these holiday cookie baking competitions and got a wild hair up my you know what.  I decided that this was the year I was going to make royal icing and decorate some cookies.

You’ve seen those shows, right?  They made these incredible cookies in like 2 hours with a theme.  I think it was the nesting dolls one that really had me hooked.  Her techniques were just gorgeous!  Some of them did look a little rudimentary and now I know why.  It’s not as easy as it looks.

And I just had one color to deal with on these cookies.  I think I didn’t have a fine enough tip.  Which means I need to buy more tips.  The hubs is gonna love that.  At least they’re all in one spot unless they’re duty.  He totally mutilated my 1/2” tip in the garbage disposal the other day.  He gets so pissed when I put them in the bowl and he doesn’t see them. Well, they need to soak to get clean?

Anyone else have these problems?  Just me?  Moving on….

I just wanted little dots on the cookies to make it look like the silver balls and decorations were magically attached.  As you can see, that didn’t happen.  I tried to get the large sprinkles to hide the icing, too.  Yeah.  Total fail on that.  Now I can understand why those cookies are so expensive.  It takes a skilled hand and LOTS of patience.

No matter how they look, they still taste amazing.  These Irish shortbread cookies are buttery and crispy.  They would definitely stand up to being dipped in milk or coffee.  My dad dips his cookies in his coffee.  I guess that’s not much different than people dipping them in tea.  *shrugs*

I hope you’ll see what the other bloggers baked up for today.  They are sharing some delicious cookies this week.  AND don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post for gingerbread macaron.

#ChristmasCookiesWeek Wednesday Recipes

• Andes Mint Chocolate Brownies by Hardly A Goddess
• Snickerdoodle Crinkle Cookies by Daily Dish Recipes
• Brownie Bites with Peppermint Buttercream by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Brown Sugar Pecan Christmas Tree Cookies by Family Around The Table
• Chocolate Chip Vanilla Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies by The Freshman Cook
• Cinnamon Roll No Bake Cookies by Kelly Lynn’s Sweets and Treats
• Eggnog Macarons by The Redhead Baker
• Ginger Crinkle Cookies by Bear & Bug Eats
• Crispy Gingersnap Cookies by Everyday Eileen
• Holiday Cut-Out Sugar Cookies by Corn, Beans, Pigs & Kids
• Irish Shortbread Cookies by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Turkish Baklava by House of Nash Eats
• Vegan Peppermint Bark Madeleines by The Baking Fairy
• Waffle Iron Cookies by Jolene’s Recipe Journal

Disclaimer: Thank you #ChristmasCookiesWeek sponsors: Adams Extract, Sprinkle Pop, YumGoggle and Silpat for providing the prizes free of charge. The #ChristmasCookiesWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning.

Four (4) winners will be selected at random from entries received. The prize packages will be fulfilled by and sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. #ChristmasCookiesWeek bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household are not eligible to enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #ChristmasCookiesWeek posts or entry.