Virtual Cookie Exchange & Christmas Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to my stop on the Virtual Cookie Exchange and Christmas Blog Hop which is hosted by Carol of Just Let Me Quilt.

At our house, we love shortbread. I don't make it very often as it's quite buttery and sweet so I like to keep this as a treat for Christmas time. Here's our recipe for Chocolate Shortbread which I used to make with my kids when they were little.

Chocolate Shortbread

 

Chocolate Shortbread

Ingredients

250g butter at room temperature (I use the salt reduced butter)

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 tbs cocoa

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda

1/2 cup grated dark chocolate

2 cups plain all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornflour (can be replaced with plain flour)

Icing Sugar (for sprinkling)

 

Method

Preheat the oven to 160 degree Celsius.

Line 3 baking trays with baking paper or parchment.

Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until it’s light and creamy.

Scrape the sides of the bowl and then add the vanilla extract and sift the flours, cocoa and bicarbonate soda into the bowl. Add the grated chocolate.

 

Chocolate Shortbread Ingredients

 

Beat again until it’s all combined.

Take small amounts of dough, roll around in the palms of your hands for form balls approximately the size of a walnut. Press these onto the baking tray with your 3 middle fingers.

Ensure there is space around each biscuit as they will spread when they’re baking.

 

Chocolate Shortbread Method

 Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Stand for a few minutes and then carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack. They’re still a little soft at this point, but will firm up once cool.

Sprinkle some icing sugar and they’re ready to eat.

These biscuits are fun for kids to help with… especially if they’re making them to gift their friends or classmates for Christmas. When it’s time to distribute them, we will place them in little cellophane bags, tied with a little bit of gold ribbon.



Now for the second half of this blog hop - some Christmas sewing. I made ANOTHER Christmas print braid table runner to gift another friend. I was serious when I said I'd be making lots of these to give away at Christmas.

Free Braid Table Runner Pattern here

This runner is made from a FQ bundle which I bought a few years ago from the Fat Quarter Shop. It was one of those 'surprise' bundles that you buy but don't know what you'll receive until you get it. I was lucky to get this Christmas bundle as I quite like Christmas prints but don't often buy them.


Visit the other participants in this fun cookie and Christmas hop.

December 1

Creatin' in the Sticks

Doreen – Just Let Me Quilt Guest

Bumbleberry Stitches

Home Sewn By Us

Quilt Schmilt

Food for Thought

Life in the Scrapatch

Ms P Designs USA

Just Sew Quilter

Cathie's Craftworks

Cynthia's Creating Ark

 

December 2

MooseStashQuilting

Karen's Korner

Sew Many Yarns

Selina Quilts

Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life

Days Filled With Joy

Words & Stitches

Just Because Quilts

Beaquilter

 

December 3

Quiltscapes

Websterquilt

DayBrook Designs

Karrin’s Crazy World

Samelia's Mum

Songbird Designs

For The Love Of Geese

Stitchin At Home

Dreamworthy Quilts

That Fabric Feeling

 

December 4

Just Let Me Quilt

Quilt Fabrication

DesertSky Quilting

Seams To Be Sew

Happy Cottage Quilter

Pumpkin Patch Patterns & Quilting

The Darling Dogwood

Kathleen McMusing

Scrapdash


36 comments

  1. Oh, those cookies look good! Cute runner too - I have some of that fabric too!

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  2. Chocolate and shortbread - what a winning combination. A very festive runner and love the green and white binding fabric. A lovely gift to give.

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    1. Thanks Karen. I wasn't sure what binding fabric to use, but I'm glad I found this stripe in my stash. Reminds me of spearmint lollies. Have a fab weekend :)

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  3. Yummy shortbread...& a festive table runner... WiNNer...
    Merry Christmas xox

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  4. Those cookies look pretty yummy! Appears that you got lucky with that fabric! Your friend will love her runner! What a great gift.

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    1. Fingers crossed she loves it. Have a happy weekend :)

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  5. I love shortbread cookies, never made chocolate shortbreads YET! Lovely table runner!

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    1. Chocolate makes everything more delicious. Happy Baking :)

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  6. I need to make this table runner for next year. No time this year. Thanks for the free tutorial. Those cookies look delicious. I always like chocolate. These I may try this year.

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    Replies
    1. Time is quickly running away from us, isn't it? Happy baking :)

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  7. I can't wait to try these! Thank you!

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  8. Ohhh... chocolate and shortbread, sounds like a great combination! Will have to try these for sure. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. Chocolate shortbread sounds amazing. Love your braided table runner - thanks for the tutorial. I remember the red one. LOVE it!

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    Replies
    1. I made heaps of these, but I still think the red one is my favourite. Possibly. Maybe. haha

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  10. Lovely table runner and the chocolate shortbread sounds delicious. Thanks so much for sharing!

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  11. Oh my gosh, those cookies look and sound delicious! Yep, just gained another ten pounds looking at them. They will look amazing in a bag with a gold ribbon. I love the cheery colors in your table runner...it's beautiful! Thank you so much for hopping with us and sharing all this goodness, Anorina! xo

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    1. Thanks for hosting another fun blog hop and inspiring some festive cheer. Have a lovely weekend :)

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  12. The only thing better than shortbread cookies, is the addition of chocolate to it. Yummm! I love your braided runner. Those bright and cheery holiday fabrics just make me smile!

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    1. Chocolate makes everything so much better. Thanks for stopping by :)

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  13. That's a really festive looking table runner - just perfect to get us into the spirit. Chocolate and shortbread...a wonderful combination and one I'm sure I'll enjoy.

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  14. The shortbread looks wonderful and the table runner is a perfect Christmas gift.

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  15. Chocolate and shortbread - is there any better combination?!! And the braid table runner looks pretty darn spiffy with the setting stone. Thanks for sharing the recipe and the pattern. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  16. I've never had chocolate shortbread before and will have to try these! Thank you for the recipe (and for the pattern for the runner too!).

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  17. Your runner is so festive and pretty.

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  18. chocolate in short bread, what a wonderful idea. Yours look very yummy. Your table runner is very festive. love the color combos.

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  19. How fun! I'm glad to see you participating in the blog hop too... as is my local quilter-friend SelinaQuilts. Your recipe looks really good, but then anything with chocolate is at the top of my "favorites" list. You're really keeping busy making table runners, and every one is lovey. It's so nice of you to generously share your pattern. You're a sweetheart.

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  20. Tasty looking cookies to go with another super cute table runner!! Thanks for sharing.

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