Christmas Funfetti Butter Cookie Bites

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4.34 from 9 votes

Christmas Funfetti Butter Cookie Bites

These Christmas funfetti butter cookie bites are the easiest way to bake up festive gifts for everyone on your list. Make the dough ahead, slice into bite-sized pieces, and bake to make a giftable sweet treat that packs beautifully in jars, mugs, or tins. This will add a lot of sparkle to your holiday cookie tray!

Prep Time30

Cook Time12

Total Time42

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings of approx 12 cookie bites per serving

Author: Jenny DeRemer

Cost: $1.56 per batch

Equipment

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
4 teaspoons nonpareils any colors

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat oven to 325°F. Use plastic film to line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan leaving a 1-inch-long overhang on both ends. Set aside. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine a very soft stick of unsalted butter with sugar and almond extract. Beat until creamy. (This dough can be very hard to work with if the butter is not soft, so ensure your butter is pulled from refrigeration well before you plan to bake.)
Reduce speed to low and add in flour and salt and beat until mixed. Add the nonpareils.
Use your fingers or a spatula to scrape the dough onto a work surface. Knead the dough 4 or 5 times then pat it into the plastic-lined 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Use the plastic film overhangs to lift the dough out of the pan and onto a work surface. Use your rolling pin very lightly to smooth the surface of the dough. (If using additional nonpareils on the top, sprinkle over now and gently press into the dough.)
Using a long, sharp kitchen knife and a ruler, cut the dough into 1/2-inch squares. Gently lift the squares and place them onto the lined baking sheet 1/2-inch apart. Discard the plastic wrap. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes or until the bottoms just begin to turn golden brown. Remove the sheets from the oven and allow to cool.
Package for gifting or store in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Happy Holidays!

Notes

Use anywhere from 4 to 7 teaspoonfuls of nonpareils. If I do 7 teaspoonfuls, I set 3 teaspoonfuls aside for gently pressing into the dough once it's all rolled out.
If the idea of 1/2-inch tidbits aren't appealing, grab some cute cookie cutters; however, they should be very small shapes to ensure the dough bakes the best way possible.
One sheet of dough is equal to 256 half-inch bites of these cuties. I am using them to fill between eight and ten 4-ounce mini mason jars. They're perfect for gift giving!
Make Ahead Up to 2 Months: Prepare the cookie dough according to the directions in the recipe card but do NOT cut the dough. Remove the dough from the baking dish using the plastic film overhangs and place directly onto a sheet of wax paper. Use a rolling pin to smooth out the top very gently, then cover with another sheet of wax paper. Slip into a gallon-sized zippered freezer bag, label, and freeze. When ready to bake, pull from freezer and thaw in refrigerator overnight. Slice into tidbits and bake!

Nutrition