Funfetti Shortbread Bites

Three weeks to Christmas and two weeks to my fifty-fourth birthday. The tree is up and the good candles are lit and the house smells like what December should smell like: beeswax and evergreen and fruitcake and the particular warmth of a house that has been heated continuously since November and has taken on that winter-house quality that is distinct from any other time of year.

I have been making small food gifts this week. The pralines — four dozen, in tins. The tea cakes — Shanice's grandmother's recipe, which has now fully become mine also. A jar of the honey from the local apiary with a card that says just: January is coming, put this on your cornbread. This is a thing I enjoy: the food gift that doesn't announce itself as a gesture but just shows up in someone's kitchen and becomes part of a morning without ceremony. I gave Miss Ida from Bernice's Table a tin of pralines and she held it to her chest the way Odalys held the recipe booklet and did not say anything and I did not require her to.

Kezia's interview was Thursday. She called me Thursday evening. She said it went well but she didn't want to assume. I told her not to assume but to also not diminish what she had done. She said she talked about Bernice's Table and about the notebook and the women who taught her and the reason food matters. She said she told them: food is the primary language this community uses to say you are seen and you belong, and I want to learn to speak it with precision. I said, Kezia, if they do not take you after that, they do not know what they are looking at. She was quiet for a moment and then she said, thank you, Miss Loretta. I said, I mean every word of it. I always mean every word of it.

The pralines and the tea cakes have their places, and I would not trade them — but this week I also made a batch of these little shortbread bites, because sometimes you need something bright and unserious and joyful sitting on the counter next to all the careful, ceremonial things. They go in tins just like the pralines do. They travel well. They do not announce themselves. They are exactly the kind of small, earnest thing I want to press into someone’s hands during the weeks when January is still coming and the candles are still lit and we are all, quietly, holding each other up.

Prep Time: 15 min | Chill Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: ~1 hr | Servings: About 36 bites

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup rainbow jimmie sprinkles, plus extra for pressing on top

Instructions

Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the extracts. Mix in the vanilla and almond extract until just combined.
Incorporate the dry ingredients. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour and salt. Mix until the dough just comes together — do not overmix. It will be slightly crumbly but should hold when pressed.
Fold in the sprinkles. Using a spatula or your hands, gently fold in the 1/3 cup of rainbow sprinkles. Take care not to overmix or the colors will bleed into the dough.
Chill the dough. Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This prevents spreading and makes the dough easier to handle.
Preheat and prepare. Heat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Shape the bites. Roll the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into 1-inch squares or use a small round cutter. Alternatively, roll into small 3/4-inch balls and press gently to flatten. Place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Press a few extra sprinkles onto the tops.
Bake. Bake for 11–13 minutes, until the edges are just barely set and the bottoms are a very pale golden. They should not brown on top. The bites will firm up as they cool, so do not overbake.
Cool completely. Let bites rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool fully before tin-ing or storing — they are fragile while warm.

Nutrition (per serving, 1 bite)

Funfetti Shortbread Bites — The Kind of Gift That Just Shows Up and Belongs