Today I have a super cute sheep shortbread cookies recipe to share with you. These are really easy to make and the kids (and grown-ups) loved them!
These fun sheep cookies are great for a springtime or Easter treat, or a fun Easter baking project for kids during the Easter holidays.
The cookies have a basic shortbread base, which is crumbly and delicious and goes beautifully with the buttercream and coconut topping.
If you're pushed for time but still want to make a fun treat with your kids, you why not skip making your own and decorate shop-bought shortbread biscuits or cookies - any round biscuits would work, from shortbread rounds to digestives!
Easy Shortbread Sheep Cookies
Ingredients (makes 16):
- 200g butter
- 100g sugar
- 300g plain flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100g butter
- 225g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 100g desiccated coconut
- 16 chocolate buttons
- 16 giant chocolate buttons
- candy eyes
- tube of writing icing
Method:
Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof or baking paper.
Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, then whisk together until pale and fluffy.
Sieve in the flour, then add the vanilla extract. Whisk again until the mixture comes together in a dough.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to around 1cm thick. Cut circles from the dough (I used the fluted side of my cookie cutter), then carefully transfer them to the baking trays.
Place the trays in the fridge to chill for around 20 minutes.
Meanwhile preheat oven to 160°C (Gas mark 2/325°F).
Remove the trays from the fridge and bake for around 15 minutes until golden.
Once cooked, leave the shortbread rounds to cool on the baking trays for 15 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Make the buttercream icing. Whisk the butter with an electric whisk until light and fluffy, then sift in the icing sugar, a little at a time, until completely combined. Add the vanilla extract and whisk again. Add the milk in small splashes until the icing is at the correct consistency for spreading.
Once the shortbread cookies are completely cool, spread a generous layer of buttercream icing over the top of each one.
Pour the desiccated coconut onto a plate, then dip each cookie, icing side down, into the coconut to coat.
Make the sheep faces - 'glue' 2 candy eyes to each giant chocolate button using the writing icing.
Cut each smaller chocolate button in half for the ears.
These will be assembled with the ear pieces behind the giant chocolate button face.
Spread a little leftover buttercream on the back of a giant chocolate button. Press it into the top of a cookie for the head, then push a chocolate 'ear' into the buttercream on each side to finish.
Repeat with the remaining shortbread cookies to turn them into sheep.
Enjoy!
For more delicious and fun food ideas for Easter like this one, check out the Fun Easter Food section here on the Eats Amazing blog or pop over and follow my Easter Pinterest boards for lots more fun ideas from around the web; Healthy Easter Food and Easter.
Grace
Easy Shortbread Sheep Cookies
Ingredients
For the shortbread cookies:
- 200 g butter
- 100 g sugar
- 300 g plain flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the buttercream:
- 100 g butter
- 225 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
To decorate:
- 100 g desiccated coconut
- 16 chocolate buttons
- 16 giant chocolate buttons
- candy eyes
- tube of writing icing
Instructions
- Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof or baking paper.
- Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, then whisk together until pale and fluffy. Sieve in the flour, then add the vanilla extract. Whisk again until the mixture comes together in a dough.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to around 1cm thick. Cut circles from the dough (I used the fluted side of my cookie cutter), then carefully transfer them to the baking trays.
- Place the trays in the fridge to chill for around 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160°C (Gas mark 2/325°F).
- Remove the trays from the fridge and bake for around 15 minutes until golden. Once cooked, leave the shortbread rounds to cool on the baking trays for 15 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- Make the buttercream icing. Whisk the butter with an electric whisk until light and fluffy, then sift in the icing sugar, a little at a time, until completely combined. Add the vanilla extract and whisk again. Add the milk in small splashes until the icing is at the correct consistency for spreading.
- Once the shortbread cookies are completely cool, spread a generous layer of buttercream icing over the top of each one. Pour the desiccated coconut onto a plate, then dip each cookie, icing side down, into the coconut to coat.
- Make the sheep faces - 'glue' 2 candy eyes to each giant chocolate button using the writing icing.
- Cut each smaller chocolate button in half for the ears. These will be assembled with the ear pieces behind the giant chocolate button face.
- Spread a little leftover buttercream on the back of a giant chocolate button. Press it into the top of a cookie for the head, then push a chocolate 'ear' into the buttercream on each side to finish.
- Repeat with the remaining shortbread cookies to turn them into sheep.
Love this recipe idea? Why not save it to Pinterest so you can easily find it again!
Nancy Perine says
Hi there ~~ I had fun wandering through your website/blog. Your recipe for Sheep Shortbread Cookies caught my eye. What a cleaver idea! These were fun to make ... but the decorating was a challenge for me. They weren't done perfectly, but the grandkids and neighborhood kids didn't mind a bit!! Thanks for sharing!
Grace Hall says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! As long as it tastes good that's all that matters! 🙂
annie kirton says
i really recommened this recipe
Grace Hall says
Thank you, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!