Christmas Mouse Shortbread Recipes

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl; with a pastry cutter, chop in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir the rum extract and almond extract into the water in a small bowl. Mix into the dry ingredients, a little bit at a time, until the mixture holds together in a ball when you squeeze it.
• Place the dough onto a floured work surface, and sprinkle with flour; roll out into a sheet 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with floured cookie cutters, and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Bake the cookies just until the edges are lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Allow to cool on sheets for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to finish cooling. Cool completely before decorating.
• For frosting, whisk the confectioners' sugar and milk in a bowl until smooth. If desired, divide frosting into small bowls, and tint each bowl a desired shade with food coloring. Frost fully cooled cookies, and sprinkle with edible glitter before the frosting sets.

Steps:

• 1. Cover work area with pieces of waxed paper about 18 inches long.
• 2. Dry the cherries with paper towels being careful not to pull of the stems and set aside.
• 3. Place 2/3 cup of chips and the oil in a 6 ounce custard bowl and microwave uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 10 seconds or until chips are softened;remove from microwave and stir until smooth.
• 4. Hold 1 cherry by stem (mouse tail) and dip into melted chips, covering completely.
• 5. Immediately place them on shortbread triangles, with tail at 45 degree angle.
• 6. Plave 2 sliced almonds against front of cherry to form mouse ears. Repeat with remaining cherries, shortbread and almonds.
• 7. Using the remaining melted chips as glue and a tooth-pick to spread the melted chips, attach the flat side of a whole chip (flat side back) to the base of the almonds to form the mouse head.
• 8. Using melted chips as glue, attach a few shreds of coconut for whiskers and a cinnamon candy for the nose.
• 9. Let cool without moving 50 to 60 minutes or until melted chip mixture is firm and completely set.
• 10. Store in cool place up to one week. Decorate your cheese platter with them by placing them on shortbread triangles. But you can use other purchased or homemade flat-surfaced cookies for the bace of your mice decorations.

Steps:

• Cover work area with piece of waxed paper 18 inches long.
• Dry cherries with paper towels.
• Place 2/3 cup chips and the oil in 6oz custard cup.
• Microwave uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 10 seconds, or until chips are softened; stir until smooth.
• Hold 1 cherry by stem (mouse tail), and dip into melted chips, covering completely-- even stem (tail).
• Immediately place on shortbread triangle, with tail at 45-degree angle.
• Place 2 of the sliced almonds against front of cherry to form mouse ears.
• Repeat with remaining cherries, shortbread and almonds.
• Using the remaining melted chips as glue and a toothpick to spread the melted chips, attach the flat side of a whole chip (flat side back) to the base of the almonds to form the mouse head.
• Using melted chips as glue, attach a few shreds of coconut for the whiskers and a red hot for the nose.
• Let cool without moving 50-60 minutes or until the melted chip mixture is firm and completely set.
• store in cool place up to one week.