Halloween Monsters Shortbread Cookies

Instructions

To make the shortbread Cookies:

1. Mix butter o high speed for 1 minute, add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth and creamy.
2. Turn your mixer on low speed and add flour. Mix just until combine. It will be crumbly, but do not over beat it.
3. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Transfer the dough in a gallon size plastic bag and roll out ¼ thick (or you can and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper. Place it on large cutting board and refrigerate until firm (about 2 hours in the fridge, or 30 minutes in the freezer+30 minutes in the fridge).
5. When the dough is firm, preheat oven to 325 F, line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Cut off the plastic wrap and release the dough. Cut the dough into 2×4 inch rectangles. You should get about 15 cookies. If the dough crumbles when cutting, let it sit a few minutes at room temperature 2-3 minutes to soften just a little bit then cut.
7. If the edges of rectangles lose their shape press it back together with your fingers and place them onto baking sheet with one inch of space between.
8. Bake 15-20 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Cool on baking sheets for 5 mins then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Decorating the cookies:

1. Line cookie sheet or tray with parchment paper. Melt candy melts as directed on package.
2. Dip cookies in melted candy (to cover about 1/2- 2/3 of cookie with candy melts) and place on parchment paper lined tray.
3. Place candy eyes on wet cookies and transfer in the fridge to set quicker.
4. To make the mummies, transfer leftovers of melted white chocolate (or white candy melts) in small zip-lock bag, cut off the corner and drizzle over the cookie to make it look like bandage on the mummy.
5. To make the mouths on the orange monsters and green Frankenstein cookies, melt chocolate chips and transfer to a small zip-lock bag, cut off the corner (make sure to create just a small opening so you can drizzle thin lines) and make the mouths. You could also use a toothpick dipped into melted chocolate and draw small scars on Frankenstein face.
6. To make the Frankenstein hair, cover the top of cookie with melted chocolate and sprinkle black or chocolate sprinkles on wet chocolate.
7. Let the decorations harden completely before lift the cookies from parchment paper.