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    Home » Christmas Cookies

    Shortbread Christmas Mice

    Published: Nov 15, 2013 · Modified: Feb 5, 2022 by Kim Beaulieu · This post may contain affiliate links

    1.3K shares
    • 47
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These cute little Shortbread Christmas Mice are fun for kids and adults to make during the holidays. Whip some up for this Christmas!

    Shortbread Christmas Mice on counter with red ribbon scattered about

    Aren't these shortbread Christmas mice cookies wicked adorable?

    I know, right. Not only are they adorable but they taste pretty good too!

    Now, don't you just want to make them right this very minute?

    Don't do it man! Honestly, don't do it.

    It's all an evil plot to drive you mad dog crazy at Christmas time. Yeah, they're adorable. Yes, you totally want to make them.

    Just...

    don't

    do...

    it!!

    Okay, okay. I'll be serious now. I mean, go ahead and make them but be forewarned that they are tedious and annoying to make.

    Sure, they look super cute but is it worth actually sacrificing your holiday cheer?

    I mean, probably not.

    But you're totally going to make them anyway, aren't you? It's all good. I understand because I honestly felt the same way when I saw them too.

    Then, I learned the truth. I mean, they're totally cute but they are actually pure evil.

    Now, go make these annoying cookies right now. In all honesty, I just want to hear if your experience was as brutal as mine.

    Please don't come back again and yell at me. Or punch me in the throat when you see me again.

    Honestly, I warned you they were going to send you over the edge. You're welcome.

    Shortbread Christmas Mice on counter with red ribbon scattered about

    More Christmas Recipes:

    • No Bake Coconut Macaroons
    • Chocolate Coconut Cookies
    • Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
    • Black Forest Sandwich Cookies
    • Momzie’s Peanut Butter Cookies
    • Chocolate Fudge Brownie Sandwich Cookies
    • Pink Coconut Cookies
    • Coconut Filled Sandwich Cookies

    So, can you tell they actually drove me crazy? Not to mention, cranky too!

    Honestly, these mice are evil. And especially difficult to make.

    But if you want to be foolish and throw caution to the wind, admittedly, I can't stop you.

    Again, all I can do it give you the information and wish you well on your own journey to madness.

    To be perfectly honest, you've been warned. So, here's the stupid recipe!

    Shortbread Christmas Mice on a dark counter with red ribbon on it

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    Shortbread Christmas Mice on a dark counter with red ribbon on it
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    Shortbread Christmas Mice

    These cute little Shortbread Christmas Mice are fun for kids and adults to make during the holidays. Whip some up for this Christmas!
    Course Cookies
    Cuisine American
    Keyword christmas cookies, mice cookies, shortbread christmas mice
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 5 minutes
    Servings 15
    Calories 199kcal

    Equipment

    • Waxed Paper
    • Glass Mixing Bowl

    Ingredients

    • 15 maraschino cherries with stems
    • ⅔ cup white candy melts
    • ½ tsp vegetable oil
    • 1 pkg shortbread triangles
    • 30 sliced almonds
    • 15 white chocolate chips
    • 15 small red candies
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Place some waxed paper on your counter so you have a work area for the chaos about to unfold.
    • Dry your cherries with a towel. Honestly people, this takes forever and a day.
    • If you have bloody strength or patience left after the cherry incident from hell, you can now pop the candy melts in a microwave safe bowl. It takes about a minute to a minute and a half to melt these but check them every 15 seconds one you hit a minute. You've been warned. They go from cute and melty to hard rocks of lead quickly.
    • Now if by some miracle you found cherries with stems you can use the stem to dunk them in the candy melts. If not use a spoon to swirl the cherry around in the bowl, then lift it out and transfer to a fork so most of the excess doesn't come with it. Place the covered cherries on the shortbread cookies. Then hope for the bloody best at this point.
    • If you lucked out and your cherries were dry, you can now wait about 30 to 60 seconds, then pop the almonds on in a 45 degree angle so they look like ears. This will drive you to drink so have liquor handy while doing this step.
    • Now take your white chocolate chips one at a time, dunk them backside really carefully in the extra melts just enough to get a sliver of melt on it, then stick the nose to the front in the middle of the almonds. Good luck, have that liquor handy once again. You'll need copious amounts of it. Ask the kids to leave the room. I can't be responsible for the words that will come out of your mouth at this stage.
    • You can put a little red candy on the front for a nose. Good luck. I expect you want to punch me in the throat right about now. You're welcome.

    Notes

    Recipe adapted, with no ill will intended, from Betty Crocker's Christmas Cookbook.
    Thanks for the laughs Betty!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 26IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

    Shortbread Christmas Mice on counter with red ribbon scattered about

    Thanks for visiting today!

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    Toodles! xx

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    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kayle (The Cooking Actress)

      November 15, 2013 at 10:35 am

      STAHP IT.

      so cute!!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 1:33 am

        Ha, Kayle your comment cracked me up. I adore you woman. xx

        Reply
        • wendi

          December 27, 2014 at 7:52 am

          I laughed all the way through your instructions because I have been through what you went through and said the same thing. LOL You and I would definitely get along just fine. My grandma used to make these when she was younger, She is 95 now and certainly would like to help me make these, but don't know if she would remember how to make everything from scratch like she used to. She made the shortbread from scratch and that took care of finding the triangle shortbread cookies. 🙂 But I don't know that she used cherries with stems for the body of the mouse...because she made hers chocolate, so I will have to talk to her and see what she used for her mouse ears and body. I will see if she remembers...but she is 95 so don't get your hopes up. lol

          Reply
    2. john@kitchenriffs

      November 15, 2013 at 11:41 am

      I'm glad you made these so I don't have to. 😉 They look great, but after reading the procedure and your warnings? No way! Good thing I'm not that much into "cute" anyway! And I feel your pain when it comes to finding maraschino cherries with stems. Our regular grocery store actually carries them, but it took me forever to find them. They weren't stocked in the baking section with all the other maraschino cherries (red, green, whatever). It was only when I asked at the service desk whether they could order some that they said they had them. Shelved next to the olives! Who'd think? I gather their thought process was that maraschino cherries with stems are often used in drinks, and olives are used in martinis, so shelve the two together. Makes sense, I guess, but weird.

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 15, 2013 at 12:16 pm

        I cannot stop laughing at your first sentence. I questioned how honest I should be but holy heck, these about killed me. I'm not a morning person so wrangling mice in the wee hours did not help matters.

        I wonder if I ask the store to carry if they will order them for me. It might work. Mini-me works at one of our local stores so maybe she can twist some arms. It bums me out I can never find them. I may have to try the gourmet shop in the city and see if the olive trick works.

        Reply
      • wendi

        December 27, 2014 at 7:55 am

        Hahahaa I would have never thought to look for the cherries there either. lol

        Reply
    3. Kristen

      November 15, 2013 at 12:30 pm

      You are a gluten for punishment, my dear. I learned long ago to stick to drop cookies!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 1:49 am

        Lol! I swear I just have to make my life more complicated. So funny.

        Reply
    4. Ruthy @ Omeletta

      November 15, 2013 at 12:34 pm

      Greatest.CookieWeek.Recipe.EVER. I needed a laugh this morning! Sorry for your pain- they really are cute cookies! Buuuuuut I think I'll give them a pass. Holiday baking stresses me out enough as it is!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 1:50 am

        Thanks so much Ruthy. I swear us bloggers should never write angry. But it was fun to write. lol

        Reply
    5. Donna Currie

      November 15, 2013 at 1:35 pm

      I am sharing this post all =-the-hell over the place. This is the funniest thing I've read in a long time, and I think we've all been there as we've watched icing drip and noses fall off and our fingers get glued to the thing we're trying to glue together.

      In other words, this totally made my day.

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 15, 2013 at 1:52 pm

        Dying laughing at your response Donna. I had so much fun writing this. I wrote it immediately after making them and apparently I was still really, really bitter. It felt cathartic, then I hit send and went wth did I just do. Betty Crocker is going to show up and demand their book back. I paid $5 for that thing. I won't do it. They can't take it away from me.

        Reply
    6. Patty M

      November 15, 2013 at 1:43 pm

      This post made me laugh. I think we all have made a cookie or two that looked easy and then turned out to be a pain in the neck. Thanks for taking one for the team!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 1:54 am

        Thanks Patty. I had so much fun with this. Nothing like a good giggle over cookies. xx

        Reply
    7. Anita at Hungry Couple

      November 15, 2013 at 2:32 pm

      Having once attempted to make snowmen out of marzipan (don't do it) I can tell you the nose trick. Take a toothpick, dip it into some chocolate (dark for a dark nose, white with red food coloring for a red nose) and dab it on. There's no need for it to protrude and no candy is going to stick on there...ever. Living in Manhattan, we have access to all manner of maraschino cherries and a large jar, with stems, is always in our refrigerator. We put them in our cocktails like sensible people. 🙂

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 1:58 am

        Ha, I swear these cookies were part of some scheme to drive me mad. See here's the thing, why do mice even need red noses? They're not reindeer, so weird.

        I have 4 jars of stemless cherries in my fridge. I swear they're multiplying, like mice.

        Reply
    8. The Ninja Baker

      November 15, 2013 at 4:02 pm

      You are hilarious, Kim! I know what you mean about people professing white chocolate will work when the truth is the melts work better. Oh! And yes your shortbread mice are adorable...And Pinterestable =)

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 1:59 am

        Thanks Kim. I know right, chocolate hates water and maraschino's are full of juicy water. So weird. It was like a giant cherry slip n slide over here.

        Reply
    9. Choc Chip Uru

      November 15, 2013 at 4:06 pm

      Too adorable my friend, these cookie mice look absolutely brilliant 😀
      Love it!

      Cheers
      CCU

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 2:26 am

        Thanks Uru. xx

        Reply
    10. Joanne T Ferguson

      November 15, 2013 at 8:57 pm

      G'day Kim! How adorably cute your mice are, true!
      Great for entertaining and will be the talking piece of any party too!
      Cheers! Joanne

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 2:28 am

        Thanks so much Joanne. I had so much fun writing about my issues with this one. They turned out cute so it ended well. Lol!

        Reply
    11. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef

      November 16, 2013 at 7:42 am

      These are so cute but I have been warned. If you can't get cherries with stems, I doubt I can find them at all. 🙂 I could make shortbread triangles though. 🙂

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 2:31 am

        Ha, it's so hard to find. I may hit the city. I am desperate for stems. I need stems. Why can't I have stems.

        Whew, it's driving me mad.

        Reply
    12. Ramona W

      November 16, 2013 at 6:50 pm

      These cookies are so darn cute!!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 2:32 am

        Thanks so much Ramona.

        Reply
    13. Kate | Food Babbles

      November 16, 2013 at 8:43 pm

      Oh my goodness, how adorable are these??? Ok, so I heard your warnings but ... I don't know ... They're kinda irresistibly cute so I may just have to suck it up and make 'em. My girls will go crazy for them! And I know a few adults who will ooo and ahh also. Love!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 2:36 am

        Ha, try them at your own risk. They are cute, just make sure you dry those darn cherries and use melts. And have a glass of vodka to soothe your nerves first. lol

        Reply
    14. Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love.

      November 16, 2013 at 11:22 pm

      Oh holy cuteness!!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 2:37 am

        Lol, thanks Stephanie. xx

        Reply
    15. Emily @ Life on Food

      November 17, 2013 at 7:01 am

      They are so adorable! You actually took the words right out of my mouth. This is what I would call a weekend project. Setting aside a whole day for nothing but this recipe. Less likely to get frustrated when there is nothing else to attend to...not that that happens often.

      Reply
    16. Christine

      November 17, 2013 at 1:12 pm

      These are super cute!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 2:39 am

        Thanks so much Christine.
        xx

        Reply
    17. Julianne @ Beyond Frosting

      November 17, 2013 at 5:04 pm

      These are the cutest cookies ever!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        November 20, 2013 at 2:41 am

        Awe, thanks Julianne. It was a lesson in patience that's for sure.

        Reply
    18. Wendy

      November 29, 2013 at 8:59 am

      Thanks for the laugh this morning. I needed it after waking up all congested with cold. LOL When I saw the name of the recipe I was thinking that the little mice were actually made out of shortbread but nope apparently you have to be drunk to make them lololol At any rate since I detest marischino cherries if I were to make this I'd make it how I thought they were going to be made. Just use my melon baller and make round shortbread balls then coat that with the white chocolate and continue on. I took my unsalted butter out last night to make shortbread today so I'm going to try these. If they don't turn out we'll eat them anyways lol

      Reply
    19. Katina

      December 09, 2013 at 12:18 am

      Oh man, this post gave me a good chuckle. Also, seriously love the mice, and they look wayyy more appealing than the ones that end up in our mousetraps! Thanks for the laugh!

      Reply
    20. Shareba @ In Search Of Yummy-ness

      November 27, 2014 at 12:30 pm

      These are so adorable! Great idea Kim!!

      Reply

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