Peanut Butter Cup Shortbread

I pulled this recipe out of one of my cooking magazines a few years ago, and it's been sitting around in my "recipes I'd really like to try" stack for a while. (It may have been
a Better Homes & Gardens holiday special, but I can't be sure.) Anyway, my holdup was that it looked pretty labor intensive, and I couldn't find a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter anywhere.

Four years later, I still haven't had much luck on the cookie cutter front. But a few weeks ago, I was at a craft store and I wandered into the clay aisle. I had never before been to the clay aisle. I'm still not even sure what it's for. But they DID have a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter.

It's a flower. But flowers can be holiday-ish, too, right? If they're drizzled in chocolate?

Peanut Butter Cup Shortbread
Makes 3-4 dozen

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour, plus more for rolling
3 ounces finely chopped peanut butter cups
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon shortening

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until combined, and then beat in flour.

3. Add peanut butter cups, and gently knead the dough until it clings together.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Using a floured 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out pieces and place them 1 inch apart on cookie sheets.

5. Bake about 20 minutes, or until bottoms are just starting to brown. Cool completely on cooling racks placed over waxed paper.

6. Combine chocolate chips and shortening in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook and stir until chocolate melts.

7. Drizzle shortbread with chocolate, or use a pastry bag. (Or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off, in my case.)

8. Let chocolate harden before serving.