Part delicious Hanukkah dessert, part functional menorah! The Shortbread Cake Ball Menorah is made from Walkers Shortbread Mini Hanukkah Stars for a rich taste and adorable design.
This post is sponsored by Walkers Shortbread but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support WJWE!
You all went crazy last year for my Mini Chocolate Shortbread Tarts using Walkers Shortbread Mini Hanukkah Stars, so I am back with a new recipe for these buttery cookies!
Even though there have been advances in Hanukkah decor over the years, the food options are still lacking. There is only so much gelt a girl can eat! That’s why I love the Walkers Shortbread Mini Hanukkah Stars. The are one sophisticated Hanukkah-worthy cookie. Plus, I got a coupon for you all. Use the code WJWE20 to save 20% off your Walkers Shortbread order through December 31st, 2021!
Let me tell you a little about Walkers. First of all, my Bubbe loves them so I am definitely sending her a few bags of their Hanukkah Stars. But I digress. Joseph Walker started the business with his bakery in Aberlour in the Scottish Highlands in 1898! So they have been around for a bit. Even today, all their products are made there or 16 miles away in a small town called Elgin. Now Joseph’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren continue their tradition. I just love a family business!
The cake balls couldn’t be easier to make. Blend up your Walkers Shortbread into a crumb (save some for the decor, of course) and mix with frosting (I used homemade, but store-bought works too) until you have a wet sand texture that will hold together into a ball. Then just dip and decorate and you just made a menorah.
We know this menorah looks adorable, but what about the taste? The Walker family still uses the same wonderfully simple recipe that Joseph created, and they bake it in small batches to keep the quality high. The shortbread is made using only four ingredients: flour, pure creamery butter, sugar and salt. With no artificial flavorings, colorings, or preservatives, and they are all Kosher OUD.
I was so excited about the design, but of course they had to be delicious too. The moment of truth. I took a huge bit and it was delicious! If you like butter and sugar (and I’m sure you do) you will love these! Plus, you can really light and and use it as menorah!
A star is born! (Get it?)
Happy Hanukkah!
Shortbread Cake Ball Menorah
Ingredients
Cake Balls
- 4 bags Walkers Mini Shortbread Hanukkah Stars (4.4 oz each)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tbsp milk
- 20 oz white candy melts
- Food coloring, sprinkles, etc for decoration
- 9 birthday candles
Instructions
- Open three of your bags of Walkers Shortbread Mini Hanukkah Stars (you will use the other bag for decorating) and pulse in a food processor until you have a fine crumb.
- Then make the frosting. You can use store bought too, if you like. Add the butter and vanilla to a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until combined. Then add the powdered sugar and beat on low until it starts to come together. Slowly add the milk until your frosting is thick but spreadable. If you add too much milk, you can add more powdered sugar to stiffen it up.
- Take three cups of the Walkers Shortbread Mini Hanukkah Stars crumbs and place it in a large bowl. Then add 1 cup of the frosting and combine until you get a thick dough that can be molded easily into balls. Using clean hands to combine is the easiest. You don't even have to measure the frosting, you can just add more until the dough comes together.
- Form the dough into 10 equal size balls and then place in one layer on a parchment-lined plate or sheet pan and refrigerate for at least 1-hour.
- When they are ready, get all your remaining ingredients ready: candy melts, sprinkles, candles and Walkers Shortbread Mini Hanukkah Stars. If you would like to add color drizzles, mix powdered sugar with just enough milk so it is thick but can drizzle. Add a little gel food coloring of your choice.
- Melt your candy melts according to the package instructions, heating in 30-seconds increments until melted and smooth.
- Place cake balls in the melted candy melts one at a time and coat. Lift it out with a fork and let the excess candy melt drip off. Place in on the parchment-lined pan and immediately add any other toppings and insert the candle at the top. I drizzled mine with two shades of blue, then used silver sprinkles.
- Adhere a Walkers Shortbread Mini Hanukkah Stars to the front by spreading a bit of the candy melt to the back of the star to use as glue. For the shamash candle, use the candy melt as glue to stack two together.
- Set up your menorah with the shamash in the middle (or one end) and then the other eight to one side or four on each side. Menorah can be made one day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before eating. Never leave lit candles unattended.
This was just plain stupid!
Thanks for your kind and helpful comment! I love hearing feedback from my loyal readers. Have a Happy Hanukkah!
I have a weakness for edible hanukkiahs and also for shortbread cookies. Definitely gonna remember this for Hanukkah this year, but I wish I had seen this last year!
Yay let me know if you try it!
These are BEAUTIFUL; I have to try them. Looks like I can really use any yellow/white cookie, including homemade. AND I can make my own star of David cookies – more fun! (Just a note: the Walkers cookies are not called “Hanukkah” stars. They are called FESTIVE stars.
Thanks for the awesome idea!