5-Spice Sesame Ginger Cookies (Chinese and Southeast Asian inspired)

1 recipe Scottish Shortbread Cookie Dough*
1 Tbsp 5-spice powder
2/3 cup chopped crystalized ginger
1/2 cup white (or combo black and white) sesame seeds
*Prepare cookie dough with these changes:
• Stir 5-spice powder into flour before mixing into butter mixture
• Stir chopped ginger into dough after adding flour
• Scoop out dough into 1-inch balls and roll completely in sesame seeds. Refrigerate for 30 minutes on pan and then bake for 10-12 minutes.

Pistachio, Cardamom and Date Cookies (Middle East inspired)

1 recipe Scottish Shortbread Cookie Dough*
1/2 cup chopped, salted, shelled Pistachios
1 tsp ground cardamom
2/3 cup pitted, chopped Medjool dates
Icing sugar for dusting
*Prepare cookie dough with these changes:
• Stir cardamom into flour before mixing into butter mixture
• Stir in chopped pistachios and dates into dough after adding flour
• Scoop out dough into 1-inch balls, roll and lightly flatten with back of fork. No chill time necessary. Bake 10 minutes, cool completely and dust with icing sugar.

Spicy Chili-Chocolate Cookies (Mexican inspired)

1 recipe Scottish Shortbread Cookie Dough*
2 tsp ancho chili powder (can add up to 1 Tbsp for more heat!)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
*Prepare cookie dough with these changes:
• Reduce flour amount to 1 ½ cups and add 1/2 cup cocoa. Stir chili powder and cinnamon into flour mixture before mixing into butter mixture
• Stir in chocolate chips after adding flour
• Form dough into two logs, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Slice into 16-18 cookies. Bake 12 minutes.

Tropical Coconut-Lime Cookies (Tropical/Caribbean inspired)

1 recipe Scottish Shortbread Cookie Dough*
1 Tbsp lime zest (from about 3 limes)
1/2 cup finely shredded coconut
Extra coconut for coating cookie edges (optional)
*Prepare cookie dough with these changes:
• Stir lime zest into flour before mixing into butter mixture
• Stir coconut into dough after adding flour
• Form dough into two logs, roll logs in extra coconut (optional), wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Slice into 16-18 cookies. Bake 12 minutes.

Guava Thumbprint Cookies (Puerto Rico and South American inspired)

1 recipe Scottish Shortbread Cookie Dough*
1/2 cup guava paste or jam
2 tsp pure almond extract
Icing sugar for dusting (optional)
*Prepare cookie dough with these changes:
• Add almond extract to butter and sugar mixture
• Add 1/4 cup extra flour (2 ¼ cups total)
• Scoop out dough into 1-inch balls, roll and make an indent in centre of each ball with end of wooden spoon handle. Fill with 1/4 tsp paste or jam. Bake 10 minutes, cool completely.
• Dust with icing sugar (optional)

Christmas Cranberry-Orange Cookies (Canadian Christmas inspired)

1 recipe Scottish Shortbread Cookie Dough*
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp orange zest (about 1 medium orange)
1 cup finely chopped fresh cranberries
*Prepare cookie dough with these changes:
• Add vanilla to butter and sugar mixture
• Stir orange zest into flour before mixing into butter mixture.
• Stir cranberries into 1/4 cup extra flour then add to dough after adding 2 cups flour
• Form dough into two logs, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Slice into 16-18 cookies. Bake 12 minutes.

NOTE: each cookie recipe yields between 36 and 44 cookies, depending on flavours and add-ins.