These chocolate shortbread cookies are the perfect balance of sweet and chocolate! Whether you need something for that Christmas cookie exchange or you want something to go with a cup of coffee, chocolate shortbread cookies will hit the spot.
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Jump to RecipeI love great shortbread. It’s crumbly and buttery and lovely; it’s the perfect examples of one of those truly great things that can be made with very basic ingredients.
So for Christmas this year, I decided to mix it up a bit and make chocolate shortbread! They’re rich and crumbly, dipped in rich chocolate for a creamy sweetness.
If you’re serving up a few different kinds of cookies or going to a cookie swap party, this is a perfect option to compliment the classic sugar cookies or Reese’s cookies or whatever else may be there.
They’re also pretty darn good with a cup of coffee. I’m just sayin.
One thing I love about this version is that the shortbread itself isn’t very sweet, which is where the chocolate ganache comes in, bringing a sweet contrast to the crumbly chocolate richness of the shortbread.
By the way, I’m calling this a ganache, but I know that no chef would ever agree with me here. Technically it’s not a ganache. But it’s close, and the word describes it better than icing or frosting does. So ganache.
But taste one, and I bet you won’t care what we call them. They’re good enough cookies that it won’t even matter.
The dough itself is pretty simple and mostly butter.
Press the dough into the pan. Line it with aluminum foil to make it easier to get out once it’s baked!
Pre-slicing the cooking makes it easy to break them apart when they’re done.
One tip: chocolate cookies can be tough to tell when they’re baked through because the color doesn’t change all that much. Look if they’re just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan; when that’s happening, they’re done!
Tools you’ll need: large skillet, and medium pan electric mixer, cookie sheet, mixing bowl and knife, cutting board.
Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Sift and set aside.
- With an electric mixer, beat the butter for two minutes, then add sugar and vanilla and beat on high for one minute more.
- Add the flour mixture slowly to the butter, beating on low until just combined. Dough will be crumbly.
- Line a 10×15 inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan with aluminum foil, then transfer the dough into the pan. Press the dough so it’s evenly distributed on the pan to the edges.
- Score the cookie shapes into the dough. Small rectangles are best for these. Use a fork to prick lots of holes in the dough.
- Bake 24-26 minutes, rotating halfway through. After a few minutes, recut along the same lines but don’t remove from the tray.
- While the cookies cool, make the ganache: combine cream and chocolate chips in a bowl and microwave, 20 seconds at a time until chips are nearly melted and stir to combine.
- When cookies are fully cooled, remove from the pan and dip into the chocolate. Lay each cookie on a cooling rack to let the chocolate set.
So next time you’re craving a bit of chocolate, make
Looking for more holiday baking inspiration? Try some of these sweet treats, or check me out on Pinterest chock full of holiday desserts!!