Description
Delight in these rich and buttery Chocolate Shortbread Cookies featuring a tender crumb infused with cocoa powder. Perfect for dipping in melted chocolate and decorating with sprinkles, these cookies deliver a classic shortbread crispness with a chocolatey twist, ideal for any occasion or festive treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup (95 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (25 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon table salt
Chocolate Decoration (Optional)
- 6 oz (170 g) chopped baking chocolate for dipping (may substitute 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips)
- Sprinkles or nonpareils for decorating (optional)
Instructions
- Cream Butter: Place softened butter in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment and beat on high speed for at least 2 minutes until well-creamed and fluffy.
- Add Sugar and Cocoa: With mixer on low speed, gradually add powdered sugar and cocoa powder, mixing until combined.
- Incorporate Vanilla and Salt: Stir in vanilla extract and table salt on low speed until evenly distributed.
- Mix in Flour: Gradually add all-purpose flour on low speed, scraping the bowl periodically, and mix until a cohesive dough forms.
- Chill Dough: Turn dough onto a clean surface, divide into two discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Prepare Oven and Baking Sheet: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll Out Dough: Remove dough from fridge, unwrap, and roll on a lightly floured surface to ¼ inch (0.6 cm) thickness using a floured rolling pin.
- Cut Cookies: Use cookie cutters to cut shapes as close together as possible; gather scraps and re-roll to cut more cookies.
- Bake Cookies: Arrange cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Bake on center rack for 14 minutes until edges are just set and cookies have perfect shortbread crispness.
- Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt Chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chopped chocolate in 20-second intervals, stirring well between until smooth.
- Decorate Cookies: Dip cookies in melted chocolate or drizzle chocolate over them, then decorate with sprinkles or nonpareils while chocolate is warm.
- Set Chocolate: Allow decorated cookies to sit until chocolate has hardened before serving.
Notes
- The yield depends on cookie cutter size; using 2-inch cutters rolled to ¼ inch thickness results in approximately 60 cookies.
- Baking time may vary slightly depending on cookie size and thickness; monitor closely and consider doing a test batch.
- Chocolate is not tempered; white streaks may appear but do not affect flavor. Temper chocolate if desired using standard tempering methods.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze unadorned or decorated cookies for several months maintaining freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
