Description
Delight in these rich, crisp Chocolate Shortbread Cookies made with creamy butter, cocoa powder, and a hint of vanilla. Perfectly balanced with a tender crumb, these cookies can be dipped in melted baking chocolate and decorated with sprinkles for an irresistible 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
For Decoration (Optional)
- 6 oz (170 g) chopped baking chocolate for dipping (may substitute 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips)
- Sprinkles or nonpareils
Instructions
- Cream Butter: Place softened butter in a large mixing bowl and beat on high-speed with an electric mixer for at least 2 minutes until well-creamed and fluffy.
- Add Sugar and Cocoa: With the mixer on low-speed, gradually add powdered sugar followed by the Dutch-process cocoa powder, mixing until combined.
- Flavor and Salt: Stir in the vanilla extract and salt to the mixture ensuring they are evenly incorporated.
- Incorporate Flour: Gradually add the all-purpose flour on low speed, mixing until the dough comes together fully, scraping down the bowl sides to combine all ingredients.
- Chill Dough: Turn the dough onto a clean surface, divide into two discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheet: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll and Cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to ¼ inch (0.6cm) thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes, gathering and rerolling dough to maximize cookie count.
- Bake Cookies: Arrange cut cookies at least 1 inch (2.5cm) apart on the prepared sheet. Bake on the center rack for 14 minutes until crisp once cooled.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack for decorating.
- Melt Chocolate: Place chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, melt in 20-second intervals stirring thoroughly between until smooth.
- Decorate Cookies: Dip cookies in melted chocolate or drizzle chocolate over them and optionally add sprinkles while chocolate is still warm.
- Set and Serve: Allow chocolate to fully set before serving or storing.
Notes
- Yield varies by cookie cutter size; approximately 60 cookies when rolled to ¼ inch and cut with 2 inch cutters.
- Baking time depends on thickness and cutter size, so keep a close eye and test bake a tray to ensure perfect texture.
- Chocolate is not tempered here; white streaking may appear but won’t affect flavor. For tempered chocolate, follow tempering steps separately.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for several months, with or without chocolate decoration.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
