These Chocolate Shortbread Cookies have a "short" texture: tender, crumbly and melt-in-your mouth. They are just screaming out for a glass of cold milk or a hot cup of coffee. The cookies are not too sweet, have a little of touch of salt and finish with a taste of bittersweet chocolate.
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons)salted buttercut into 1/2" cubes and very cold
White Chocolate Drizzle: (optional)
1cupwhite chocolate chips
2teaspoonssolid vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)or solid coconut oil
Instructions
Mix the Dough:
In a small bowl, stir cocoa powder and vanilla into melted butter (4 tablespoons) and let sit.
Stir together powdered sugar, flour and salt in mixing bowl.
Use flat beater (if using stand mixer) to cut the cold cubed butter into the dry ingredients: turn mixer on low and add a few pieces of butter at a time. Mix until it forms a sandy texture with no butter pieces larger than a pea.
Add the cocoa/butter mixture and mix just until all is combined. (If it seems to not come together, just keep mixing, depending on the temperature of the ingredients, sometimes it can take a little longer.)
3-Ways to form Chocolate Shortbread Cookies:
Slice & Bake:
Roll the dough into an even log shape and wrap in plastic wrap or parchment. (The diameter of the log will be about the diameter of the cookies, as they don't spread much.) Chill until firm (an hour or more.) Roll the log in sugar if desired. Slice the thickness you'd like your cookies and place on parchment lined or greased baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 10-13 minutes depending upon thickness of cookie. Cool on baking sheet.
Roll & Flatten:
Roll the dough into an even log shape and wrap in plastic wrap or parchment. Chill until firm (an hour or more.) Cut the log into 16 portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Place each ball onto a parchment lined or greased baking sheet. Flatten each ball with a flat bottomed glass dipped in sugar. I flattened mine to be about 1/8 - 1/4-inch thick and 3 - 3 1/2-inch diameter (they don't spread much.) Bake at 325 degrees F. for 10-13 minutes depending upon thickness of cookie. They will puff up a little in the center when they're about done. Cool on baking sheet. Remove to cooling rack - they will firm up as they cool.
Bake in Pan:
Pat the dough into a greased 9 x 9" square baking pan. Dock (prick) all over with a fork, cover with plastic wrap or foil and chill until firm (an hour or more.) Bake at 325 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes. Turn out of pan onto cutting board while still warm and cut. They will firm up (and be harder to cut) when cool.
Notes
Baking Pans: I use shiny light colored metal baking pans. If you use dark colored pans or glass you may need to reduce your cooking time and/or temperature.For the "Bake in Pan" version I like to grease and line the pan with a greased length of parchment or foil for easy removal from pan.
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