Description
Delight in these rich, crumbly Chocolate Shortbread Cookies made with buttery goodness and Dutch-process cocoa. Perfect for dipping in chocolate and decorating with sprinkles, they offer a perfect balance of chocolate flavor and crisp texture for any occasion.
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 Coating (Optional)
- 6 oz (170 g) chopped baking chocolate for dipping (optional, may substitute 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips)
- Sprinkles or nonpareils for decorating (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Butter and Sugar: Place softened butter in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl with paddle attachment and beat on high speed for at least 2 minutes until well-creamed.
- Add Sugar and Cocoa: With mixer on low speed, gradually mix in powdered sugar and then the Dutch-process cocoa powder until combined.
- Incorporate Vanilla and Salt: Stir in vanilla extract and table salt on low speed until evenly distributed.
- Add Flour: Gradually add all-purpose flour while mixing on low speed, scraping the bowl sides and bottom as needed, until the dough is fully combined.
- Chill Dough: Turn dough out onto a clean surface, divide into two discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up before rolling.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ inch (0.6 cm) thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, reroll dough scraps as needed for additional cookies.
- Arrange and Bake Cookies: Place cut cookies on the prepared baking sheet spacing them about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Bake on the center rack for 14 minutes until perfectly crisp.
- Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
- Melt Chocolate and Decorate: Melt chopped chocolate in microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring in between until smooth. Dip or drizzle over cooled cookies and decorate with sprinkles immediately. Let chocolate set before serving.
Notes
- Yields approximately 60 cookies when using 2-inch cutters and rolling dough to ¼ inch thickness.
- Baking time can vary with cookie size and thickness; watch closely and consider doing a test batch.
- Chocolate is not tempered, so white streaks may appear but do not affect taste.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for several months.
- If dough cracks after prolonged chill, let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before rolling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
