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Home » Desserts » Cookies & Bars » Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Last Updated July 3, 2021. Published December 4, 2020 By Rosemary 45 Comments

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These Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are made with only 5 ingredients, perfect for chocolate and shortbread lovers. Cut out or slice and bake, easy and delicious. The perfect addition to your Christmas Cookie baking.

5 chocolate shortbread cookie stacked

I have been on a Shortbread marathon this year, from these melt in your mouth 3 Ingredient Shortbread to one of the Italian’s favourite bar cookies with a shortbread base, Coconut Jam Squares. These Chocolate Shortbread have been a long time coming, every year I make and test one but I am never convinced, until this year, I even had my trusty recipe tester, Janet test them for me. She and her friends gave them the thumbs up, so here’s to Chocolate!

How to make them

In a mixing bowl beat sugar and butter until creamy, then add the sifted dry ingredients, mix just until combined, move to a flat surface and gently knead to form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. If you prefer you can roll the dough into a log shape, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

making the shortbread dough mixing creamed with dry ingredients forming into a dough and wrapping in plastic

Roll the dough on a flat surface lightly floured if necessary or between 2 sheets of parchment paper to 1/2 inch thickness, cut out with your favourite cookie cutters and place on the prepared cookie sheets. Or if you made a log shape then slice about 1/4- 1/2 inch thick slices and place on prepared cookie sheets.

cutting out the cookies and placing on parchment paper lined cookie sheet

While the oven is pre-heating refrigerate the unbaked cookies. Bake, and let cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet then move to a wire rack.

cookies on a wire rack

When are the cookies done?

Be sure not to over bake the cookies, the cookies are done when you gently press on them in the middle,  it should be soft and not sticky. They will continue to bake on the baking sheet when removed from the oven.

Can I substitute the powdered sugar?

I advise you not to substitute with the powdered sugar, powdered sugar helps to keep the cookies from spreading and it also helps with the texture of the baked cookie.

How to store them

They should be stored in an airtight container and kept at room temperature, they will keep for 2 weeks. To tell the truth I like cold shortbread so I always store mine in the fridge, they will keep for up to 3 weeks in the fridge.

heart cookies stacked

How to freeze shortbread

To freeze the shortbread cookies, place parchment paper in between the layers of the completely cooled cookies this prevents them from sticking together when they are in the containers for freezing, or you can also place the baked cooled cookies on a cookie sheet and freeze them, then move the frozen cookies to either airtight bags or containers. Baked Shortbread Cookies will last up to a month in the freezer.

To thaw the cookies be sure to remove the frozen cookies from the bags or containers (this way no condensation will form) and let them thaw at room temperature. In our house no one waits for them to thaw!

More Delicious Shortbread Recipes

  • Lemon Shortbread Cookies
  • Easy Chocolate Chip Whipped Shortbread
  • Orange Glazed Shortbread 

So if you are looking for a new Shortbread recipe this Holiday Season, I hope you try these Chocolate Shortbread Cookies and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

cookies stacked with cocoa powder on the side

cookies stacked with cocoa powder on the side
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5 from 55 votes

Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

These Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are made with only 5 ingredients, perfect for chocolate and shortbread lovers. Easy and delicious.
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Course Christmas Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 42 minutes
Servings 30 cookies
Calories 103kcal
Author Rosemary Molloy

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour (11% protein or more) (250 grams)
  • 1 cup butter (softened) (200-226 grams)
  • 1 cup powdered/icing sugar (120 grams)
  • 1/2 cup cocoa (unsweetened) (50 grams)
  • 1 pinch salt*

*If you use unsalted butter than add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. If the dough is too dry add up to an additional 26 grams of butter (1 tablespoon).

    Instructions

    • In a mixing bowl beat sugar and butter until creamy, then add the sifted dry ingredients, mix just until combined, move to a flat surface and gently knead to form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 60 minutes. If you prefer you can roll the dough into a log shape, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
    • Roll the dough on a flat surface lightly floured if needed or between 2 sheets of parchment paper to 1/2 inch thickness, cut out with your favourite cookie cutters and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Or if you made a log shape then slice about 1/4- 1/2 inch thick slices and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Refrigerate while the oven is pre-heating.
    • Pre-heat oven to 320F (160C).
    • Bake the cookies for approximately 12-15 minutes, let cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet then move to a wire rack to completely cool. Enjoy!

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 189IU | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @anitalianinmykitchen or tag #anitalianinmykitchen!

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      Filed Under: American Favorites, Chocolate, Christmas, Christmas Cookies, Cookies & Bars, Desserts, Fall/Winter, Thanksgiving

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      1. Delsia Taylor says

        March 27, 2022 at 11:17 pm

        5 stars
        I followed this recipe……absolutely horrible! Mixture was so dry even adding the extra butter didn’t help. Was something missing from the instructions? I’ve made shortbread cookies before but wanted to try something different, I wasted my time and my ingredients today.

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          March 28, 2022 at 11:50 am

          Hi Delsia, no there is nothing missing from the recipe, there are 2 different videos for the recipe and it works. I think you should check to see what ingredient amounts you added. If the dough doesn’t together, all you have to do is add a bit more butter. 🙂

          Reply
      2. Kay says

        February 10, 2022 at 3:20 am

        5 stars
        I wish every package of flour included the protein content!

        Despite my own irritation when people review recipes having made substantial changes in ingredients, I did make a couple of changes so I would feel lees guilty about eating these yummy cookies.

        First, I used white whole wheat flour. Regular whole wheat flour results in textural differences, but white whole wheat in cookies is indistinguishable from all purpose flour.

        Second, I used a completely unprocessed sugar (Just Panela—basically sun dried sugar cane juice). It’s a little coarse, so I whirred it in the food processor until it was very fine and just slightly powdery. Then I weighed it to make sure I wasn’t adding too much.

        My substitutions worked perfectly. The cookies are tender and fine textured, not a bit coarse. Very delicious. I made them quite thick, a full half inch, and had to bake them longer because I had to guess how to set the oven to approximate 320 degrees. I took them out when they started to feel firm.

        They are just barely sweet, an excellent chocolate shortbread, and a keeper. A perfect tea cookie, but also delicious with red wine!

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          February 12, 2022 at 3:47 pm

          Hi Kay, thanks so much for the detailed response. I will have to look for white whole wheat flour. Have a great weekend.

          Reply
      3. Laura says

        February 4, 2022 at 11:45 pm

        Can this recipe be used with a cookie mold?

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          February 8, 2022 at 5:13 pm

          Hi Laura, I have never tried it with a cookie mold, I think it might work. Let me know if you try it.

          Reply
      4. Christine says

        January 18, 2022 at 2:40 am

        I cut the recipe in half because I only had 1/4 c of cocoa powder. I left the dough in the fridge too long and tried to let it come to room temp before trying to roll it out but it got really crumbly and just disintegrated into a powdered form. I had already put an extra TBSP of butter in the dough before refrigerating it…wondering if I add another TBSP of softened butter to the crumbled dough tomorrow if that will help? (as well as only leaving it in the fridge for an hour) I really want to save this dough….is this salvageable?!

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          January 18, 2022 at 10:16 pm

          Hi Christine, that sounds very strange that it would crumble like that, leaving it in the fridge should not do that, add extra butter and knead it again to form a dough, but just chill it when you have cut out the cookies not before. Let me know.

          Reply
      5. Laurie says

        January 10, 2022 at 2:36 pm

        Is there a flour brand you can recommend with 11% protein? I couldn’t find any. Or should I just add corn starch?

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          January 10, 2022 at 2:43 pm

          Hi Laurie, King Arthur, Gold medal and Pillsbury (Robinhood in Canada) have around 11%. Hope that helps.

          Reply
          • Laurie says

            January 11, 2022 at 2:32 pm

            I used Pillsbury but it’s not 11% protein.

          • Rosemary says

            January 11, 2022 at 2:46 pm

            Hi Laurie, how much was it? And how did they turn out? 🙂

      6. Megan says

        January 3, 2022 at 8:01 pm

        These have a great flavor, but mine turned out really dry. I am sure it was my fault, not the recipe. Perhaps I need to decrease the bake time even though they don’t seem over? Maybe they needed more butter? I am going to try again. Thank you for the recipe!

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          January 3, 2022 at 8:14 pm

          Hi Megan, it probably is that they are over baked. Decrease the time a bit. Let me know. Happy New Year.

          Reply
        • Kay says

          February 10, 2022 at 3:27 am

          Shortbread cookies are much dryer than other sorts of cookies. It’s their nature to be that way, and probably why they’re so good with tea. Their texture when properly baked is best described as sandy. If you overbaked your cookies, they would be hard.

          Reply
      7. SY says

        December 17, 2021 at 4:17 pm

        Hi, with so many good reviews, I’m really tempted to try your recipe. Just wondering if they will keep the shape after baking? Would it be good to use some cornstarch, which I have seen in some other recipes? Thanks 🙂

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          December 17, 2021 at 6:47 pm

          Hi Sy they do keep the shape perfectly. Just make sure to use an all purpose flour with 11% or more of protein. And there is no need to add cornstarch. 🙂

          Reply
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      Hi, I'm Rosemary.

      Living in Italy I learned to cook authentic Italian dishes using whole ingredients, fresh veggies and delicious spices. So take a seat and have a taste! Read More

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