Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
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Shortbread cookies are made with plenty of butter and only a few other ingredients. They’re cooked at a low heat until they become crumbly. This Scottish dessert, also known as “shortie”, is incredibly easy to make. I cut mine into rectangles and dip them in melted chocolate and garnish with a bit of sea salt for a salty/ sweet combination, perfect for holiday gifting.
Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Butter – I always use high quality unsalted butter, that way the level of salt added can be adjusted according to personal preference. Look for European butter because it has a slightly higher fat content which makes for even more crumbly and delicious cookies.
- Flour – The crucial part of shortbread cookies is using the appropriate ratio of fat (butter) to flour.
- Sea salt – While I use kosher salt in the cookies, they are finished with a bit of sea salt for garnish. Coarse sea salt has a crunchy pyramid shape making it a wonderful finishing salt. I particularly like Maldon or Jacobson brand salts.
How to Make Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
- Mix the dough. Heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, flour, sugar, vanilla and kosher salt until the crumbs form and the mixture just comes together, about 1 minute. The dough will be very crumbly.
- Shape the dough and chill. Turn out onto a workspace lined with a piece of plastic wrap. Gather dough into a 3½” x 1⅕” rectangle and wrap, pressing to hold together. Cover in the plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
- Cut into slices. Cut the shortbread into ½” slices and arrange on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 1” apart.
- Bake shortbread. Use a fork and poke holes in the shortbread in an even pattern. Bake the shortbread until lightly golden brown on top, about 20 minutes. Let cool.
- Melt chocolate. Melt chocolate using the double boiler method. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Set a heatproof bowl over the top and add the chocolate. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula until the chocolate melts.
- Dip cookies. Dip half the shortbread into the chocolate and set on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt and allow to dry completely, about 1 hour.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Variations on This Recipe
As long as the ratio of butter and flour remains equal you can add other flavors to the shortbread.
- Swap the vanilla extract for another extract of choice. Try using almond extract.
- Add 1 teaspoon of grated lemon or orange zest to the dough for a citrusy variation.
- Add 1 teaspoon chopped fresh herbs like thyme or lavender to the dough.
- Swap the semi-sweet chocolate with dark chocolate or white chocolate (or a combination).
- Rather than dipping the shortbread cookies in the chocolate, drizzle it over the top.
- Top the chocolate with chopped nuts like pistachio, walnut or almonds.
What’s the Difference Between Sugar Cookies and Shortbread?
Sugar cookies are lighter and are made with eggs and a leavening agent like baking powder while shortbread cookies are denser and are only made with butter and sugar. The dough of sugar cookies is more thoroughly combined while shortbread is quickly mixed. It’s important not to over-mix the shortbread dough or the butter will begin to melt and the dough will become greasy and gummy.
Why Melt Chocolate Using the Double Boiler Method?
While you can melt chocolate in 30 second intervals in the microwave, I prefer using the double boiler method because it allows for more control when melting the chocolate. Water is brought to a simmer in a saucepan and a heatproof bowl is set over the top with the chocolate. The steam from the water slowly melts the chocolate.
Why Refrigerate the Dough?
Because the butter softens as it blends into the dough it’s important to refrigerate the dough so the butter has time to firm up again. This keeps the cookies from spreading when you bake them and gives them that crumbly texture.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this chocolate dipped shortbread recipe, I recommend checking out these:
Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon flakey sea salt
Instructions:
- Heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, flour, sugar, vanilla and kosher salt until the crumbs form and the mixture just comes together, about 1 minute. The dough will be very crumbly.
- Turn out onto a workspace lined with a piece of plastic wrap. Gather dough into a 3½” x 1⅕” rectangle and wrap, pressing to hold together. Cover in the plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
- Cut the shortbread into ½” slices and arrange on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 1” apart.
- Use a fork and poke holes in the shortbread in an even pattern. Bake the shortbread until lightly golden brown on top, about 20 minutes. Let cool.
- Melt chocolate using the double boiler method. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Set a heatproof bowl over the top and add the chocolate. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula until the chocolate melts.
- Dip half the shortbread into the chocolate and set on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt and allow to dry completely, about.1 hour.
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