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Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

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Chocolate Shortbread Cookies don’t last long on a cookie tray. With chocolate stripes and sprinkles, this shortbread is alluring! The ultra chocolaty flavor makes these melt in your mouth cookies an instant favorite. They are a great cookie to make ahead, give as gifts, or mail in a care package! Updated from the original December 2014 version. Last updated November 2018.

Two Chocolate Shortbread Cookies on a saucer next to a cup of coffee.

This post originally appeared on The Monday Box for the 2014 Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap and has been one of my favorite cookies for holiday cookie swaps ever since! I was one of 600 bloggers who contributed 600 cookie recipes, just in time for holiday baking! Each blogger participating in the swap sent out three dozen cookies, a box of twelve cookies each to three assigned food bloggers.

In return, each blogger received three dozen cookies (a box of twelve cookies from three different food bloggers). That made 21,600 cookies exchanged between bloggers! Best of all, thousands of dollars, from entry fees and sponsor donations, were raised for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer!

I was delighted with the three packages of cookie deliciousness that arrived at my door. I hope my recipients enjoyed The Monday Box contribution to the swap; rich, chocolaty  Chocolate Shortbread Cookies.

Three types of cookies received in the cookie exchange

These are the Christmas cookies I received in the mail!

I received cookies from three talented baker-bloggers. Allison from Celebrating Sweets sent a box full of chewy Ginger Molasses Cookie Bars, drizzled in icing. Julia from Sprinkled with Jules sent irresistible Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies perfectly sized for their shipping tube. Renata from First Time Foods boxed up Toffee Pecan Shortbread dipped in chocolate. All three cookies are as delicious as they look! Click through to check out the recipes for these delights. Thanks, Allison, Julia, and Renata!

Chocolate Shortbread Cookies stack

Chocolate Shortbread Cookies dressed up for holiday gifts and care packages!

I chose to send Chocolate Shortbread Cookies in my swap packages. Shortbread flavor has the magical characteristic of improving over time, making it a great shipping cookie. This version uses confectioners’ sugar for melt-in-your-mouth texture. The rich chocolate flavor comes from both cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Three Chocolate Shortbread Cookies on a white plate

Chocolate cookies are always the first to disappear from cookie trays!

HOW TO FORM SHORTBREAD COOKIES

This is a wonderful dough to work with and can be shaped in a variety of ways.

  • The easiest way would be to form the dough into logs, chill until firm, then slice into ¼”– ½” discs and bake.
  • Another way would be to roll out the dough, then after chilling, use a knife to slice into bars, then bake.
  • For my Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, I envisioned a scalloped edge, so I rolled out the dough and used a cookie cutter. Though I chose the most time intensive method (typical behavior), it was still a quick and easy process.
First photo showing Chocolate Shortbread Cookies edge dipped in white chocolate. Second photo showing cookie edge then dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with Christmas nonpareils

Dip first in white chocolate, then in dark chocolate for eye catching chocolate cookies!

HOW TO MAKE SHORTBREAD COOKIES DIPPED IN CHOCOLATE 

Both white and dark chocolate (Chocoley.com Dipping and Coating formula) were used for dipping. To create the stripes of chocolate and sprinkles, I dipped each cookie twice.

  • First, I dipped each cookie half way in one flavor of chocolate.
  • The chocolate was allowed to set in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes.
  • Then just the edge of the cookie was dipped in the second flavor of chocolate and sprinkles were added immediately. The double dipping produced dressed up cookies with doubly chocolate goodness.
Close-up of three Chocolate Shortbread Cookies in a row on a platter

This shortbread cookies recipe is sure to become a holiday favorite!

The hundreds of Great Food Blog Cookie Swap 2014 recipes are still available in two round up posts which include  thumbnail photos from all 600 recipes at Love and Olive Oil and at The Little Kitchen. Enjoy!

MORE SHORTBREAD RECIPES

Buttery Scottish Shortbread

Espresso Chocolate Shortbread

Easter Bunny Shortbread

Slice and Bake Shortbread

Spiced Chocolate Shortbread

 

Two Chocolate Shortbread Cookies on a plate

Your search for the best shortbread cookies recipe is over! Give these a try!

Wishing you all joyful, peace filled holidays, with lots of cookies!

CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD COOKIES RECIPE

You will want to have plenty of these cookies for all of your holiday snacking and gifting needs! The shortbread stays delicious for up to two weeks, or you can freeze the cookies before baking and bake them as needed.

Two Chocolate Shortbread Cookies on a saucer next to a cup of coffee.
Print

Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Adapted from Maida Heatter
Makes 24 - 2” cookies
Author Wendy Sondov themondaybox.com

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cocoa
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • For decorating:
  • ¾ pound white chocolate I use Chocoley.com Dipping and Coating
  • ¾ pound dark chocolate I use Chocoley.com Dipping and Coating
  • Sprinkles

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, chocolate chips, and salt.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light. Add vanilla and mix to combine.
  3. Gradually add flour mixture and mix just until all of the flour is incorporated and the dough forms.
  4. Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  5. When ready to bake: Preheat oven to 325˚F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  6. Between two sheets of parchment paper, roll out dough to ¼”- ½” thickness. Slice into shapes or use a cookie cutter.
  7. Place on prepared baking sheet about 1” apart and bake for 10-12 minutes. (Cookies firm as they cool).
  8. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Dipping and decorating:Use wax paper to line two cookie sheets or other flat baking pans that will fit into your refrigerator.
  10. Place one of the melting chocolates in a bowls large enough that the chocolate fills it up to about 1 inch below the rim. Melt the chocolate wafers in the microwave at 50% power for one minute. Stir. If not completely melted, return to the microwave and heat for 15 second intervals, stirring between intervals, until melted.
  11. Dip the cookies into the chocolate, gently tap the wrist of the hand holding the dipped cookie to allow excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl, then set the dipped cookie onto the prepare cookie sheet. After completing 6 cookies, place the tray into the refrigerator to set for about 5 minutes.
  12. When all of the cookies have been dipped and set, melt the second flavor of chocolate in a separate bowl.
  13. Dip the edge of a cookie into the melted chocolate just long enough to coat. Tap off excess and place on lined baking sheet. Add sprinkles immediately, before chocolate can begin to set. After 6 cookies have been dipped and sprinkled, place in the refrigerator again to set the chocolate for 5 minutes.
  14. Store layers of cookies between wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Packing Tips

Double wrap small piles of cookies in plastic wrap, then place snugly in an airtight container or zip lock bag for mailing.

(The Monday Box participates in affiliate marketing programs. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase a product after following a link on this page, I will receive a small commission, at no cost to you, which helps make The Monday Box possible.)

BAKING TOOLS I USE AND RECOMMEND

Nonpareil sprinkles in Christmas colors add eye appeal and holiday flare to all of your baking! If you plan to do a quantity of baking this season, I recommend buying this 15 ounce bag of nonpareils. The price is much better than buying multiple small jars.

SweetGourmet Jingle Mix – Christmas Sprinkles & Nonpareils (15oz)

I was not compensated for this post, however I did receive free product from Chocoley.com for use in this recipe. All opinions are 100% my own. I only use and recommend products I believe in.

 

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Comments

  1. Wendy, these are so pretty! I love how simply you styled and photographed them. I participated in the Great Blogger Cookie Challenge 2 years ago. It was so exciting to get cookies in the mail! I just didn’t have time this year, but hope to get back to it again next year.

    Reply

    • Thanks, Cindy! Among other blog related goals, improving quality of photography is at the top of my list. I finally purchased a new camara. Now comes the steep learning curve of figuring out how to use it! 🙂 I am trying for simple styling that focuses on the cookies. A work in progress. Getting surprise packages in the mail is what makes the Cookie Swap fun for me, too! Wishing you and your family a peace filled Chanukah and a healthy, happy New Year!

      Reply

  2. These are such beautiful cookies Wendy! Such lovely festive stripes. I wish I had thought of these earlier in the month as I’m sure I would’ve brought a load to many morning teas… but it’s never too late, right? Love the idea of the Cookie Swap too. Tis the month for sharing! Hope that you have a wonderful Christmas x

    Reply

    • Thank you, Laura! One can never have enough cookies. 🙂 (unless one is trying to fit into one’s skinny jeans….but lets not think about that!) However, sharing is the perfect solution! Eat one or two and share the rest. 🙂 Happy baking and joyous holidays!

      Reply

    • Thanks. Allison! I certainly enjoyed your Ginger Molasses Cookie Bars! I love gingerbread and can never have enough gingerbread recipes! The brown sugar icing was perfect on them. 🙂

      Reply

  4. Shortbread is such a delicious classic and it’s so nice that it keeps well and ships well! I don’t know what it is but I have a thing for nonpareil sprinkles – you did a beautiful job dipping and decorating your cookies, Wendy. What a lovely swap!

    Reply

    • I totally agree about nonpareil sprinkles! I love them in all their amazing color combinations. Things decorated with nonpareils look tastier to me….certainly blingier (new invented word). 🙂 I only fell in love with shortbread in the last year or so. Now I am making up for lost time and cookie opportunities! The swap always is fun.

      Reply

  5. These cookies look lovely, Wendy! I wish I had been lucky enough to receive them in the mail. Guess I’ll just have to try them out myself! 🙂 The shortbread recipe is a bit different than the one I used, so I’ll compare the 2 outcomes and see which one I like better. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

    • Thanks, Renata! We both made chocolate dipped shortbread for the cookie swap. 🙂 I WAS lucky enough to receive yours! This was the first shortbread I ever made using confectioners’ sugar. The texture is more melt-in-your mouth rather than crunchy. Its fun to have a variety. 🙂

      Reply

    • Thanks, Dedra! Should you want to tackle them, they are an easy cookie to make. 🙂 Or better yet, give the easy recipe to someone else and have them bake the shortbread for you! 🙂

      Reply

  12. I love Chocolate shortbread but can never get it right! These look perfect! The sprinkles make them even better! 🙂

    Reply

    • I don’t think so, Bryn. I think you need a softer more fluid dough to be able to push it out of the press. Most Spritz cookie recipes seem to include eggs. Plus, the chocolate chips in this recipe would get caught in the holes of the discs. I have a Chocolate Espresso Spritz Cookies recipe that is perfect for a cookie press! Take a look here. Happy baking!

      Reply

  18. These are such pretty shortbread cookies!! I love the way you dipped them! I’ve actually never tried making chocolate shortbread at home – I need to get on it! Sounds wonderful!

    Reply

    • Thanks, Ashley! This chocolate shortbread is especially good. I tried 4 versions and liked this one best. The confectioners sugar makes the difference. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

      Reply

  20. These are soooooo cute and pretty!!
    I’d love to receive these cookies 🙂 Although they’d be dangerous – as I wouldn’t be able to stop eating them.

    Reply

    • Thanks, Winnie! The chocolate cookie + chocolate chips + double chocolate coating makes these cuties dangerous to any chocolate lover! 🙂 You are so right. I couldn’t stop eating them!

      Reply

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