Chocolate Covered Shortbread Cookies
An easy brown sugar shortbread cookie dipped in chocolate makes a simple but elegant cookie, perfect for Christmas or any time.
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Electric Mixer
- Microwave safe bowl
- 2 Rimmed baking sheets
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter (at room temperature)
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 to 2¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
- sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the baking sheets. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Position oven racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle sections. Then, line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make the dough. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the room-temperature butter and packed brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). Then, slowly add 2 cups of flour, mixing at low speed until combined. The dough will look crumbly—avoid adding any liquid at this stage. Next, transfer the dough onto a floured surface. Knead in the remaining ¼ cup of flour by hand until the dough holds together.
- Roll out and cut. Roll the dough to a ½-inch thickness on the floured surface. If the dough sticks, lightly dust the rolling pin with flour. Then, cut the dough into roughly 3 inches-long and 1-inch-wide rectangles. Place the cut pieces onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1 inch of space between each cookie.
- Bake and cool. Bake for 20 minutes until the cookies are set, and the edges are lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before moving to the chocolate-dipping step.
- Dip and decorate. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and shortening. Then, stirring halfway through, melt in the microwave on LOW power for about 45 seconds. If needed, microwave in 10-second intervals until fully melted and smooth. Dip one end of each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate. Place the dipped cookies on wax or parchment paper to set. While the chocolate is still melted, add sprinkles to the dipped ends if desired. If the chocolate hardens before you finish, reheat it briefly in the microwave.
Notes
Make sure your butter is at room temperature—not too soft or melted, but soft enough that you can press a dent with your finger. This helps create a smooth dough that comes together easily without needing extra liquid.
Since the chocolate coating adds flavor, pick a good quality chocolate that melts well. Chocolate chips are great, but a nice chocolate bar (chopped) will melt even smoother and give a nicer finish.
Shortbread dough is delicate; if you work it too much, the cookies can turn out tough instead of tender. Once the dough comes together, avoid kneading it too much—handle it gently enough to roll it out.
Before baking, gently smooth the dough if you see any air bubbles or cracks. This will help you get that nice, smooth, bakery-style shortbread surface.
Shortbread is also versatile, so feel free to add some flavor to the dough! A teaspoon of vanilla, almond extract, or some orange zest can add a nice touch that goes well with the chocolate.
For a neater finish, use a fork or toothpick to dip the cookies in the chocolate, allowing any extra chocolate to drip off before setting them down. This keeps the chocolate coating nice and even without pooling at the bottom.
If you want to get creative, use a pastry brush to add chocolate “drizzles” or paint patterns on the cookies. It’s a fun way to make each cookie unique!
And if you have a stand mixer, you can easily double or triple the dough recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 133kcal