chocolate shortbread cookies

I love sweets . . . and I bake, a lot.
And although I love sweets, it's the not-so-sweet treats that I love the most.

 

Scones, DARK chocolate (72%+) anything, shortbread, and simple sugar cookies make up a few of my TOP 5 favorite sweet treat.

So when I came across this recipe for chocolate shortbread in FOOD & WINE magazine a few years ago, I had to give it try.

And I'm so glad that I did because the recipe yields an amazing CHOCOLATE shortbread cookie. It's been my 'go to' recipe since discovering it.

They're rich with chocolate (scent & taste) . . . and have a SLIGHTLY tender - yet firm - buttery, shortbread texture.

I found this festive shredded paper and darling ARROW stamped linen bags at our local craft store, and thought that they would make the sweetest packaging for petite chocolate shortbread hearts.

They're also quite yummy on top of RASPBERRY SORBET . . . .

 . . . . and even crazy delicous made into chocolate & strawberry ice cream sandwiches! 

 

As with any shortbread recipe, HIGH QUALITY ingredients are a must.

So splurge a little on buying GOOD butter and even better cocoa powder. These ingredients make up the FLAVORS in the shortbread, so you want GOOD-tasting ingredients.

Happy baking, friends!
 

chocolate shortbread

.     .     .     .     .      .

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

3/4 teaspoon salt

.     .     .     .     .      .

Preparation

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter until creamy.

Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the vanilla, then beat in the cocoa on low speed. Beat in the flour and salt; the dough will be soft.

Divide the dough in half and place each half between 2 large sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick and transfer to 2 baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, at least 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Working with one piece of dough at a time, remove the top sheet of parchment and invert the dough onto a lightly floured work surface; remove the second sheet of parchment. Using a floured cookie cutter, stamp out cookies as close together as possible.

Transfer the cookies to parchment paper–lined baking sheets and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until firm.

Let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then, using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely. Reroll the scraps, and stamp out more cookies, chilling the scraps between batches.

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