Chocolate Walnut Shortbread Cookies ~ if a cookie and a brownie had a baby they might come up with a delicious buttery cookie like this!
Chocolate walnut shortbread cookies are a sophisticated treat
Chocolate and walnuts were made for each other. These slice and bake cookies are like little brownie bites, only not quite as sweet, and the slightly bitter walnut flavor holds its own against the chocolate. There is a nice background of vanilla, too. They have that famous shortbread texture, which melts in your mouth, and they’re ridiculously easy to make.
Slice and bake cookies are one of the best concepts ever, one of my favorite ways to use this dough is to slice off a few at a time to bake up when the urge for fresh cookies warm from the oven strikes.
what you’ll need to make chocolate walnut shortbread cookies
- butter
- sugar
- flour
- cocoa powder
- walnuts
- vanilla extract
- salt
Be sure your butter is at room temperature and you get the dough thoroughly combined, with no dry flour or dry crumbles, before rolling it into a log. After you chill the dough it slices up neatly. Use a sharp knife and you’ll reveal a kaleidoscope of chocolate walnut gorgeousness.
TIP: You can freeze this dough, just be sure to wrap it well and use it within a month or two.
more cookies!
- Buckwheat Cardamom Chocolate Chip Cookies
- DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe ~ the secret’s out!
- Double Dark Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
- Homemade Thin Mints
Chocolate Walnut Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, regular or extra dark
- 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup toasted walnuts, rough chopped Note: if you want to see the pretty walnut shapes in the sliced cookies don't chop your walnuts too finely.
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer until combined.
- Add the butter and vanilla and mix on low until the dough comes together.
- Fold in the walnuts and turn the dough onto a surface. Form the soft dough into a rough log, about 10 inches long.
- Roll up in plastic wrap, smoothing the log through the plastic with your hands. Twist the ends secureley. I like to roll the log in a thick towel to help it keep its round shape as it chills.
- Refrigerate for 2-3 hours (or overnight.) Freeze for 1 hour or until quite firm, if you're in a hurry.
- Preheat oven to 325F
- Unwrap the cold dough and slice into slices, about 1/3 inch thick.
- Place on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes. Just until set.
- Cool for a few minutes on the tray, then transfer to a cooling rack. They are delicate, especially when warm.
Video
Notes
- To toast walnuts place them on a baking sheet and toast in a 350F oven for 12-15 minutes.
- Pecans would also work well in this recipe.
cocoa to sugar ratio is inadequate. 1/4 c sugar to 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa is a little off. They looked beautiful but bitter
Not sure where I went wrong but, these cookies are like trying to scoop sand off the baking sheet. There’s no egg in the recipe to hold anything together. Am I missing something? I refrigerated the dough for 4 hours. They liked exactly like the picture when I slice them. Then I baked them and they flattened out and my walnuts popped out of the tops.
I’m not sure what went wrong Sharon but I’d suggest trying a different type of cookie sheet, and maybe adding a bit more flour. These are based on a shortbread cookie dough, which doesn’t contain egg. They’re meant to hold their shape when baked.
This recipe would be good but you forgot the salt
Did not enjoy these cookies. They were so dry that I baked 2 first- we did not like them. Added 1 egg and another 1/4 granulated sugar and they are much better.
I made these and was just looking for a basic cookie dough and saw this and was so excited to try them. I did them just as written and they are perfectly delicious!! I did freeze some but unfortunately ended up making them two days later because everyone ate them up. Perfect cookie
Sounds wonderful. I will be trying this using pecans and raw peanuts home roasted. I get my pecans and raw peanuts at We’re Nuts in middle Ga. They are south of me and fresh too. Love the peanuts I can roast fresh in about 15 cooking time from the freezer..
Thanks for your great post… I’d love to do a few different flavour logs ahead for overnight guests in a couple of weeks.. do you recommend freezing as a log or as sliced & uncooked. Look awesome to go with morning coffee ?
I usually freeze as a log, and then let defrost enough to be able to slice ~ hope everybody loves them!
You’re missing the salt in the recipe
Definitely add 1/4 tsp, or use salted butter if you like.
I was disappointed . We love shortbread cookies but these were real dry and just wanted to fall apart. I also would add more sugar. They were bitter tasting
You really have to make sure the butter and flour comes together in this dough, but shortbread dough definitely has a crumbly texture. It should melt in your mouth, though.
Hi, looks great!
How much gr. Is 1 stick b 1/2 cup unsalted butter..?
1 stick or 1/2 cup butter is equal to 4 ounces, or 113 grams Elinor.
Hi Sue I made these today and followed your instructions but they taste chalky. I froze them for an hour and they cut nicely.
Not sure about the chalky taste, Tina, but I do know that shortbread in general is very different from regular cookies, and maybe that’s what you’re experiencing? There is a little bit of a ‘flour’ taste to shortbread, and that could be interpreted as chalky. Hope you try my other cookies 🙂
I recently used what turned out to be stale confectioner’s sugar. Although it was in frosting, it definitely left a bad taste. I can see how that might affect other recipes.
Great recipe! My Mom made these cookies in the 1950’s and they were my favorites!
Thank you for sharing the recipe and bringing back wonderful memories!
You’re welcome Jean!