Double Dark Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies ~ they melt in your mouth with an explosion of deep rich chocolate that’ll make your eyelids flutter… to call it a cookie is to completely miss the point.
these ultra dark chocolate chip shortbread cookies are not your everyday cookies
There really is nothing else like these cookies ~ if you have not yet made this recipe then I can safely say you haven’t tasted anything like this before…it combines the buttery mouthfeel of shortbread with deep rich chocolate flavor…I used extra dark cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips, so this is about the richest chocolate you can bite into short of a truffle. Seriously.
the flavor of these super dark shortbread cookies is bittersweet
It’s a very different, more intense, more sophisticated chocolate experience, and if you’re not expecting it you might be thrown for a loop. The mouthfeel of the shortbread is different, too, it’s crumbly but not at all dry, and sticks to the roof of your mouth. Are you up for this? –– then proceed, if not, turn back now!
Dutch processed cocoa powder
Yes, the inside of that cookie is so dark it’s basically black. In fact the cookie is so dark that it makes my bittersweet chocolate chips look like milk chocolate in comparison. That’s because I used Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder. It’s a specially formulated Dutch processed cocoa which, among other things, has a richer color and smoother flavor compared to regular cocoa powder. It’s what gives Oreo cookies their deep color.
Because of all that Dutch process cocoa, I warn you making these cookies is messy ~ messy like making mud pies messy…
The double dark chocolate chip shortbread dough stains your hands and the cocoa powder flies everywhere. But it’s a small price to pay for transcendent chocolate cookies.
this dough can be rolled out or sliced and baked
You can form this dough into a log and slice and bake it, or roll it out and cut out your cookies, both ways work, but either way it needs to be chilled for several hours before slicing and baking since it’s a butter rich dough.
for dark chocolate lovers only…
The deep dark rich flavor of chocolate is a joy ~ be sure you experience some of my other ultra chocolatey recipes:
- Double Chocolate Muffins
- Dark Chocolate Truffle Tart
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Dark Chocolate Mendiants
- The Ultimate Drinking Chocolate
variation suggestions
- You might add walnuts or pecans.
- Use regular cocoa powder for a less intense cookie.
- Any type of chocolate chip will work, including white!
Double Dark Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (this is important)
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder, sifted (I use Hershey's Special Dark)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Cream the butter, cocoa powder and sugar together until completely combined and smooth. Add in the vanilla. if using a stand mixer, be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl often.
- Mix in the flour, making sure to get it thoroughly blended.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and turn the dough out onto a board dusted with cocoa powder. The dough will be sticky.
- For roll and cut cookiesform into an 8 inch disk (like you would do for pie dough.) Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until firm enough to roll out. You can also freeze the dough for later use.
- Preheat oven to 325F
- Roll the disk out to 1/3 inch thickness and cut cookies with a 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter. Use cocoa powder liberally to prevent sticking to the surface and to your rolling pin. Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. The cookies will still be soft, but will firm up as they cool. Cool them on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a cooling rack.
- For slice and bake cookiesform a 10" log. Wrap in plastic wrap, smoothing the dough as you wrap it, and twist the ends to secure. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours until firm enough to slice. You can also freeze the dough for later use.
- Slice the log into 1/3″ slices with a sharp knife. If some of the chips fall out of place, or the dough crumbles as you slice, reform it with your hands. Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. The cookies will still be soft, but will firm up as they cool. Cool them on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a cooling rack.
- Note: Because of the chocolate chips these cookies will not be perfectly uniform or smooth.
Nutrition
198 Comments
Katlyn
November 28, 2019 at 11:20 amThese have become one of my go-to cookies for decorating for the holidays. Investors never had an issue with them being overly crumbly. I would say I probably only end up with a 2% breakage rate when transferring them off the cookie sheet onto a cooling rack. My absolute favorite icing for this is an orange cream cheese – add some orange zest to cream cheese frosting and pipe away! I made an espresso cream cheese frosting that was really good too, but my personal preference is the orange. I have great success using cookie cutters to make cut out cookies. These keep really well, and freeze nicely, too.
Suzan
November 24, 2019 at 7:59 pmThese were exactly the cookies I hoped they would be. I used regular sugar because I don’t like and didn’t have confectioner’s sugar. Like another reviewer, I was concerned by the absence of salt in the recipe and so finished some of them with Maldon salt. They were marvelous either way! Thanks for a terrific recipe!
Kathy
June 17, 2019 at 3:09 pmThese look soooooo good, I am an unabashed dark chocoholic. Would I be able to freeze the log and use them as slice and bake for when I get a mad craving. Then I can bake a couple and not pig out. 🙂
Sue
June 17, 2019 at 4:51 pmThat’s such a smart idea, I have no willpower whatsoever around chocolate.
Cindy L
June 5, 2019 at 11:11 amJist made these today cutting the recipie in half because it was a test batch. They came out beautifully.
What is the best way to package these for gifting? I bought celophane sleeves with a cardboard disc for the bottom. I am worries that stacking may cause breakage. Any suggestions?
Sue
June 5, 2019 at 12:01 pmI think you could stack them if you aren’t planning to mail them or anything. When I package my shortbread during the holidays I often make vertical stacks of about 8 in a cellophane bag, and then I put that bag in a paper bag to protect it. As long as there isn’t a lot of movement the stacks should do fine.
Kat
March 29, 2019 at 4:55 pmHello, I wanted to make a copycat Toll House Double Chocolate Chip Cookies (the kind that look like yours) Because they are my FAVORITE cookies,But now they are getting harder to find in stores,
So i wanted to make the cookies LOOK dark,But not TASTE dark.How do you achieve that color by just using Chocolate? -Thanks
Sue
March 29, 2019 at 6:17 pmAs far as I know there is no substitute for the dark cocoa powder when you’re trying to get that intense dark chocolate color, Kat.
Ben
December 19, 2018 at 4:40 pmI tried making these today and I’m not sure what went wrong. They are delicious and melt in the mouth, but they fall apart when I try and pick them up.
Sue
December 19, 2018 at 5:06 pmA couple of things come to mind…did you let them cool completely first? They should be nice and sturdy after they’ve cooled. Shortbread is supposed to fall apart and melt in your mouth, but not beforehand!
Courtney
December 8, 2018 at 5:25 amThese look delicious! They look like they held their shape well and was wondering if they might be good for cutout cookies? Do you think they would hold their shape if using a cookie cutter?
Sue
December 8, 2018 at 7:54 amThey would hold their shape but I would use a plain round cutter, intricate shapes won’t work. And the chocolate chips can be an issue, getting in the way of the edge of the cutter, you might consider using small chips.
Jessica
October 14, 2018 at 12:18 amI made these tonight and they came out perfectly! Exactly the richness I was looking for and much less buttery tasting in comparison to plain shortbreads (#Chocoholic!). I added chocolate chunks for added texture and next time will try adding macadamia nuts. These have become a new Fall/Winter baking season must have! Appreciate the recipe!!!!
Sue
October 14, 2018 at 9:32 amThanks Jessica ~ I think these cookies are too intense for some, but for us true chocoholics they’re nirvana!
Shirley Sanderson
March 11, 2018 at 8:38 pmThis recipe makes a tasty cookie, but they are super crumbly. I’ve never made cookies before that turned out this crumbly. I think the recipe needs some tweaks to fix this problem.
Sue
October 14, 2018 at 9:33 amIt’s possible that the dough didn’t get completely combined, meaning the butter and flour need to be really blended together.. Also some butters have less moisture than others, so a tiny splash of milk can help the dough come together. Hope this helps Shirley.
Jynja
February 18, 2018 at 1:47 pmI made these last night. While they were in the oven I read the comments. The issue with them being crumbly is that these need to go from ove to cool down to refrigerator and then freezer as quickly as possible with the least amount of handling. They are a butter cookie, and as such, need to be served cold. Especially this recipe. They handle really well after cold, where as they just desintigrate if handled warm.
Overall, this is a grand cookie. I can’t eat just one. I was looking for a cookie that would pair well with several varieties of wine. Your cookie is a winner! Thank you!
Sue
February 18, 2018 at 1:48 pmThanks for the detailed feedback Jynja, it’s helpful 🙂
Sue
February 18, 2018 at 1:49 pmAnd I’d never thought about pairing them with wine, interesting!