Maida Heatter’s Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are simple slice and bake shortbread cookies that pack a rich chocolatey punch!
Maida Heatter is the consummate expert on cookies
So these classic Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are a must try. I consider myself somewhat of a shortbread expert since I’ve made and tested so many different varieties. Maida’s cookies will have to be pretty darned good to hold up to my Double Dark Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, or my Deepest Chocolate Espresso Chip Cookies. We’ll see 😉
changes I made to this chocolate shortbread cookie recipe
I will say right up front that I fiddled with the recipe a little.
- First, I made them into a slice and bake log, like I do with all my shortbread, instead of rolling out and cutting the dough.
- Then, I added some chocolate chips to the dough just to up the chocolate quotient. The result is a simple cookie with a big chocolate punch.
There’s nothing worse than a half-hearted chocolate cookie. These are the real deal; the 1/2 cup of cocoa powder and the broken up chips give this cookie a rich chocolate flavor that shortbread doesn’t normally have. They go equally well with a cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk.
ingredients you’ll need:
- flour, all purpose
- cocoa powder, unsweetened
- butter, unsalted
- chocolate chips, use your favorite
- confectioner’s sugar
- vanilla extract, brings out the chocolate flavor
- salt, enhances the chocolate flavor as well.
The dough gets formed into a log, then refrigerated until firm enough to slice. You can even freeze the log for later, if you like.
Maida Heatter’s Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted then measured by scoop and level process
- 1/2 cup very best quality unsweetened cocoa powder you can find
- 1 cup confectioners', powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks, 1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Cream the butter, and then add the vanilla, salt and sugar. The Cuisinart isn't really the best choice for creaming butter, I know, but a lazy cook without a Kitchen Aid mixer will find a way. It does a fine job, with a little bit of scraping.
- Add in the flour, cocoa and chocolate chips and process just till the dough comes together. The chips will get slightly chopped up, which is good.
- Form the dough into a 10 or 11 inch log and wrap in waxed paper. Roll the log to smooth and shape it, and twist the ends firmly.
- Refrigerate the log for at least an hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325F.
- When you're ready to bake, slice the dough into 3/8 inch slices. Arrange on a silicone mat or parchment paper and bake for about 18-20 minutes.
Notes
- Be careful not to over bake these...because they're chocolate you can't rely on color to tell you when they're done. Check in on them at 18 minutes, earlier if you sliced them on the thin side. Like Brownies, shortbread is better underdone than overdone, and a couple of minutes can mean the difference between melting in your mouth, and crispy.
Can an embossed rolling pin & cookie cutters be used instead of the slice & bake method?
I haven’t tried that with these cookies, sorry Karen. Shortbread in general does well with that kind of thing, though.
If you like coffee… I made these and added a handful of chocolate covered espresso beans, pulverized in the food processor. Swoon!
This is a fabulous recipe. They are for my grandkids as Halloween treats, but my husband and I had to accidentally break some and eat them ourselves! I They took a lot longer to bake — more like 22 minutes. Be patient, keep checking them, and don’t rush them out of the oven.
Thanks Rhona ~ Happy Halloween!
I made these after Christmas. And then made another batch…and another….finally I made a batch in secret and took them to my room so only I could eat them! This is called addiction. How could you do this to me?!
Oh Christina, you’ve got a whole lot of shortbread cookie exploration to do on the blog…this is only the beginning!
That was a Great Idea to use the food processor! Also I used mini chocolate chips and just pulsed them in at the end!
If I wanted the cookies to be rectangular, would I have to adjust the baking time?
It kind of depends on how big they are, Kaela…I always suggest baking one up as an experiment to test the timing. Also, shortbread can vary from softer to crisper, depending on the baking time, so you have some leeway.
These turned out beautifully – would love them with some mint tea.
I’ve made these, and they are delicious!