The Best Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies- easy to make and you only need a few ingredients. Buttery and delicious these will be your new favorite cookie!
Shortbread cookies are such a classic cookie.
They originated from Scotland and were originally a hardened biscuit like bread. They have since transformed into the buttery classic cookie that we enjoy today.
Many people will recall Walkers Shortbread cookies which are probably the most thought of shortbread cookie. These little rectangular cookies with little dots on them are a favorite around the holidays and are so simple you really only need three ingredients.
- Butter
- Flour
- Powdered Sugar
I like to add a little vanilla to mine but really this is a 3- ingredient cookie. Simple and sweet- and very buttery!
Homemade shortbread cookies are much softer than store bought shortbread cookies.
For more tasty cookie recipes check out:
- Easy Chocolate Cookies
- S'mores Cookies
- Easy Lemon Cake Cookies
- Lucky Charms Cookies
- Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
How to make Shortbread Cookies:
To make shortbread cookies as tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious as they should be you need to do only a few things.
- Cream your butter then slowly add in your powdered sugar, flour, and vanilla.
- The dough will be crumbly so gently press it into a ball, working it until it just becomes smooth. If you knead the dough too much you will encourage gluten development and the chewiness that comes with it. (If you want soft and chewy cookies try these).
- Press dough into a pan and flatten the surface
- Partially bake, then remove from oven, cut the cookies into bars, or squares and then place back in the oven, cook for a little longer then allow to come to room temperature with the oven off.
- Once cooled dip in melted chocolate candy melts and place on parchment paper to allow to set up.
This recipe is so easy and is simply delicious. You can dip them in chocolate, leave plain, or decorate with sprinkles!
My best tips:
- The cookie dough can be made ahead of time if need be. You can make this several days ahead of time, wrap in plastic wrap and then when ready to bake remove from the refrigerator an hour before baking.
- You can freeze this cookie dough as well! Simply make the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer safe ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months! When ready to bake allow dough to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then remove from the refrigerator an hour before baking.
- Want to use unsalted butter? No problem. Just add a pinch of salt with the flour.
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Why cut the cookies part way through baking?
Cutting the cookies part way through baking helps create the crips sides of the cookie. If you cut them after baking and after cooling the cookies would have a crisp edge.
Why are my edges so brown? How to avoid?
You can see in my pictures about the edges turn out slightly more brown that the rest of the pan of cookies. This happened because the dough was thinner there than the center of the pan.
To avoid this simply make sure your dough is in an even layer before baking. However, if they do brown, they will still be tasty!
Can you make shapes out of this shortbread cookie dough?
Yes! If you want to cut shapes out of this this dough, flatten the dough to a ½ in thickness.
I like to then transfer to a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and then refrigerate for an hour. After an hour use a cookie cutter and cut out the shapes you want then bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 8-10 minutes- until the bottoms are just barely starting to turn golden.
Then transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool.
Can you use a food processor to make these?
Yes! Similar to my favorite sugar cookie recipe, you can add cold butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla to a food processor and process until a dough forms. Then press into the pan and bake.
I used leftover shortbread cookies to make these tasty Strawberry Shortcake Marshmallow Wands. Marshmallows dipped in caramel, covered in shortbread and freeze-dried strawberries- one word- YUM.
These buttery shortbread cookies are simple and delicious! You should make them today!
Make sure to check out these other reader favorites:
- Easy Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
- Chocolate Truffles
- Truffle Cake
- German Chocolate Cake
- S'mores Brownies
Video
The Best Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 12 tbs salted butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Cup Chocolate Candy melts for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and spray a 9x13 dish with nonstick cooking spray then place parchment paper in the dish so the edges overhand the dish (this will make removing the cookies after baking really easy).
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until nice and smooth. (12 tbs salted butter)
- Once butter is creamed add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until combined. Scraping down the sides when needed. (½ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla).
- On a low-speed mix in the flour until combined. (1 ½ cups flour)
- Gather the dough together with your hands to form a smooth ball- try not to knead too much. Then press into prepared dish and flatten the top with a rolling pin or cup or jar.
- Bake for 20 minutes. The edges with be just starting to turn golden. Remove from oven and carefully but quickly slice into bars and prick with a fork (to make it look like Walkers cookies if you want).
- Return to oven and continue baking for 6-8 minutes. The top of the shortbread will be lightly golden. Then turn the oven off and leave the door cracked open and allow the shortbread to come to room temperature.
- Once bars are cooled completely, melt your candy melts in the microwave. Make sure to use 50% power and check candy melts every 30 seconds, stir and continue heating until melted and smooth. Then dip the cookies into the chocolate and place on a parchment lined baking sheet until hardened.
Notes
- You can make this dough a day or several days ahead of time. Simply make the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. When you are ready to bake remove from the refrigerator an hour before needing to bake and then follow the instructions starting at step 5.
- You can freeze this cookie dough as well! Simply make the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer safe ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months! When ready to bake allow dough to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then remove from the refrigerator an hour before baking.
- Want to use unsalted butter? No problem. Just add a pinch of salt with the flour.
- If your edges are too brown after baking that is because the cookie was thinner there- it's still tasty!
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