These are easy to make chocolate dipped shortbread cookies that combine buttery shortbread with smooth melted chocolate! These Scottish shortbread butter cookies have only 6 ingredients and are the perfect treat to make ahead of time or to bring along for a holiday dinner!
😋 Taste and features
- Buttery and crisp classic shortbread cookies
- Step by step instructions to show you how to make shortbread cookies
- Easy to make chocolate dip for these butter cookies
📚 History
Shortbread was developed in the Middle Ages but the recipe became more refined because of Mary, Queen of Scots. The ratio of Scottish shortbread cookie is typically made with one part sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour. The high fat content from the butter gives the cookie a crumbly texture which lends to the name, Shortbread.
🛒 Ingredients
🗒️ Step by step instructions
Before you Start: Heat oven to 350F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Step 1. Whip room temperature butter, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla extract in a bowl. Then slowly add in flour until combined.
Step 2. On lightly floured work surface, roll out dough and cut out cookies. Poke cookies with a fork so that they remain flat.
Step 3. Melt chocolate chips and dip cookies in chocolate before enjoying!
👩🍳 Top tips
- Weigh out each shortbread to ensure that when they bake they all come out the same size.
- Chill the shortbread dough if you’re having a hard time forming them.
- Use high quality butter – since this recipe requires so few ingredients you can really taste the difference if you use better butter!
💡 Variations
The best part about shortbread is that they work great for so many different flavor profiles – here are a few other flavors you can try out!
- Chocolate shortbread cookies: Replace the 2 cups of flour with 1/2 cup cocoa powder and 1 1/2 cup flour to turn them into chocolate cocoa shortbread!
- After you melt the chocolate dip the shortbread into crushed pecans, almonds or walnuts to add an additional crunch!
- Add 2 tbsp of instant coffee powder to add a robust, deeper flavor!
🧺 Storage tips
- Room Temperature: Store at room temperature in an an airtight container for up to 10 days.
- Fridge: Cool cookies completely and store them in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Fridge: Cool cookies completely and store them in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freezer:
- Cookie Dough: Roll cookie dough into individual balls before placing them in an airtight container or freezer safe bag. They will be good for up to 3 months but note the date of when it was made on the container! Thaw cookie dough for 20-30 minutes before baking.
- Baked Cookies: Cool cookies completely and then place them in an airtight container or freezer safe bag and put in the freezer for up to 3 months. They will be good for up to 3 months but note the date of when it was baked on the container! Thaw cookies at room temperature or microwave before eating.
🙋 Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between sugar cookies and shortbread cookies?
Shortbread cookies have no leavening agent and have a drier, more crumbly texture while sugar cookies are softer and chewier due to the the leavening agent.
Why do you put shortbread in the fridge before baking?
Because the cookies have such a high content of butter, in order to keep the shape of the cookie you want them to be cold so that they don’t spread too much in the oven.
How to melt chocolate for shortbread cookies?
- You can either melt chocolate in the microwave in 30 second spurts in a microwave safe bowl or you can heat it
- Boil water in a small pot until simmering and then place a heatproof bowl on top (but not on the water) and add chocolate chips to the bowl. Keep mixing until smooth.
🔎 Related recipes
Want more cookie recipes? Here are a few you can check out!
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pudding Mix
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour (240 Grams)
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter (226 Grams / 2 Sticks)
- 2/3 Cup White Granulated Sugar (135 Grams)
- 1 tsp Salt (6 Grams)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (4 Grams)
- 1 Cup Chocolate Chips (170 Grams)
Instructions
- Whip room temperature butter, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla extract in a bowl.
- Slowly add flour to the butter mixture and mix again.
- On lightly floured work surface, roll out dough and cut out cookies. Poke cookies with a fork so that they remain flat.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly brown on the edges.
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