Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

Last updated on December 20th, 2024

Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies are a rich, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookie coated in melted chocolate.These cookies are popular around the holidays when served on a festive cookie platter or given away as a homemade gift.

Ingredients

Butter: Since butter is the star ingredient in shortbread, the higher quality butter, the better your shortbread will taste. I use either Challenge or Land O’ Lakes European Style. European butter has more flavor and less water. It’s also churned longer and produces a higher percentage of fat (82%-85%), producing a slightly more tangy flavor. American butter is regulated by the USDA to have a minimum of 80% fat.

Superfine Sugar: Use superfine (baker’s sugar) in this traditional recipe to dissolve faster as you cream it together with the butter. For an even lighter crumb you can use powdered sugar. If you do, you’ll need to double the amount of powdered sugar when substituting for normal sugar.

Cornstarch: The addition of cornstarch will ensure a tender, yet sandy texture in these Chocolate-dipped Shortbread Cookies. It also helps to bind the dough if you are using an American butter which contains a higher water content.

For Chocolate:

Paramount Crystals: used to help melt chocolate, candy melts or yogurt coatings to help make coatings smooth. Use 1 tsp Paramount Crystals for every 2 cups chocolate, candy melts, or yogurt coatings. Put chocolate in heatproof bowl and add paramount crystals slowly until desired consistency is achieved.

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Method

1. GATHER EQUIPMENT

• Basic baking equipment: measuring cups and spoons, liquid measuring cups, spatula, bowls, cookie sheet, Silpat baking mat or parchment paper
• Highly Recommended: double broiler or electric chocolate melter, cookie cutters

2. MAKE THE COOKIE DOUGH

• PREP: Cut 2 sheets of parchment paper for baking sheets. Whisk together dry ingredients.
• MAKE BATTER: Mix together butter and sugar and add dry ingredients.
• ROLL DOUGH: Roll out dough between the 2 sheets of parchment and chill.
• CUT OUT SHAPES: After you cut out the shapes, chill the cookies to keep the top from browning too fast. Chilling also keeps the dough from spreading out during baking, preserving the shape of the cookie.
• BAKE: 350° for 12 about minutes.

3. MELT CHOCOLATE (CHOOSE METHOD)

• Double Broiler: Melt chocolate over double broiler by melting half the chocolate in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water that is not touching the water, until the chocolate reaches 115-120° (dark chocolate) and 105-110° (milk or white chocolate) and then remove from heat and stir in remainder of chocolate until smooth. Be sure not to heat chocolate over 115°F, as it will burn. Use a high-quality stainless steel pot such as AllClad Double Broiler along with a digital thermometer for best results.
• Microwave: Melt chocolate in the microwave by placing one third of chocolate into a glass bowl and microwave for 30-seconds. Then add an additional third of the chocolate and continue to melt in 30-second increments until it is all melted and smooth. Remove from microwave and add in final third of the chips. 
• Electric Melting Pot: Melt chocolate in a electric chocolate melting pot such as Wilton Brand.

4. DIPPING THE COOKIES

• Place cookies in chocolate pot: place one cookie in the chocolate pot at a time. Drain excess chocolate off the cookie.
• Decorate: Be sure to sprinkle on decorations such as jimmies or non-perils right away so that the chocolate doesn’t set-up too fast. I prefer to use all-natural sprinkles. Read the ingredient labels on pre-made decorations and you’ll see that most have artificial flavor. You can also use course (decorating) sugar which are large sugar crystals. I prefer to use course sugar is over sanding sugar as it tends to clump and melt into the chocolate.

5. ALLOW COOKIES TO DRY

• After you have dipped the pretzels be sure to put them on a non-stick surface such as sheets of parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat placed on a cookie sheet.
• Let cookies set about 1 hour to dry and store in a sealed container.

6. STORAGE

Store the cookies between parchment paper in sealed container or holiday tins. For a simple holiday gift, put some pretzels into a cello bag and tie with a cute bow. To keep during the holiday season, place container in cool part of the house or garage.

Another option is to individually bag each cookie in a translucent cello bag using a heat-sealer. Heat-sealers are simple to use and can really extend the shelf-life of a cookie.

You can also freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Place the cookies between layers of parchment or wax paper. To thaw, place container on counter-top and do not open the lid until they come to room temperature.

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Equipment & Supplies

baking sheets: Always use light-colored, aluminum cookie sheet. Aluminum is best for distributing and reflecting even heat during the baking process. I use Nordic Ware aluminum 18×13 half-sheet pans.

Silpat baking mat OR parchment paper: After you have dipped the cookies be sure to put them on a non-stick surface such as sheets of parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.

Paramount Crystals: used to help melt chocolate, candy melts or yogurt coatings to help make coatings smooth.

Electric Melting Pot: Melt chocolate in an electric chocolate melting pot. This is a simple method and easy to keep chocolate at a melting temperature.

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Dietary Substitutions

TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE:

• Swap out the flour with gluten-free flour. I recommend using a high-quality brand such as King Arthur’s Gluten-Free Flour.

• Add 1-2 tablespoons of sour cream to the pie crust to help hydrate the flour.

BAKER’S TIP: If time allows, be sure to let the batter rest as hydrating the gluten-free flour is an important step to help eliminate grittiness.

TO MAKE VEGAN/DAIRY FREE:

• When making the cookies, swap out the butter with vegan butter. My favorite brand is Violife Plant Butter or Country Crock Olive Oil Sticks. To keep pie crust from shrinking, be sure to chill pie dough before filling and baking since plant-based butter contains mostly oil.
• My favorite egg replacement is to add 1 tsp. baking powder with 1 T. of white vinegar poured over it when making the dough.

• Use dairy-free chocolate. I recommend using a high-quality brand such as Nestle plant-based chocolate chips.

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Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @vintagebakedmodern on Instagram and hashtag it #vintagebakedmodern

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