Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

By Alison Roman

Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies Recipe (1)

Total Time
45 minutes, plus chilling
Rating
5(12,613)
Notes
Read community notes

These wildly popular cookies were developed by Alison Roman for her cookbook, “Dining In: Highly Cookable Recipes.” “I’ve always found chocolate chip cookies to be deeply flawed (to know this about me explains a lot),” she writes. “Too sweet, too soft, or with too much chocolate, there’s a lot of room for improvement, if you ask me. But no one asked me, and rather than do a complete overhaul on the most iconic cookie known to man, I took all my favorite parts and invented something else entirely. Made with lots of salted butter (it has a slightly different flavor and a deeper saltiness than using just salt — I prefer unsalted butter everywhere else but here), the dough has just enough flour to hold it together and the right amount of light brown sugar to suggest a chocolate chip cookie.”

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Ingredients

Yield:24 cookies

  • 1cup plus 2 tablespoons/255 grams total salted butter (2¼ sticks), cold (room temperature if you're using a handheld mixer), cut into ½-inch pieces (see note)
  • ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
  • ¼cup/55 grams light brown sugar
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  • cups/325 grams all-purpose flour (see Tip)
  • 6ounces/170 grams semi-sweet or bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped (not too fine; you want chunks, not little shards)
  • 1large egg, beaten
  • Demerara sugar, for rolling
  • Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (24 servings)

198 calories; 12 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 94 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer, beat the butter, both sugars and vanilla on medium-high till it’s super light and fluffy (3 to 5 minutes for a stand mixer; 6 to 8 for a hand mixer). Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and, with the mixer on low, slowly add the flour, followed by the chocolate chunks, and mix just to blend. If necessary, knead the dough with your hands to make sure the flour is totally incorporated. At this point, the dough should be smooth and feel like Play-Doh with no pockets of flour.

  2. Step

    2

    Divide the dough in half, placing each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic over so that it covers the dough to protect your hands from getting all sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a log shape; rolling it on the counter will help you smooth it out, but don’t worry about getting it totally perfect. (Don't be afraid to make them compact. Shortbread is supposed to be dense. That's part of why it's so good.) You can also do this using parchment paper, if you prefer, but plastic wrap is easier when it comes to shaping the log. Each half should form a 6-inch log, 2 to 2¼ inches in diameter. Chill until totally firm, about 2 hours.

  3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the outside of the logs with the beaten egg and roll them in the demerara sugar (this is for those really delicious, crisp edges).

  4. Step

    4

    Using a serrated knife, carefully slice each log into ½-inch-thick rounds (if you hit a chocolate chunk, slowly saw back and forth through the chocolate). If the cookies break or fall apart, just press them back together — the dough is very forgiving. Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart (they won’t spread much). Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating them all.

Tips

  • The cookie dough can be made ahead and stored, tightly wrapped in plastic, up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or 1 month in the freezer. Cookies can be baked and stored in plastic wrap or an airtight container for 5 days.
  • If you have Alison's book, you might notice a ¼ cup discrepancy in the volume measurement of flour. That's because NYT Cooking uses a different standard metric cup measurement. Alison uses 145 grams; we use 128 grams.

Ratings

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12,613

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

bl

"If you have Alison's book, you might notice a 1/4 cup discrepancy in the volume measurement of flour. That's because NYT Cooking uses a different standard metric cup measurement."What does this even mean?

joyco68

You’ve inadvertantly replied to a chocolate chip shortbread cookie recipe. The addition of chicken might be a bit off. ;-)

Iniga

Was using a handheld mixture and just couldn’t get the dough to come together at all. Adding chicken probably would have improved the situation.

Sandra

Well. I didn’t want to do all that. So: Preheated oven. 1) Made recipe as written w weighed ingred. Stirred in the chocolate. 2) Prepared an 8” cake pan w butter, parchment paper on bottom, buttered the paper & slightly floured it. 3) Spread unchilled dough in prepared pan, then sprinkled w flakey salt and turbinado sugar. 4) Baked 15-20 min; removed from oven when very lightly browned. 5) Cooled in pan 15 min, turned out onto plate. Cooled another 5-10 min, cut into wedges. Mmmmmm!

Jakey

Why would it be tragically annoying to buy salted butter? That’s the only butter I buy, but even if it wasn’t, the same source that has us scrounging for the most obscure spices & ingredients, suggesting we mortar & pestle our spices from scratch, now apologizes for requiring salted butter? Okay, whatever, thanks!

Zan

Used Lindt dark chocolate with orange. Very delicious.

This recipe is both simplified and improved with a food processor, among other changes

Put all ingredients in the bowl and mix until dough sticks together. Remove and knead in mini chips (much better than diced chocolate). Do not put into logs. Refrigerate and when ready to bake, roll into balls, roll the balls in demerera sugar, and flatten with a small glass or some such. Think twice about adding the salt. Even the scantiest BAEing of Maldon seemed to be too much. Brushing egg yolk on the logs made it harder for the sugar to stick. The cookies taste good for several days.

Noel

Fantastic. I added the zest of one mandarin orange and doubled the vanilla, and they were perfect. If I don't win this office baking day I will face god and walk backwards into hell.

Allie

I've made these 6-7x now, and I've learned:+ Let the dough sit for 12+ hours (overnight) - it’s much better if you do.+ Use half bittersweet, half semisweet chocolate.+ Don’t use a serrated knife, use a normal extra sharp knife, and let the dough sit at room temp for ~10 min before slicing.+ If using a hand mixer, let the butter get to room temp. Makes it easier!As others have shared, they definitely take more like 20 minutes (I'm in Denver @ altitude, as well). Always a crowd pleaser.

Jen

Demerara sugar is a partially-refined raw sugar that is made from the first pressing of sugar cane.Once the extracted cane juices evaporate, you're left with large grain sugar that has a golden brown color and a subtle molasses flavor. The small amount of molasses that remains in demerara sugar allows it to retain a little more mineral and nutritional content compared to granulated sugar.

Kim

No disrespect for the creator of this amazing cookie but I find it "tragically annoying" to have to shave off an additional 2 TBSP of butter. I used 2 sticks of Kerry gold butter and reduced the amount of flour to 300 grams. I also used white sugar (2/3 cup) as brown sugar tends to add moisture to cookies. They cooked in precisely 15 mins. Finally, I didn't roll in egg wash but simply added a sprinkle of turbinado sugar to each 1/2" slice before baking... it was divine !

Lucy

I had the same issue as Ali; the cookies spread, spread, spread; please, ideas on what I could have done wrong? I kept the dough in fridge overnight. Would that have made a difference? Thanks for any suggestions. And, yes, I'm a seasoned cookie baker.

Ames

I made a gluten-free version tonight using Bob's Red Mill cup-for-cup. Not a lot of patience in our house to wait for cookies so I put one log in the freezer & went out to walk the dog. About 20 minutes later the log is perfectly chilled, firm but slice-able. 15 minute bake-time worked perfect! Love the sugary edge and salty top. Still warm, chocolate melts in your mouth with a creamy velvety crumb. Yum.

Elizabeth Stith

Love these. it is imperative to knead the dough with your hands before trying to roll it into logs. Otherwise it is much too crumbly. Did not have demerara sugar but I did use Bourbon Barrel Smoked Sugar, being from Kentucky where we like to eat our bourbon. Worked VERY well.

Sharon

I chopped two 3.5-ounce Valrhona 71% chocolate bars, then put the "choppings" in a wire colander (a fine mesh strainer might be too fine) to remove the very fine, powdery shards (saved these for another use). This yielded chocolate chunks of a size that worked well in these cookies. When mixing the chunks into the dough, I also added about a quarter cup of finely chopped, toasted pecans.

adam

Mix cardamom in with Demerara sugar to roll the cookies in.

Tried December 2023

Made for a cookie giveaway, so I didn’t try but a taste, but I recall them being good, if not amazing.

Jordan

We in my circle refer to these simply as "those cookies" - everyone just loves them! I generally make them precisely according to the recipe, weighing the ingredients, except that I make the logs a little longer and narrower so I get 32 cookies. They cook this way in 10-12 minutes. I can also confirm that they are delicious with just two sticks of butter (if adding those extra 2 tablespoons just seems annoying).

Olivia

As someone with Scottish family and a very authentic shortbread recipe (only 3 ingredients) from my great grandmother, I gotta say, this is amazing. The shortbread is crisp and buttery, and the salt and chocolate add incredible depth. Love it!

Ashley

I used Trader Joe’s salted butter (not the premium, cultured variety) and mini chocolate chips. I weighed the flour as listed in NYT recipe, used a stand mixer to combine ingredients and kneaded a bit by hand. Rolled logs to ~ 1.25” diameter and made sure they were tightly compressed. Chilled overnight. Brushed with egg and rolled in turbinado sugar. They cut easily with a santoku knife. Yield was ~ 40 cookies. Baked for 14 min. Delicious flavor and texture. Might reduce sugar a touch next time

Ed

Absurdly delicious. Had to cook for 18 minutes on the middle rack in my oven.

Eve

The dough for these delicious cookies did not freeze well for me. Too dry, even though I wrapped the dough in plastic wrap, then foil, then a bread bag and froze for only about two weeks. I fought with them to get them onto the cookie sheets in some semblance of cookie shape. Most of them anyhow. Next time, I’ll freeze them after baking.

K. Settle

After measuring according to the recipe, I added more chocolate chunks. Also, I cut them thicker than the previous times I have baked them. Family LOVES them.

cmere

Delicious! A crunchier chocolate chip cookie for sure. Still not as good as a gooey almost doughy one, but very good.

Olivia

You absolutely must use a high quality salted butter as opposed to generic store brand.Made this recipe twice with generic butter and watched in misery as the cookies spread to fill the entire baking sheet. Used Kerrygold butter on my third attempt (I refused to be defeated by a 5 star recipe) and the cookies came out perfect.

Jon

Delicious recipe, my favorite chocolate-chip cookie. Had no time to chill the dough, so put it in the freezer for a few minutes; worked well enough. Will make again soon.

Susan

If you have trouble with crumbling, add an egg yolk to the dough. They slice beautifully and retain the shortbread texture.

joan F Herron

This is a delicious cookie. However, the method needs serious adjustment.Do not chill the dough. Shape into 2 ounce balls. Flatten to two inch discs.Chill until cookies are firm enough to handle. Brush the sides of each cookie with beaten egg and roll edges in Demerara sugar. Sprinkle tops with sea salt, let warm to room temperature. Proceed with directions.

delish

These are delish but won’t work for the farm stand unless they can be made perfectly round

Jordan

A trick I saw on YouTube once: right when your cookies come out of the oven, take a round cookie cutter that's a little bigger than the finished cookie, place it around the cookie, and gently run it in circles around it to form it into a perfect circle.

aa1987

Ran out of AP flour so used half fresh milled whole wheat (sifted and re-milled the bigger bran pieces) and half (sifted) cake flour. Everything else exactly as the recipe called for. The texture of the shortbread was exactly what you’d hope for. Short, crumbly yet light. The chocolate chunks made it just delightful.

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Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is salted or unsalted butter better for shortbread cookies? ›

If you don't have salted butter, unsalted butter will also work, simply add about ¼ teaspoon of salt to the cookie dough. The reason the salt is needed is because salt brings out the flavor in the cookies, without it, your cookies will taste bland.

What happens if you add too much butter to shortbread cookies? ›

Butter is an emulsifier and it makes cookies tender. It also adds in the crispy-around-the-edges element. Adding too much butter can cause the cookies to be flat and greasy. Adding too little butter can cause the cookies to be tough and crumbly.

Should shortbread cookies be soft or hard? ›

Shortbread should always have a tender, melting texture, but be slightly crisp when you bite into it. It should not generally be damp or wet underneath. A classic shortbread recipe will also only have flour, butter and sugar as the ingredients (in a 3:2:1 ratio) and not egg, which could lead to excess moisture.

What makes a shortbread cookie extra short? ›

Shortbread is called short because of the traditional ratio of one part sugar to two parts butter that lends a high fat content to the dough. This yields a soft, buttery crumb that melts in your mouth, similar to short crust pastry. This ratio is also what makes shortbread so crave-worthy.

What is the secret to good shortbread? ›

Tips To Make the Best Shortbread Cookies
  • Choose High Quality Butter. No matter what brand of butter you buy, if it's real butter, you can rest assured that it's the best. ...
  • Keep Ingredients Simple. ...
  • Add Flavor. ...
  • Don't Overwork. ...
  • Shape Dough. ...
  • Chill Before Baking. ...
  • Bake Until Golden. ...
  • Add Finishing Touches.

What are common mistakes when making shortbread? ›

The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour. The less you work the dough, the more crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth your shortbread cookies will be.

Should butter be cold for shortbread? ›

Should butter be cold or room temperature for making shortbread? Always start with cold butter straight from the refrigerator. This will keep the dough from warming up, making it greasy and difficult to roll out.

Why do you put shortbread in the fridge before baking? ›

Why do you put shortbread cut-out cookies in the fridge before baking? This is to resolidify the butter. The butter is at room temperature when making the dough resulting in a soft dough. If baked straight away, the butter would melt away immediately when hitting the hot oven and the shortbread would spread.

What is the difference between Scottish shortbread and regular shortbread? ›

Traditional Scottish shortbread is a simple recipe made with sugar, butter, flour, and salt. Other shortbread styles will include leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda, which makes them crisp instead of crumbly like traditional Scottish shortbread.

What's the difference between Irish shortbread and Scottish shortbread? ›

Irish Shortbread Is Distinct From Scottish Shortbread

As cornstarch is a potent thickener relative to flour, this creates a denser cookie. Whichever version of shortbread you prefer, though, the original -- which is often just called "shortbread" -- came from Scotland.

Why do shortbreads poke holes? ›

The word "bread" comes from "biscuit bread" which was made from leftover bread dough that was sweetened and dried out in the oven to make biscuits. Why do you poke holes in shortbread? The holes allow the moisture to escape during baking and more even heat distribution. This helps dry out and crisp up the cookies.

What is the best brand of butter for shortbread cookies? ›

Spend extra when it really counts: If you're making a recipe where butter really is the star (think shortbread or biscuits), splashing out for a package of Kerrygold or Vital Farms is worth the expense. The fine differences in the flavor are most impactful in these recipes.

Why do you put cornstarch in shortbread cookies? ›

Cornstarch provides the shortbread with structure, but its biggest job is keeping the cookies extra soft, tender, and light. I love adding a small amount to chocolate chip cookies too. Optional Coarse Sugar Topping: For an optional sparkly crunch on your shortbread wedges, add a sprinkle of coarse sugar before baking.

Why use unsalted butter in shortbread? ›

Use unsalted butter for balanced flavour. Unsalted butter was traditionally used in baking because it was a superior product to salted - salt is used as a preservative so unsalted butter was thought to be fresher.

What happens if I use salted butter instead of unsalted in cookies? ›

It all comes down to flavor! Salted butter will almost always add a little something extra when it comes to taste. It's also great for those who like the combination of sweet and salty, like in the case of cowboy cookies.

What happens if I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter in a cookie recipe? ›

If you only have salted butter, go ahead and use it .. just do NOT add the salt that the recipe calls for. It should be just fine when making cookies. Even just 50 years ago, recipes never specific salted/unsalted butter.

Should I use salted or unsalted butter for biscuits? ›

In general, with baking you want to use unsalted butter so that you can control the amount of salt in your final product. I tend to follow this rule, but I did notice that even the biscuit recipe that I liked the best only called for a small amount of salt.

What happens if you use salted butter instead of unsalted butter and cookies? ›

Account for Extra Water. If you're baking and swapping in salted butter, the excess water from salted butter may make more of an impact. This is because extra water can have an effect on how gluten reacts and forms within dough. Consider slightly lessening any additional water the recipe may call for.

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