If you’re a dark chocolate lover, you’ll love this Chocolate Shortbread Recipe for cookies that are rich in flavor and have that wonderful, melt-in-your-mouth, buttery shortbread texture.
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These easy-to-make Valentine’s shortbread cookies are perfect for celebrating your loved ones.
But, you can easily change the sprinkles for any holiday, because these dark chocolate cookies are delicious year-round!
You can also bake these Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies for gift-giving or just because you love chocolate. Or, grab a cookie cutter and make a batch of these Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Table of contents
Recipe Highlights
Get the essential details of these slice-and-bake chocolate cookies at a glance:
- Type of recipe: Cookie
- Cooking method: Oven baked with 1 hour chill time
- Skill level: Easy, using stand mixer
- Flavors & textures: Deep, dark chocolate flavor
Chocolate Shortbread Ingredients
- Dark chocolate chips: These bring a deeply satisfying richness to the cookies, which chocolate lovers can’t resist. I like dark chocolate chips for the best flavor. You can substitute dark chocolate with milk chocolate if you prefer a sweeter taste.
- AP flour: Also known as All-Purpose flour, it provides the structure to your cookies, making them firm yet tender.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Cocoa powder intensifies the chocolate flavor without adding any extra sweetness.
- Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients and balances the sweetness in the cookies.
- Unsalted butter: It provides the cookies with a rich, creamy texture and contributes to the shortbread’s melt-in-your-mouth quality. Use room temperature butter so it mixes easily.
- Granulated sugar: This is essential for sweetness and helps in the cookies’ browning.
- Brown sugar: Offering not only sweetness, brown sugar also gives the cookies a moist, dense texture.
- Egg, large: Eggs are the binding agents in the cookies, helping to hold all the ingredients together.
- Pure vanilla extract: Vanilla extract adds a layer of richness and complexity to the chocolate flavor. Make your own or use a good-quality vanilla.
- Red, white, and pink nonpareil sprinkles: Approximately two five-ounce bottles are needed. These provide a festive and beautiful aesthetic to the cookies. If you don’t have nonpareil sprinkles, you can use other types of sprinkles, sugar crystals, or simply dust the cookies with powdered sugar for a simple yet elegant look.
- Jumbo heart sprinkles (optional): These can add a special touch, particularly for Valentine’s chocolate cookies. I like this size of heart sprinkles.
How To Make Chocolate Shortbread
Step 1. You need to melt the chocolate first so it can cool. Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl and microwave them for 30 seconds; take the bowl out and stir, then return to the microwave at 15-second intervals until the chocolate is melted. If you use a chocolate bar, chop the chocolate into small pieces, similar to a chocolate chip.
Step 2. Mix the flour, salt, and cocoa powder in a small bowl. A wire whisk will break up any clumps of cocoa powder.
Step 3. Add the room-temperature butter and both sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until a nice creamy mixture forms.
Step 4. Add the egg and vanilla to the bowl and mix to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Step 5. Add the melted chocolate to the bowl and mix on medium speed. Make sure the chocolate is not super hot; otherwise, it will melt the butter.
Step 6. Add the flour/cocoa powder mixture in half-cup amounts, mixing between each addition until the flour is no longer visible.
Step 7. Place the nonpareil sprinkles in a large container with sides that will fit the dough logs. The sprinkles like to roll around, so a deep-sided container works best.
Step 8. Divide the dough in half, place it on a parchment or plastic wrap sheet, and roll it into a 6″ x 2″ log shape. The dough should be just a bit sticky but not sticky enough that you can’t work with it. Roll the dough back and forth to make the log nice and round.
Step 9. As soon as you make the dough log, place it in the sprinkles and cover the dough entirely. The dough should be sticky enough from rolling and forming that the sprinkles will stick.
Step 10. Roll the sprinkle-covered log in a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to chill.
Step 11. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat.
Step 12. Place the chilled cookie dough log on a cutting board and slice each log into ¼” slices; place the slices on the cookie sheet and bake for 12-13 minutes. Remove the cookies to a cooling rack.
Step 13. Adding the jumbo heart sprinkle on each cookie is totally optional, but I think they make the cookie look super cute. Stick one heart in the middle of each cookie before baking. Keep the baked cookies in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Cookie Tips
- These cookies take the chocolate flavor seriously, so make sure you use good dark chocolate, and adding cocoa powder adds even more intense flavor.
- Overworking or overbeating the dough will make the cookies tough. Just mix until no flour is visible, and be gentle when rolling.
- A good way to keep the cookie dough logs round is to place the rolls on a bed of rice, or cut a paper towel roll in half and place the dough into the cut-out half.
- Shortbread cookies are known to keep for several weeks, so they are the perfect cookies to make in advance for enjoying later and for gift-giving.
Variations
- White Chocolate Shortbread: Substitute dark chocolate with white chocolate for a sweeter, creamier version. You could also use color-themed sprinkles for different occasions.
- Espresso Chocolate Shortbread: Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the dough for a coffee-infused chocolate shortbread. Top with chocolate-covered espresso beans instead of the jumbo heart sprinkles.
- Spiced Chocolate Shortbread: Infuse your shortbread with a hint of heat by adding a quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the dough. The subtle spice pairs amazingly well with dark chocolate.
- Mint Chocolate Shortbread: For a refreshing twist, add half a teaspoon of peppermint extract to the dough. You could also replace the dark chocolate chips with mint chocolate chips.
- Nutty Chocolate Shortbread: Add a handful of chopped walnuts or hazelnuts to the dough for a crunchy texture. You could also press a whole nut into the top of each cookie before baking.
- Orange Chocolate Shortbread: Next time you make these cookies, add some orange zest to the dough and drizzle with an orange glaze after baking. The fruity citrus flavor is a classic pairing with chocolate.
- Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Shortbread: Make the cookies a bit thicker and stuff with a dollop of Nutella before baking for a gooey, chocolate-hazelnut surprise.
More Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread cookies are easy to make, no matter your recipe. These four cookie treats are always a favorite.
- Try these Crispy Lemon Cookies for a citrus shortbread.
- If you love spice, these Chai Shortbread Cookies are gluten-free and filled with lots of warming spices.
- Rose Petal Shortbread Cookies have just a hint of rose and cardamon flavors with rose petals baked on top; they are pretty and delicious.
- And a Chocolate Shortbread Crust for when you want to make a chocolate tart.
Recipe FAQs
They have similar ingredients, but shortbread cookies have more butter flour ratio, which results in a more tender and crumbly texture. Shortbreads are supposed to be slightly crisp with a melting texture.
The key to soft shortbread cookies is not to overwork the dough and avoid overbaking. Also, using room-temperature butter instead of melted butter can help maintain a soft texture.
Since this recipe makes two cookie dough logs, you can bake one today and chill the other for another day.
Shortbread dough will keep well for up to a week in the fridge before being baked.
Freezing cookie dough is a great option with this recipe. The rolled dough can be frozen for three months. To bake the cookies, let the dough thaw slightly, slice, and bake as directed. You want the dough to be firm when you slice it.
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Recipe
Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- 2 ¼ cups AP flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces unsalted butter 2 sticks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups red, white and pink nonpareil sprinkles approximately 2- five-ounce bottles needed
- jumbo heart sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl and microwave for 30-seconds, then stir. Continue melting the chips using 15-second intervals until completely melted. If using a chocolate bar, chop it into small pieces the size of chocolate chips.
- In a small bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, and salt with a wire whisk and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter, and both sugars. Mix on medium speed until creamy.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the melted chocolate and mix on medium speed until incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients mixture in ½ cup increments and mix on medium speed just until the flour is incorporated and the dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half and form it into a 6" x 2" log and place it on a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper. The dough will be just a bit sticky. Now with your hands roll the dough back and forth and shape the log so it is the right size and nice and smooth.
- Add the nonpareil sprinkles to a casserole type dish or pan that has sides to it and is large enough to fit the dough logs.
- Place the just rolled dough log in the sprinkles and roll the log around until it is completely covered. You want the dough to be sticky from the heat of your hands so the sprinkles will stick to it.
- Wrap the sprinkles covered dough log in parchment or plastic wrap and chill for one hour.
- Repeat with the other dough log.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. and prepare two baking sheets with parchment or a Silpat
- Remove the chilled dough from the wrapping and place it on a cutting board. Cut each log into ¼" thick slices and place on the baking sheet.
- This is optional but you can place on jumbo candy heart sprinkle in the center of each cookie before baking.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes then remove the cookies to a cooling rack.
- Store the shortbreads for up to two weeks in an airtight container.
Notes
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Nutrition
First published: January 14, 2021; last updated: January 22, 2025 for better readability.
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About Jere’ Cassidy
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place. I am glad to be sharing sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.
Have not made yet – was wondering if I could use finely crushed peppermint candies instead of sprinkles?
I tried this with the peppermints, the they melted and made quite the mess.
Could I keep these refrigerated for an entire week? I’m teaching a cooking class and we don’t have much time each week. If we could make the dough one week and bake them the next that might work.
Yes, if wrapped really well they will last a week in the fridge.