Chocolate Chip Shortbread

Shortbread is a type of cookie made from approximately one part icing sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour and baked at a low temperature to avoid browning.

I make these cookies ALL YEAR ROUND but for some reason shortbread are often made and shared at Christmas.  I think these shortbread are make even better because they are chocolate chip.  Seriously isn’t everything better with chocolate chips?

Christmas is next week so I thought I would share one of my all time favorite recipes and here is how I make chocolate chip shortbread. 

  

Ingredients

1 3/4 c  pastry four (often this has salt but if not, add ¼ tsp.)

1 c mini chocolate chips

3/4 c unsalted butter

1/2 c icing sugar

2 tsp cold water

2 tsp vanilla

4 oz squares semi-sweet or bitter sweet chocolate (for dipping)

Directions

  

Preheat oven to 325.

Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (depending on the size of your cookie sheets – the recipe makes 30 cookies – they all fit on my 16x21”)

In a small bowl, stir flour with MINI chocolate chips (the cookies are only about 1 1/2 “ so normal size chips are too big).

In a large bowl, sing an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth, then gradually beat in icing sugar until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Beat in water, vanilla (and salt if your pastry flour does not include).

Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir in flour mixture.

Shape into 1" balls and place on baking sheets.

Bake 1 sheet a time, until edges are light golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Cool completely on rack.

Meanwhile, melt 4 oz of baking chocolate in a double boiler or in a microwave bowl.  Remove and stir until smooth.

Dip half of cooled cookies into melted chocolate.

Place on parchment paper.

Refrigerate until chocolate is set.

If you make these let me know if they become one of your go to cookies.