Several years ago (around this time of year) my dad bought some shortbread cookies at Costco. They were large square cookies that had been dipped in chocolate on the diagonal…super pretty and incredibly delicious! Over the next few weeks, a couple more packages of these cookies found their way to our home much to the delight of the whole family.
These shortbread cookies were a seasonal, holiday item at Costco so after the winter months, they were no longer available, but next winter…they were once again welcomed into our home.
The following year brought a disappointment. No shortbread cookies…the item had been discontinued. But our family’s taste for shortbread dipped in chocolate had certainly not diminished, if anything it had been heightened with the happy anticipation of finding the delightful cookies when the holidays rolled around. There was only one way to satisfy our shortbread cravings…learn how to make some! After locating and comparing a few different recipes, I settled on this one. It’s easy to make and our family agrees it hits the spot when those shortbread cravings arise.
Of course, the cooky wouldn’t be complete without the chocolate component, after all the original Costco version of this cooky was shortbread dipped in chocolate.
Tempering chocolate before dipping the cookies is a must. If the chocolate is not tempered it won’t set up properly and you’ll have chocolate dripping everywhere! Fortunately, tempering chocolate isn’t as hard as it might sound, and the directions are included with the cooky recipe.
Chocolate Dipped Shortbreads
Ingredients
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt omit if using salted butter
For Tempered Chocolate
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate
Instructions
- Cream butter and vanilla. Add in sugar and salt, mixing thoroughly. Add in flour and mix just until combined.Shape dough into a rectangular shape, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour. Dough can also be kept in the freezer for up to one month.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Use a knife to cut chilled dough into 1/2 inch thick rectangles. Bake for 10mins. Cool then dip in tempered chocolate, if using. Let chocolate set up completely before serving.
Tempering Chocolate
- Place 8oz of finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Heat over med-high heat for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir until chocolate stops melting.
- Return over heat for another 20-30 seconds, re-heat, remove and stir again. Repeat this process until all the chocolate has melted.
- IMPORTANT: Make sure your chocolate never gets above 90°F! (86°F for milk chocolate). The key is to not rush the process. If the chocolate gets above 90°F it will become untempered.
- Any leftover chocolate can be spread out on a piece of waxed paper. Leave to temper then break up to use in other recipes calling for bar chocolate.
