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30 Minute Chocolate Shortbread Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 87 reviews

This 30 Minute Chocolate Shortbread recipe offers a rich, buttery treat with a delicate chocolate flavor. Perfect for quick baking, it provides three versatile methods to shape and bake the shortbread, including baking in a tray, forming logs into bars, or using cookie cutters. Optionally, the shortbread can be dipped in a smooth dark chocolate coating for an extra indulgence. These crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth cookies are ideal for anytime snacking or special occasions.

Ingredients

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Shortbread

  • 200 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 110 g powdered sugar (icing sugar)
  • 3 g fine salt
  • 14 g vanilla extract
  • 1 orange, zested (optional)
  • 290 g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
  • 40 g Dutch processed cocoa powder, sifted

Chocolate Coating (optional)

  • 300 g dark cooking chocolate
  • 20 g vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Whip butter and sugar: In a medium mixing bowl, add the softened butter, powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and optional orange zest. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream these ingredients together until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add dry ingredients: Add half of the flour and cocoa powder to the creamed mixture and use a spatula to mix until a dough forms and no dry ingredients are visible. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients. The dough should be soft and smooth. If the dough is too soft due to warm conditions, refrigerate for 30 minutes before proceeding.
  3. To bake in a baking dish (Scottish style): Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) with fan off or 130°C (265°F) with fan on. Spray a 22cm x 31cm (9 x 13-inch) baking tin with oil spray and line it with baking paper, leaving some overhang. Pour the dough into the tin and press it flat with your hands or the bottom of a flat cup, being careful not to compress it too much to avoid dense cookies. Bake for 20 minutes.
  4. Cut and dock biscuits: Remove from oven while still warm, cut into 8 x 3 bars using a large knife, then dock each bar three times with a fork. Return the tray to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
  5. Cool the shortbread: Let the shortbread cool completely in the tin. Once cool, run a knife over the cuts to separate the biscuits before serving.
  6. To form cookies into rectangles: On a work surface, shape the dough roughly into a log. Use a bench scraper to create a neat rectangle approx. 20cm long, 6cm tall, and 3-4cm wide. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F) fan off or 130°C (265°F) fan on. Unwrap the dough log, let it sit for 5 minutes to soften slightly, then slice into 1cm wide biscuits. Place on a lined baking tray spaced 2cm apart. Optionally, use the flat end of a skewer to indent holes decoratively. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool completely.
  7. Using cookie cutters: Form dough into two flat oval shapes by hand. Place one dough disc between two large sheets of baking paper and roll to about 0.5cm (0.20-inch) thickness. Repeat with the other disc. Chill the rolled dough on a baking tray in the fridge for one hour. Preheat oven as above. Cut out cookies using desired cookie cutters. Place cut cookies on a lined baking tray spaced 2cm apart. Bake for 20 minutes until slightly soft but will firm as they cool.
  8. Prepare chocolate coating (optional): In a heatproof bowl, combine the dark cooking chocolate and vegetable oil. Melt in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each until smooth, or melt using a double boiler by placing the bowl over gently simmering water without touching it. Allow the melted chocolate to cool slightly before use.
  9. Coat in chocolate (optional): Dip some of the cooled shortbread biscuits into the melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Lay coated shortbread on a baking tray to set before serving.

Notes

  • Use softened unsalted butter for best creaming results and texture.
  • Sift the cocoa powder to avoid lumps in the dough.
  • If dough is too soft due to warm weather, chilling it helps maintain shape and texture.
  • Adjust baking time slightly for different oven types or thicknesses of the dough.
  • Orange zest adds a subtle citrus note but is optional.
  • Chocolate coating is optional and adds a rich finish to the shortbread.

Keywords: chocolate shortbread, chocolate cookies, shortbread recipe, quick chocolate biscuits, easy baking, chocolate coating, Scottish shortbread

Find it online: https://islawhite.com/30-minute-chocolate-shortbread-recipe/