These Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies are sweet, salty shortbread-style cookies that are buttery and delicious with chocolate pieces and crunchy edges.
A recipe adapted from Alison Roman's Dining In cookbook, these internet-famous chocolate chip cookies are the best! They have the tender, crumbly texture of a classic shortbread cookie with lots of salt for a beautiful contrast.
You may also like Easy M&M Cookies or Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.
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Ingredients you’ll need
Notes and substitutions
- Dark chocolate: Use chocolate with a high cocoa percentage - semisweet at around 60% and bittersweet at 70%. I've also chopped them finer, so they are evenly distributed and make slicing easier.
- Salted butter: According to Alison Roman, you may use unsalted butter and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (about ½ teaspoon fine sea salt).
- Turbinado sugar: Also called raw sugar, you can substitute it with sanding or demerara sugar.
- Egg: It binds the sugar to the dough for crunchy edges. If you need to substitute, use milk or oil.
How to make this recipe
Prep and organize
- Measure the ingredients accurately. Use a kitchen scale, if available.
- Cut the butter into small pieces and let them soften at room temperature.
- Chop the chocolate into small chunks and shards.
Step 1: Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Step 2: Cream them together over medium-high speed until light (pale yellow) and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
You can use a hand mixer, a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a food processor.
Step 3: Slowly add 2¼ cups of flour and 6 ounces of chocolate on low speed. Mix until just combined.
Step 4: Place the dough on a clean work surface and divide it in half.
Step 5: Wrap each half with plastic and roll it on the counter to form a log. It should be about 6 inches long and 2 inches in diameter.
Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or until firm. You can also freeze it for about 30 minutes.
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 350° F (177° C).
Step 6: Brush the egg on the outside of the log and roll it in turbinado sugar.
Step 7: Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the log into ½-inch thick rounds. Press them back together if they break apart.
Step 8: Arrange them about an inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You will need a baking sheet for each log. Sprinkle them with flaky salt.
Step 9: Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges start to brown. Let them cool on the baking sheet.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! A slice-and-bake cookie dough, such as this recipe, can be made ahead. Store it tightly wrapped in plastic for a week in the refrigerator or for up to 3 months in the freezer. Roll it in sugar right before baking.
Unlike other cookies, shortbread cookies hold their shape in the oven and won't spread much. If they've flattened out, chances are, they were not cold and firm enough before baking.
Other dessert recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Hand mixer, stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or food processor
- Baking sheet(s)
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2¼ sticks) salted butter cut up & softened to room temperature (see note)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar sub:dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 6 ounces dark chocolate chopped into small chunks (see note)
- 1 egg lightly beaten (see note)
- ½ cup turbinado sugar for rolling (see note)
- 1 teaspoon flaky salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Cream butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract over medium-high speed until light (pale yellow) and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- On low speed, slowly add flour and chocolate. Mix until just combined.
- Place the dough on a clean work surface and divide it in half.
- Wrap each half in plastic and roll it on the counter to form a log. It should be about 6 inches long and 2 inches in diameter.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or until firm. You can also freeze it for about 30 minutes.
- Brush the egg on the outside of the log and roll it in turbinado sugar.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the log into ½-inch thick rounds. Press them back together if they break apart.
- Arrange them about an inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You will need a baking sheet for each log. Sprinkle them with flaky salt.
- Bake in a preheated oven of 350° F (177° C) for 12 to 14 minutes until the edges start to brown. Let them cool on the baking sheet.
Video
Notes
- Dark chocolate: Use chocolate with a high cocoa percentage - semisweet at around 60% and bittersweet at 70%. I've also chopped them finer, so they are evenly distributed and make slicing easier.
- Salted butter: According to Alison Roman, you may use unsalted butter and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (about ½ teaspoon fine sea salt).
- Turbinado sugar: Also called raw sugar, you can substitute it with sanding or demerara sugar.
- Egg: It binds the sugar to the dough for crunchy edges. If you need to substitute, use milk or oil.
Maryellen Soroka
How can I save recipe?
Nora Rey
Hi Maryellen, you can scroll down to the recipe card and hit "PRINT" where you can either save the file or print it. =)