Shortbread is a simple and delicious cookie that is super adaptable! One of my favorite variations are these chocolate dipped almond shortbread cookies! They make great Christmas cookies or just "I'm really craving cookies" cookies.
Basic Shortbread Recipe
The main components are just butter, flour, and sugar. This is my base shortbread recipe that I always come back to! It’s buttery and crumbly without being too dry. Once you have the base recipe, you can adapt it an infinite number of ways!
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
This recipe incorporates chopped almonds and is dipped in dark chocolate but you can mix and match fillings and toppings however you like!
Shortbread Tips & Tricks
My favorite trick that I use for almost all baked goods, is substituting a portion of the regular flour with nut flour (usually almond flour). This helps keep your cookies, cakes, etc super moist and delicious and can add a little extra flavor too. Adding nut flour also helps keep the cookies from spreading too much. Since these are almond cookies, I use almond flour* but in my hazelnut shortbread cookies, I use hazelnut flour!
I use a 3 inch round cookie cutter from this set* but you can cut the cookies in whatever shapes you like!
It's super important to chill the dough when you're making cutout cookies!! You want to chill the dough overnight (or a minimum of 2 hours) before you roll it out. And the freeze the cutout cookies for at least 20 minutes before baking! This might seem unnecessary, but I promise it is! If you don't chill the dough or freeze the cutout cookies, you'll likely end up with cookies that, at best, don't keep their shape. Or at worst, flatten into one giant burnt cookie.
Bake shortbread cookies on the middle rack of the oven and rotate the pan halfway through baking for the best results.
More Cookie Recipes!
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Chocolate Dipped Almond Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup almond flour, substitute all purpose flour
- pinch salt
- ¼ cup chopped almonds
Topping
- 4 ounces dark chocolate, melted
- ¼ cup chopped almonds
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Then add in the vanilla extract and almond extract and mix until fully combined.
- Fold in the flour, almond flour, and salt until just combined. Then fold in the chopped almonds.
- Transfer the dough into an airtight container and refrigerate overnight (but a minimum of 2 hours if you just can't wait).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough ¼ inch thick and cut into your desired shaped. Place cutout cookies 1-2 inches apart on your baking sheet (they won’t spread much).
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for a minimum of 20 minutes (or the fridge for 40 minutes) before baking to allow the cookies to firm back up. This ensures the cookies won't spread during baking.
- While the cookies are chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are set and just starting to brown. Bake on the middle rack of the oven and rotate the pan halfway through baking for the best results.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then remove and let them finish cooling on a cooling rack.
- Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.
- Dip the cookies ⅓ of the way (or more, you do you) into the melted chocolate and place back on the cooling rack. Sprinkle with chopped almonds before the chocolate cools and hardens.
- Let the chocolate harden completely before removing from the cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
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