Shortbread is a simple and delicious cookie that is super adaptable! One of my favorite cookies are these brown butter chocolate hazelnut shortbread cookies! They're light, buttery, and full of nutty hazelnut flavor that pairs perfectly with dark chocolate!
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened brown butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Then add in the vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.
Mix in the flour, hazelnut four, and salt until just combined. The dough should come together into a soft but not sticky ball.
Then gently fold in the toasted hazelnuts.
Divide in half and press the dough into discs. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (or a minimum of at least 2 hours).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough between ¼ and ½ 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. 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 hazelnut cookies cool completely before decorating.
Dip the cookies halfway (or more, you do you) into the melted dark chocolate and place back on the cooling rack. Sprinkle with crushed hazelnuts before the chocolate cools and hardens.
Let the chocolate harden completely on the cookies before storing.
Notes
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.Brown the butter: In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir frequently and watch closely for the formation of brown specs on the bottom of the pan and a nutty aroma. Once you see brown specs, stir for just a few more seconds (it browns super quickly). Remove from the heat and immediately pour into a different bowl to prevent it from burning. Let cool to room temperature. I recommend making the brown butter the night before you make the cookies, so that it has time to fully cool to room temperature. Note: For every ½ cup (1 stick or 113g), you'll lose about 1 tablespoon (14g) to evaporation while cooking. So you can either add in an extra 1 tablespoon before browning, or if you're browning big batches, just make up the weight difference in your recipe with regular unsalted butter if needed.