Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

In my last blog post, I talked about basic, no frill three ingredient shortbread cookies! But Wednesday on FOX59, I talked about customizing the cookies with mix-ins and toppings, and I shared my chocolate chip shortbread cookies. There was a lot of interest in these cookies, so I decided to write a post about those cookies separately.

Like I said in my segment, this recipe is the exact same as the basic shortbread cookies recipe. The only difference is the addition of chocolate chips in the dough.

As you can see in the pictures, I also dipped the cookies in chocolate and sprinkled toasted coconut on top, so I will include that in the recipe as well!

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

Servings: Makes about 20 cookies depending on how big you make them

Ingredients

For the cookies

• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• (Optional: 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
• 2 and 1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips 

For the toppings

• 6 ounces of your favorite chocolate (milk, dark, or semi-sweet)
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

Directions for chocolate chip shortbread cookies

1. Beat the butter in a mixing bowl until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute)
2. Add the powdered sugar and optional vanilla extract and mix until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl (about 2 minutes)
3. Slowly add in the flour and mix until just combined – do not overmix!
4. Stir in the chocolate chips
5. Flatten the dough out on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and cover with a piece of plastic wrap.
6. Chill dough for at least one hour or up to 72 hours.
7. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. Remove the plastic wrap from the top of the dough, and cut the dough into shapes using your favorite cookie cutter.
9. Place on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 – 15 minutes (depending on the size of your cookie, they make take more or less time; start checking the doneness at 10 minutes)
10. Remove cookie from oven and cool on a wire rack

Directions for toppings

1. While the cookies are cooling, spread coconut onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper
2. Bake for 3 minutes, pull baking sheet out of oven and stir, put back in oven and bake another 3 minutes
3. Put chocolate in microwave safe bowl and heat at 30 second intervals until melted, stirring between each interval
4. Dip cookie in melted chocolate and sprinkle shredded toasted coconut on top; place cookie back on wire rack until chocolate hardens
5. Cookies are ready to serve once chocolate has hardened
6. Cookies will stay fresh for about a week in an airtight container