These easy chocolate shortbread cookies have the buttery goodness of classic shortbread with a rich chocolate flavor and a wonderful crunch from pistachios. They're super simple to put together (hello, six ingredients!) and make a wonderful addition to your holiday cookie trays!
We like to gift these for the holidays with a batch or two of jam sandwich cookies. If we're short on time (and who isn't during that time of year?), we'll add some M&M Pretzel Hugs, too!
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Ingredients
- unsalted butter
- powdered sugar
- dark cocoa powder (we use Hershey's Special Dark)
- all-purpose flour
- vanilla extract
- chopped pistachios
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Grab a large mixing bowl and add the room temperature butter and the powdered sugar. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat them together until the mixture is light yellow in color and fluffy.
- In another, small mixing bowl, whisk the cocoa and flour together. Turn your mixer back on, and add a small amount at a time while the mixer is running, until it's all combined, scraping down the sides as necessary.
- Add in the vanilla extract and pistachios on low speed, then turn off the mixer.
- Remove the dough from the mixer, and knead until it forms a ball (be careful not to over mix).
- Cover the ball of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- Once it's chilled, roll the dough into a sheet ¼ inch thick, then use a cookie cutter or knife to cut out your preferred shape (we used a square cookie cutter, but any shape will do).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the cut cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and place them in the freezer to chill for about 15 minutes (this helps the cookies maintain their shape).
- Once chilled for the second time, remove the cookies from the freezer and place them in the oven to bake for about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Air Fryer Instructions
If you prefer, you can bake these chocolate shortbread cookies in the air fryer! We often keep the dough chilled and bake just a few at a time so we can enjoy freshly-baked cookies anytime.
Follow the directions above through step 9, but instead of using the oven, place the cookies into a preheated air fryer at 340°F and bake them for 7-12 minutes (air fryers vary wildly in how hot they cook, so start checking after 7 minutes).
Equipment Needed
It's always a good idea to gather all of your ingredients and tools before starting any recipe ("mise en place"). To make this easier, here's a list of everything you might need to make chocolate shortbread cookies:
- Mixing bowls (one large mixing bowl for the dough, and a smaller one to whisk the flour and cocoa together)
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Plastic wrap
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutter or sharp knife
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Freezer space and a tray that will fit (it's a good idea to clear the space beforehand)
- Oven (or an air fryer!)
- Cooling rack
Tips
- Use room temperature butter: Cold butter won't cream as smoothly as butter that's been softened to room temperature.
- Don't skip chilling the dough: This step will help the cookies to hold their shape while they're baking, otherwise they may spread out too much.
- Roll them out evenly: Try to get the dough to ¼ inch when you're rolling it out. It's important that you don't have thicker/thinner areas so it all bakes evenly.
- Don't overmix the dough: Mixing the dough just until the ingredients are incorporated will give you cookies that aren't too hard.
- Use high-quality ingredients: As with any recipe with just a handful of ingredients, it's important that they're a good quality. It will make a noticeable difference!
- Try to get clean edges: Press straight down with your cookie cutter or knife instead of at an angle.
- Keep an eye on them: You want chocolate shortbread cookies to be just set, not overly browned. They'll continue to firm up as they cool.
- Cool them completely: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Add whatever size nuts you prefer: You can chop the pistachios finely or leave them in larger pieces depending on your preference.
Storage
TIP: Add parchment paper between each cookie layer in the storage container to prevent them from sticking.
- Room temperature: You can store the cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days.
- Refrigeration: Refrigeration isn't necessary but it will slightly extend their shelf life, as they'll keep for up to a week. The flavor will be best at room temp, so let them sit out for 30 minutes before serving.
- Freezing cookies: Once the chocolate shortbread cookies are completely cool, you can place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze them until they're solid. At that point, you can just pop them in a freezer-safe bag and keep them frozen for up to two months.
- Freezing dough: If you'd like to freeze just the dough before baking, wrap the dough ball tightly with plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag. It'll keep for up to two months. Thaw it completely in the fridge overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different nut instead of pistachios?
These cookies are very versatile (you can even skip the nuts entirely). Walnuts, almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts would all be delicious nut alternatives.
Do I really need to chill the dough?
You really do need to chill the dough. Not only will it be far easier to cut into shapes, but it helps them hold their shape and not spread out too much in the oven.
Can I make chocolate shortbread cookies without a cookie cutter?
Using a cookie cutter is easiest if you want specific shapes, but a knife will work just fine. You can also roll the dough into a log then just slice the cookies into rounds.
What cocoa powder works best?
A dark cocoa powder will give the richest chocolate flavor, but regular unsweetened cocoa will also work.
Why are my cookies crumbly?
This usually happens because the dough was overmixed. As soon as the dough comes together, stop mixing so the dough doesn't get "tough".
Can I add a topping?
Melted chocolate drizzled over the top is not only delicious but looks really pretty, too! You can use any chocolate you prefer: dark, milk, or white all work well. You could also quickly add some sprinkles before the drizzled chocolate has a chance to set.
How long do chocolate shortbread cookies stay fresh?
If you keep them at room temperature, they'll stay fresh for up to 5 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months.
Related
Looking for more Christmas cookie recipes? Try these:
Pairings
If you're serving these cookies for a delicious ending to Christmas dinner, here are our main dish suggestions:
Chocolate Shortbread Cookies with Pistachios
These easy shortbread cookies are firm on the outside, yet soft in the center, and have the buttery goodness of a classic shortbread cookie. The number of cookies this recipe yields depends on how large or small the shapes are.
Ingredients
- ¾ cups unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup dark cocoa powder
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼-1/2 cup chopped pistachios (according to preference)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, combine the room temp butter and powdered sugar until light yellow in color and fluffy.
- Combine the cocoa and flour in a small bowl then slowly combine with the butter mixture while continuously mixing.
- Add in the vanilla extract and the pistachios and mix them on low speed just until incorporated.
- Knead the dough just until it forms a ball (be careful not to over mix).
- Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 20 minutes or longer.
- Once chilled, roll the dough into a sheet ¼ inch thick, then use a cookie cutter or knife to cut out your preferred shape (i used a square).
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place the cut cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer to chill for about 15 minutes (this helps the cookies maintain their shape).
- Once chilled for the second time, remove and place in the oven to bake for about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 277Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 153mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 2gSugar: 9gProtein: 4g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
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