Day 18 – Countdown to Christmas – Midnight Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Find more fantabulous recipes, tips and tricks at www.thekitchenwhisperer.net. Also, join our TKW Family on Facebook
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon REALLY good vanilla (trust me, this makes the difference!)
- 3/4 cup AP flour
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoon black cocoa powder – if you can’t find black use the darkest cocoa powder you can find. King Arthur Flour sells black cocoa
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate cut into small chunks
Instructions
- Combine the flour, sugar, and cocoa powder in a food processor with the dough blade and pulse to combine well. You cannot use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this. Trust me, I tried. It has to be a food processor
- Add the butter and vanilla and pulse until the mixture forms a ball/dough.
- Remove from the food processor and place in a bowl.
- Add in the chocolate chunks (you can either stir them in or use your hands and knead them in to incorporate).
- Place the mixed dough onto parchment paper forming a 8-10″ log.
- Roll it up like a log and twist both ends to secure.
- Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight. You can also freeze the dough for later use (wrapping in a freezer bag or plastic wrap/tin foil).
- Preheat oven to 325.
- Slice the log into 1/2″ slices with a sharp knife – non serrated.
- Put on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The cookie will just feel set but soft. YOU WANT it that way! The cookies are to be ‘just set’. They will firm up while they are cooling. Do Not Overbake else you will end up with chocolate hockey pucks 🙂
- Cool for a few minutes on the pan and then transfer to a rack.
- Allow to cool completely before wrapping or putting away!