Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread
Slice and bake Salted Chocolate Chunk Espresso Cookies are sweet and salty with the perfect crunch – made with dark chocolate, brown sugar, and vanilla bean for the ultimate flavor.
Welcome to Day 3 of 12 Days of Cookies! Today I am putting a little spin on the cookie that broke the Internet in 2018.
If you scrolled through Instagram, blogs, and even the New York Times in the first half of 2018, you may have noticed that everyone was obsessing over Alison Roman’s Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies from her latest cookbook “Dining In: Highly Cookable Recipes“.
After seeing my feed flooded with these cookies, I just HAD to give them a try to see if all the hype was real. And YES it was!
These cookies are not your average chocolate chip cookie. Don’t expect the chewy texture of a classic chocolate chip cookie. Instead, these cookies are a tender buttery shortbread. They are made with salted butter which gives the cookies a different taste and a pleasant saltiness to contrast the brown sugar and dark chocolate. Before baking, these cookies are brushed with egg wash and rolled in demerara sugar and sprinkled with flaked sea salt for some crunch.
In this version, I switched up some ingredients and OMG the results are amazing. I swapped light brown sugar for dark brown sugar which intensifies the toffee notes you get from chocolate chip cookies. I also added in some espresso powder and vanilla bean paste for an extra pop of flavor.
Salted Chocolate Chunk Espresso Shortbread Cookies
The ingredients are pretty simple:
- salted butter
- sugar
- dark brown sugar
- vanilla bean paste (my favorite is from Rodelle!)
- flour
- espresso powder
- chocolate chunks
Even though you can definitely use regular chocolate chips in this recipe, I HIGHLY recommend you stick you chocolate chunks that you chop up from a chocolate bar. And if there is ever a time to splurge on high quality chocolate, this is the right moment. I prefer to use a dark chocolate such as Valrhona, but use whichever chocolate bar you love. When you use chopped chocolate vs. chocolate chips, you end up with those drool-worthy pools of melted chocolate you see all the food bloggers posting.
A Few Tips:
The dough for these cookies comes together quickly and easily. You will need a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid to beat the cold butter with the sugars. Make sure that you chill the dough for at least 2 hours before slicing and baking. Demerara sugar can usually be found in the baking aisle of your grocery store, but you can also use turbinado or raw sugar in its place. Finally, use a flaked sea salt such Maldon.
12 Days of Cookies
Day 1: Chocolate Peppermint Cream Sandwich Cookies
Day 2: Chewy Walnut Spice Cookies with Honey Glaze
Day 3: Salted Chocolate Chunk Espresso Shortbread Cookies
Day 4: Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
Day 5: Strawberry Almond Linzer Cookies
Day 6: Bakery Style White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Day 7: Cut-Out Pecan Sandies
Day 8: Fudgy Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Day 9: Homemade Milano Cookies
Day 10: Cut Out Orange Sugar Cookies
Day 11: Chocolate Covered Gingerbread Cookies
Day 12: Tahini Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies
If you make this recipe, take a photo and tag #bakedambrosia on Instagram and Facebook so that I can see your creations and feature them on Instagram! To stay up to date with the latest recipes, follow Baked Ambrosia on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. ♡
Salted Chocolate Chunk Espresso Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 sticks of salted butter cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 6 oz chopped dark chocolate
- 1 egg beaten for egg wash
- 1 cup demerara sugar for rolling
- flaked sea salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugars, vanilla bean paste, and espresso powder on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Use a spatula to scrape down side of bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour. Next add the chocolate chunks and mix until just combined.
- Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a log, about 2-2 1/2 inches in diameter. Tightly wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (see notes)*.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the chilled logs and brush with egg wash. Roll the logs in demerara sugar.
- Slice each log into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Place on prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake until edges are just beginning to brown, about 12-15 minutes.
- Let cool slightly on a cooling rack before enjoying!
- Store cookies in an airtight container.
Notes
