This chocolate chocolate chip shortbread is a decadent treat. Hardly dry and crumbly, these chocolate chip shortbread cookies are almost creamy with Valrhona cocoa powder and lots of chopped milk chocolate.Substitute dark chocolate if you like to keep your chocolate cookies super intense. Make these to share, but these are also the perfect adult cookie indulgence to keep for yourself!
1cupfinely chopped milk or dark chocolateor a mixture of the two
1teaspoonvanilla extract
Instructions
In the bowl of your stand mixer, or in a large bowl, mix together the softened butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
Blend in the cocoa powder until thoroughly combined.
Add the cake flour, and mix on low speed until completely mixed and a stiff dough forms.
NOTE: IF the dough seems too dry to you, add water or milk, a teaspoon at a time, until you have a cohesive dough. You should not need more than 1 Tablespoon of additional liquid, tops.
Thoroughly mix in the chopped chocolate.
Form the dough into 2 discs, wrap well in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour.
While the dough is chilling, prepare your pan.
Criss-cross 2 strips of parchment that are long enough to extend up and over the sides of 2 9" round cake pans. These are the "handles" you'll use to take the shortbread out of the pan.
Place a circle of parchment into the bottom of each pan over the criss-crossed strips.
Preheat your oven to 300F. Set your oven racks in the bottom and top thirds of the oven.
Press each disc of shortbread dough evenly into the pans. It should be about 1/2" thick. You won't be able to get it perfect because of the chopped chocolate, but do the best you can to press it in firmly and evenly, making sure it's as even as you can get it, especially around the edges.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating the pans once and swapping them from top rack to bottom and from bottom rack to top.
Remove from the oven and run a thin spatula around the inside edge of the pans in case the shortbread has stuck a little. Let cool for 10-15 minutes.
Use the 4 "handles" to lift the shortbread out of the pans and set onto cooling racks. I had my husband help, because I don't have four hands.
Cut each shortbread into 12 wedges while it is still warm. Shortbread will set and become crunchier as it cools. The chocolate will keep the texture from being too crunchy. It has an almost creamy mouthfeel.
Once completely cool, store at room temperature in a tightly sealed container for a week. Freeze for longer storage, up to 3 months.