Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookies with Sea Salt are a simple yet elegant treat! Buttery shortbread is dipped in rich chocolate and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt—pure bliss!
Honestly, the sweet and salty combo is irresistible! I love how these cookies look fancy, but they are super easy to make at home. 🍪✨ They always impress my friends!
Making these is a snap! Just whip up the dough, bake, dip, and sprinkle. Trust me, they won’t last long on the plate!
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted butter helps control overall saltiness. For a dairy-free version, try using coconut oil or a vegan butter, which can work nearly as well in making the cookies rich and tender.
Sugar: Granulated sugar is crucial for sweetness and texture. If you need a lower-sugar alternative, try coconut sugar or a sugar substitute, but keep in mind that this might alter the texture slightly.
Flour: All-purpose flour is the foundation of shortbread. For a gluten-free option, a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works great. Just ensure it has xanthan gum for binding.
Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips give a rich flavor. If you’re a milk chocolate fan, feel free to switch it up! You can also use dairy-free chocolate for a vegan alternative.
How Can You Achieve the Perfect Shortbread Texture?
Getting the right texture for shortbread cookies is all about mixing and baking properly. Here are some tips to nail it:
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; this incorporates air for a tender cookie.
- When rolling out dough, keep it about ¼ inch thick for even baking. Thinner cookies bake faster!
- Don’t overmix once you add the flour. Shortbread should be crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth!
Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookies with Sea Salt
Simple yet luxurious. The buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread is dipped in rich dark chocolate and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt for that perfect sweet-salty balance.
- Prep Time: 20-25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Total Time: 48 minute
- Yield: 24–30 cookies 1x
- Category: Christmas Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the vanilla extract until well incorporated.
- Gradually add the all-purpose flour and salt to the butter mixture, mixing until a smooth dough forms.
- If desired, you can chill the dough for about 30 minutes to make rolling easier.
- Roll the dough into balls or shape it into a log and slice it into rounds. Place the shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are cool, melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring until smooth.
- Dip half of each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate, allowing any excess to drip off. Place the dipped cookies back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- While the chocolate is still melted, sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each cookie.
- Let the chocolate set completely at room temperature, or you can place the cookies in the refrigerator for quicker setting.
Keywords: Chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies, Shortbread cookie recipe, Christmas shortbread cookies
