Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies
Basically, I saw everyone else on the internet making Alison Roman’s salted shortbread cookies, so I made Alison Roman’s salted shortbread cookies. It was a real life Mean Girls moment, and I’m not even ashamed to admit it. I had a serious case of FOMO. Everywhere I browsed – Facebook, Instagram, food blogs – another person had just made them & was singing songs of praise. I simply couldn’t resist any longer, I had to try the phenomenon for myself. I had to know.
Friends, they are even better than everyone had said.
Boyfriend & I ate a couple straight out of the oven because a) we had to try them while the chocolate was all melty in the middle, b) we “needed to” taste-test them as they were to be the dessert for a dinner party, & c) well, we’re just extremely weak when it comes to all things cookies.
After his very first bite, Boyfriend announced that these were the best cookies he’s ever tasted. And honestly, he’s not wrong. They’re unlike everything you expect a cookie to be, but in the most delicious way. They’re so insanely buttery & crumbly that they almost melt on your tongue. The sugar around the cookies makes the most deliciously crunchy edges for holding in the sheer volume of chocolate chunks, of which there are an abundance. And I haven’t even mentioned the saltiness yet, which – simply put – brings the whole damn game to a new level.
Just trust. Trust in the thousands of glowing reviews all over the internet. In your salivating taste buds. In the knowledge that butter + salt + chocolate + sugar = heaven. Just trust.
PS, the extreme lack of photos is down to reason c).
Happy baking!
Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies
INGREDIENTS
- 255 g salted butter, cold & cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 156 g plain flour, sifted
- 170 g dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks
- 1 large egg, beaten
- demerara sugar, for rolling
- flaky sea salt, to finish
DIRECTIONS
- In a medium bowl, use an electric whisk on medium high speed to beat together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, & vanilla until super light & fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of bowl. With the mixer switched to low, slowly add the flour, followed by chocolate chunks, & beat until juuuust blended.
- Divide dough in two & place each half on a large piece of cling film. Fold the cling film over the dough & use your hands/the counter to form the dough into a log shape. Repeat the process with the second half of dough. The logs should be about 2-inches in diameter. Place the logs into the fridge until firm, about 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C & line two baking sheets with baking parchment; set aside.
- Taking one log at a time, remove the cling film & brush the outside of log with the beaten egg. Repeat with the second log. Once coated with egg wash, roll the logs in demerara sugar (I had mine set up in a shallow bowl/plate).
- Slice each log into ½-inch thick cookies. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets about 2-inches apart & sprinkle with sea salt. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are just beginning to brown, 12–15 minutes. Leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy while still warm in the middle for those gooey chocolate bites!
NOTES
- I found that if the logs of dough were left to chill in the fridge for too long they became impossible to cut through – 2 hours worked perfectly for me, but I definitely wouldn’t leave it for more than 3.
- Be careful not to put too much egg wash on the outside of the logs, as I found it sometimes tended to kind of slide off the cookies mid bake, a light layer will do fine.
- These cookies need to be kept really really cold until the second they hit the oven, so whenever you think they need it just pop them back into the fridge.
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