Jeweled Chocolate-Topped Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Cookies:
- 12 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted, at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk
- 1½ cups unbleached flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Jeweled Chocolate Topping:
- ¼ - ½ cup dried cranberries chopped*
- ¼ - ½ cup pistachios shelled and chopped*
- 2 tablespoons coarse/sparkling sanding sugar or more if needed
- ¾ cup about 6 oz. dark chocolate chips or chunks, melted
- ¾ cup about 6 oz. white chocolate chips or chunks, melted
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil divided (optional)*
Instructions
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Pre-heat oven to 350°.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar until smooth (a hand mixer works perfectly for this). Add the vanilla and egg yolk, and beat again until the mixture is silky smooth.
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Pour the flour and salt into the butter mixture, and beat just until all ingredients are combined.
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Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper (depending on the exact size of your dough balls, you’ll end up with 24 – 30 cookies so you may need up to three cookie sheets). With a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon-sized measuring spoon, portion dough into approximately 1" balls and place 2" apart on the lined baking sheets. Flatten the dough balls using a well-floured cookie press or flat-bottomed water glass.
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Bake cookies for 8 – 10 minutes, just until the edges start to turn light golden brown. When they’re done, remove them from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before topping them.
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Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in glass, microwave-safe bowls. If using a microwave, heat the chocolate and ½ teaspoon oil (if adding oil - see notes below) at short 30-second intervals; stir and repeat until melted.
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Using a small spoon or offset spatula, carefully “pour” about 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate in the center of each cookie. Spread the chocolate carefully, leaving about ½ inch to the edges. Add more chocolate if you want a thicker layer, and then quickly sprinkle the cranberries, nuts and sugar on top. Press the toppings very gently to set, if needed, and allow chocolate to cool completely before serving or storing.
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Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for a couple of days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Recipe Notes
*The amount of chopped cranberries and pistachios depends on how heavily you want to layer them on top of your cookies. I think they’re prettiest with a lot of berries and nuts on top, so I usually prepare the full ½ cup of each (and certainly have no trouble finding happy takers for any extras that may occur).
*Watch cookies carefully while baking. Check after about 8 minutes (all ovens heat differently), and pull the cookies out when the edges have just a hint of golden brown color.
*The white chocolate can be temperamental, meaning you have to work quickly because it sometimes hardens before you’re ready for it to do so. If that happens, just re-mix it until it’s smooth again. Keeping the chocolate warm while working helps.
*You can add ½ tablespoon vegetable oil to the chocolate to make it smoother if you’d like. Just be aware that it takes a little longer to set.
This recipe is a combination/adaptation of recipes from TVFGI and SAVEUR.