30 Minute Chocolate Shortbread Recipe

Chocolate Shortbread is famous for having a melt in your mouth, crumbly and buttery texture. This recipe takes things to the next level by being rich in chocolate flavor. They’re also not overly sweet which means that coating them in some melted chocolate gives them a little hint of sweetness which makes them irresistible. Did I mention that they can be put together and baked in just 30 minutes?

Hey team! You know I love anything chocolate and these biscuits hit the spot. They’re based on my Vanilla Shortbread with a bit of a chocolate twist. Oh, and I won’t call them cookies, because in Scottland, where these gloriously buttery and perfectly crumbly cookies originate, they’re called biscuits.

They come together using simple pantry staple ingredients making them beginner friendly. And because they’re so easy to make, making homemade biscuits like these is a no brainer. Homemade always wins anyway.

Other than how delicious they are, I love how long these last for! Months! I keep a stash of them in a container for Zoe when she’s craving something chocolatey and the bonus is I know they use good quality, simple ingredients. I mean, it’s not a health food, but at least I know what’s in them!

Related → If you’re after more chocolate treats, check out my chocolate recipe collection and for cookie recipes, my cookie collection. I can’t not recommend my NYC Style Double Chocolate Chip Cookies which are my latest obsession because of their brownie like texture!

In this post, I’ll show you three ways to shape them, each with a different look. My favorite method is the slice and bake one which looks like a classic shortbread. I love coating them in some chocolate for a bit of extra sweetness. But the beauty of these biscuits is that you can roll them and use cookie cutters, and they’ll keep their shape! I love using that method for holiday gifts.

Why You’ll love these biscuits

• 30 Minutes – That’s all it takes to put the dough together and bake these cookies if you’re baking them in a tin, Scottish style! I’ve got the steps in the recipe card at the bottom of the post if you’re in a hurry.
• Beginner friendly – They use simple pantry ingredients you likely have and they’re so easy to put together. I’ve got step-by-step photos down below for the three different ways you can shape them before baking.
• They taste amazing – These biscuits are so buttery and rich in chocolate flavor. It’s all down to the quality of ingredients you use though. More on that below too!
• I love gifting these – Especially around the holidays. They’re the perfect gifting cookie because they’re so stress free to make and they keep for ages!
• You can use these with cookie cutters – These biscuits don’t spread when you roll the dough out. Which means if you use cookie cutters you’ll get nice sharp edges. That’s down to the flour/butter ratio in my recipe.
• Not too sweet – The focus is on great flavor, not overly sweet biscuits. You get a little boost of sweetness from the chocolate coating if you decide to use it.

Let’s talk Chocolate

Chocolate is the star of the show in these biscuits so choosing the right type makes all the difference!

• Cocoa powder – The cocoa powder you want to use is Dutch processed cocoa powder. It gives the biscuits a deep color and velvety rich flavor. Natural cocoa powder will work too, but it’s a little more acidic. Dutch processed cocoa powder gives you a much smoother flavor which is why you want to opt in for a good quality one. I like using the Donna Hay Dutch processed cocoa powder, but most Dutch processed cocoa powders will work well.
• Chocolate coating – I used Nestle Cooking Chocolate buttons which melt easily but any good quality dark chocolate will work. You want to melt it gently over a double boiler. You can do that by adding a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water making sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water. Melt the chocolate and vegetable oil together to avoid streaks. Adding oil after the chocolate has been melted makes it harder to blend together which will give you a weird streaky look.

Simple Ingredients You’ll Need

Listen, when a biscuit relies on just a few simple ingredients, every single one needs to pull it’s weight. And the best way to do that is by using the best quality ingredients to take it from good to ‘OMG, are there any more?’!

• Butter – One of the main ingredients is butter, and it gives these biscuits such a delicious rich flavor. A high fat butter (at least 82%) makes the biscuits extra buttery, crumbly and gives them a melt in your mouth texture. I use Westgold which is a New Zealand butter with a rich creamy taste. Standard butter (80% butter fat) works too but gives you a slightly firmer texture. You want to make sure your butter is softened properly. Lucky for you, I have a complete guide on how to properly soften butter!
• Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar / Icing sugar dissolves easily into the butter which gives them their iconic texture and fine crumb. It also helps lock in moisture which will stop them drying out.
• Salt – I used fine salt.
• Vanilla Extract – Opt in for good quality vanilla extract. If you want to learn how to make your own for future bakes, I have a great home made vanilla extract recipe. It takes months to develop its flavor, but trust me the flavor is so worth the wait for your future bakes!
• Orange zest – Totally optional but it makes these even more irresistible. Wash your orange before using a citrus zester to add it to the butter and sugar mixture.
• All-purpose flour – regular plain flour is what works best here. Cake flour or biscuit flour would make these too crumbly.
• Dutch processed cocoa powder – natural cocoa powder will also work, but Dutch processed will give you a much deeper chocolate flavor.

Simple Chocolate Shortbread Dough

• In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and orange zest (if using) with a hand mixer or stand mixer for about 60 seconds until smooth and combined. No need to whip too much air in, just mix until it looks creamy.
• Add half the flour and cocoa powder and mix with a spatula until mostly combined. Add the rest and mix until you have a smooth dough with no dry patches. Don’t overmix, or the biscuits will lose their delicate, crumbly texture.

• The mixture will be smooth and soft.

Pro Tip: If it’s a warm day, your dough may too soft to handle or roll. Pop it in the fridge to firm up for 20 minutes before shaping or rolling.

From here, you’ve got three ways to shape your biscuits. Each one gives you the same light, buttery texture, just with a different look. Let’s start with my favorite, the slice and bake bars!

Classic Rectangle Shortbread (Slice & Bake Method)

• Shape the dough into a 20cm-long log. Use a bench scraper to square off the edges into a rectangle (about 6cm wide, 2-3cm high). It might take a little while to persuade the dough to form into this shape. Be patient and just work it to the right measurements.
• Once you’ve shaped it, wrap in baking paper and chill for 1-2 hours until firm.

• Slice into 1cm / 0.3-inch thick biscuits and dock with a fork or toothpick if you like.
• Place on a lined baking tray with 2cm of space between each. Optional but totally cute, is to use the end of a toothpick or skewer to add holes into the cookies. I poked 6 holes. I think it makes them look classic. Bake for 30 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely.

Pro Tip: These biscuits are cut thick which means they will spread slightly as they bake. So shaping the log a little thinner than you want your biscuits to be will give the best final size. I’ve accounted for that in the measurements I gave in the recipe card.

Cookie Cutter Shortbread (Perfect for Holiday Baking And Cookie Cutters!)

• Roll out half the dough between two sheets of baking paper until it’s ½ cm (0.2 inches) thick. Rolling between two pieces of baking paper stop the dough from sticking to your rolling pin and makes transferring to the fridge to chill much easier.
• Place it flat on a baking tray and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. This makes cutting and transferring the cookies easier. Repeat with the remaining dough.

• Once it’s chilled, peel the paper away. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
• Transfer to a lined baking tray using a spatula.

• Bake for 30 minutes.

Why the long baking time? It helps make these biscuits a little more on the crisp side! Especially ones rolled out as thing as this style.

30 Minute Tin Option (Scottish Style)

For step-by-step photos, check out my Vanilla Shortbread Biscuits.

• Press the dough into a lined 22cm / 9-inch square baking tin. Use a flat-bottomed cup or glass to smooth it out evenly.
• Bake) for 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, pre-slice with a sharp knife, and dock with a fork if you want that classic shortbread look.
• Bake for another 10-15 minutes until lightly golden. Let it cool completely in the tin before lifting it out using the baking paper.

Pro Tip: Press gently when flattening the dough. Pushing too hard can make the biscuits dense.

Chocolate Coating (Optional, but Delicious!)

• Melt dark cooking chocolate (I use Nestlé baking chocolate) with vegetable, canola, or coconut oil over a double boiler. The oil thins the chocolate for a smooth, even coating.
• Dip the cooled biscuits into the melted chocolate, letting the excess drip off. Gently scrape the bottom against the bowl to prevent dripping, then place them on baking paper to set. This helps keep the chocolate from pooling around the biscuits.

To microwave: Melt the chocolate and oil together in a heatproof bowl by microwaving in 20-second bursts, stirring after each until smooth. Alternatively, you can use a double boiler for gentle melting. This is what I do if I have time because it melts much gentler and I feel hardens up much nicer too.

Tips & Tricks For Recipe Success!

• Measure out using kitchen scales – Measuring out your ingredients by weight and not cups is the best way to get consistent results every time. I wrote all about this in my post about using digital kitchen scales to measure out ingredients!
• Use room temperature butter, make sure it’s properly softened. I have a full guide on how to soften your butter to get the best results. Explain why it’s important to this recipe from a science point of view.
• Chill time is important – especially when rolling the dough or forming it into a log to slice it. It makes working with the dough much easier.

How To Store Your Biscuits

Keep these biscuits in an airtight container in a cool dark spot and they’ll stay fresh for two months. That makes them perfect for holiday gift giving or making ahead of time. But like anything baked, they’re at their best when they’re fresh.

Tried this recipe and loved it? Awesome! Drop me a comment below and tell me about it! Can’t wait to hear how it turned out for you! You can also keep up to date with me during the week by joining me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!