This brown sugar shortbread is dipped in milk chocolate and sprinkled with pecans. They make excellent gifts for the holidays and have gluten-free, whole wheat and all-purpose flour options.
I first posted this gluten-free shortbread recipe on My Baking Addiction last year, but the holidays came and went before I got the chance to post them here. We’re only three days post-Thanksgiving, but I just couldn’t wait any longer to share these shortbread cookies.
I’m definitely a soft and chewy cookie type of gal. The only exceptions are these Swedish pepparkakor (ginger cookies) and shortbread.
I’d never made shortbread before I started working on this recipe because I always just assumed that a homemade version wouldn’t come close Walker’s, my favorite brand of shortbread.
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started trying out shortbread recipes. I tried 7 different recipes which basically only called for flour, butter and sugar but they all came out so differently.
What I learned was that if you want anything truly like Walker’s shortbread, you’re just going to have to buy it. And the type of sugar plays a huge role!
I tried some recipes with powdered sugar and that resulted in shortbread that melts in your mouth. It was okay but not what I was looking for. Then I made some recipes with brown sugar. SO much better.
Traditional shortbread doesn’t call for brown sugar (or vanilla, for that matter), but when something improves the flavor, I don’t really care about what’s traditional and what’s not. I bet you’ll agree with me after trying these buttery shortbread cookies, which have something of a caramelized flavor to them.
Something else I experienced is that rolling out cookie dough is far too fussy when you can just pat the dough into a tart pan, cut them into 8 pieces and call it a day. So much simpler, and I think they look pretty neat that way when dipped (or more like slathered) in chocolate and sprinkled with nuts.
I made these cookies with all-purpose flour and white whole wheat flour as well as this 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour. The gluten-free version was a little more sandy when you eat the cookies straight from the oven (which you shouldn’t do, anyway!), but after covering them in chocolate, it was hard to tell a difference.
Throughout the entire shortbread testing period, Mr. T kept telling me that he doesn’t really like shortbread and so he only wanted a small bite from every batch. After I gave him his tiny trial of these chocolate dipped shortbread, he was yelling, “More! More! More!” They’re seriously so good.
We enjoyed them so much that we decided to make them for our mailman, our neighbors and for anyone else we feel like gifting with something ridiculously delicious. I can pretty much promise that nobody would be let down when they open up a tin of these shortbread!
Chocolate Dipped Brown Sugar Shortbread (gluten-free, whole wheat, all-purpose flour options)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 8
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (75 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125 grams) white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour or 1 cup (138 grams) 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour
- 3/4 cup (128 grams) milk chocolate chips or chopped milk chocolate
- 1/3 cup (37 grams) finely chopped pecans (or other nuts)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (176 °C) and lightly grease a 9" (23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom. Place a rimmed cookie sheet that's large enough for your tart pan on the rack in the lower-third section of your oven.
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla at medium speed until combined.
- Gradually beat in the flour at low speed until the flour is well incorporated. Do not over mix!
- Press the dough onto the bottom of the prepared pan and using a fork, poke holes about every 1".
- Very carefully place the tart pan on the hot cookie sheet (this is catch any butter that may leak - which it shouldn't).
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, place the chopped nuts on a baking sheet. When you remove the shortbread from the oven, toast the nuts for about 3-6 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes, or until they smell toasty (the time will depend on how finely the nuts are chopped).
- Remove the shortbread from the oven and use a sharp knife to cut the shortbread into 8 wedges. The shortbread will be quite fragile so let it cool completely in the pan.
- Carefully remove the cookies from the pan using a spatula.
- Place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper on a baking sheet that will fit in your refrigerator.
- Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat while stirring frequently.
- Spoon the chocolate over the top and sides of a piece of shortbread and use the spoon to even it out. Place the shortbread on the parchment paper and sprinkle with nuts. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
- Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden. You could alternatively let the cookies sit at room temperature for about 2-3 hours or until the chocolate has hardened.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Source: My post on My Baking Addiction – Gluten-free Shortbread. Recipe adapted from One Bowl Baking by Yvonne Ruperti.
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40 comments on “Chocolate Dipped Brown Sugar Shortbread (gluten-free, whole wheat, all-purpose flour options)” — Add one!
3 comments are awaiting moderation!
These are yummy. The shortbread is nice and crispy and such a fun, attractive shape. I made them using measure for measure gluten free flour. I also added a sprinkle of sea salt caramel chips on top along with the toasted pecans. All of the flavors of sweet and salty work great together.
Thanks for the recipe. It’s a keeper. Our daughter is already looking forward to her own batch.
Sea salt caramel chips?! I’ve never heard of those. They sound delicious! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the cookies and that they came out well with the GF flour you tried. That’s a great tip! I hope your daughter will be happy with her own batch. I always eat my own batch within a few hours and so have forbidden myself from making them anymore. :D Thanks a ton for your comment!
I really wish that I could reach right in and grab one of these…heck one or two of these. I love the idea of patting the dough into a tart pan instead of rolling it out.
It makes it so much easier!
These look AMAZING! And I LOVE that there is a gluten-free option. These are happening. And side note, yes, I agree. When the flavor is improved, bye bye tradition. :)
Yay! I hope you’ll love them! And glad I’m not alone on that tradition thing. ;)
I am drooling over here! And I am a soft and chewy cookie kind of person too!
Always a good sign!
This looks amazing! did you ever try it with semisweet chocolate? I’m wondering how that would turn out.
Semi-sweet would be fine! I just prefer milk because it’s sweeter and softer. I think if you use semi-sweet, the cookies may be more crumbly when you eat them. Still delicious, though. :)
Shortbread perfection! This will be perfect for family dinner at my in-laws!
Hope they’ll like it!
This look wonderful – I absolutely adore shortbread. This is perfect for the holidays.
I couldn’t agree more!
I’ve never made a recipe like this before, but after reading this and seeing your pictures it’s safe to say I’m inspired!
Aww, thanks! :)
My mouth is seriously watering over this!!!
Thanks!
We love shortbread, especially when it’s dipped in chocolate! This looks wonderful!
Haha. It’s the best way!
My kids love shortbreads! They would go crazy for this recipe!
I hope you get to try it out!
I have never had shortbread cookies, sliced this way. They are so beautiful and lovely for gifting!
They really are! :D
I adore shortbread! This looks crazy good!
Thank you!
I love love love shortbread! I started my
Holiday baking and these are making it on the list.
Aww, yay! So happy to hear that. :)
Erin, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas! I love this recipe so much and I can’t wait to try it. Shortbread calls my name. I will be sharing this on my page and in Pinterest. Love!!!
Thanks so much for sharing! :)
Yes, yes, yes. I love everything about this.
Haha. Thanks!
I bet adding brown sugar to these cookies gives them the perfect flavor and texture…and chocolate only makes them better!
It really does! :D
I am a soft and chewy cookie person too. I have never cared much for shortbread because it isn’t sweet enough for me. But… the chocolate just might solve that problem. HA!! They really look pretty.
I promise you – these would be sweet enough with all that milk chocolate. ;) I hope you try them out!
Oh my goodness!! I adore shortbread and I can’t wait to make this!
Hope you’ll enjoy them!
I’m usually a soft and chewy cookie girl, too – but shortbread is a major weakness of mine. This has my belly rumblin’!
Always a good sign! ;)