Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread Cookies
I look for the Hershey's candy cane kisses as soon as the Halloween candy is out of the stores. That is how much I love these bars! They look super impressive on a cookie tray, and they taste amazing! Even though they appear quite fancy, the recipe is really simple and easy to make. Be sure to add these beautiful, festive bars to your Christmas baking this year.
YIELD : 30 cookies
Equipment
- 13x9x2" metal baking pan
- electric hand or stand mixer
- offset spatula
Ingredients
To make the shortbread base:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk
- butter to grease the pan
Chocolate & peppermint topping:
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped or you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips (I have also used just 4 oz of bittersweet and it turns out fine.)
- 1 cup Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses chopped (measure after chopping) or use chopped peppermint candy canes
- 3 ounces white chocolate melted
Instructions
Make the shortbread base:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Butter the pan. Cut out a piece of parchment paper which will line the bottom of the pan, but will be longer than the size of the pan. You will use this overhang to lift the cookie bars out of the pan.
- Combine the flour and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the butter to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. This should take about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, ¼ cup at a time, beating between additions. Make sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl between additions.
- Add the vanilla, mix and then add the egg yolk and beat to combine.
- Add the flour mixture slowly to the butter mixture. Mix until just blended.
- Drop by tablespoons into the prepared pan. Moisten your fingers with water and press the dough so that it is evenly distributed. Pierce the dough all over with a fork.
- Bake in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and slightly puffed. Remove from the oven and proceed immediately to topping.
Add the chocolate toppings:
- Sprinkle the chopped bittersweet (or semi-sweet) chocolate over the shortbread and let stand until it has melted, about 3 minutes. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate to a thin even layer. Immediately top with chopped candy cane kisses or chopped candy cane.
- Place the white chocolate in a glass microwave safe bowl and cook on high for 10 seconds. Stir and then cook again for another 10 seconds. Repeat until the white chocolate is just melted. (Don't overheat)
- I add the melted white chocolate to a small plastic bag and then cut a corner off. Now you can use this simple icing bag to drizzle the melted white chocolate on top. Let the bars cool to room temperature. (A couple of hours)
- Move to the refrigerator and chill for 15 minutes or up to 30 minutes. (Don't chill longer or when you cut the bars the chocolate will separate from the shortbread.) Using the parchment paper overhang, pull the cookie out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and, using a large knife, cut the bars into triangles and irregular pieces.
- If you have only chilled for 15 minutes the chocolate will still be soft. Return the bars to the refrigerator and chill until solid.
- Store in the refrigerator or freeze, layering with wax paper so they do not stick together. They can be frozen for up to a month.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 198kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 30mgPotassium: 51mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 200IUCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!