Our team wanted to find the perfect holiday cookie to share with you this month, something a little different than the classics, easy to flavor in your favorite way, and simple to make yet impressive to look at. And of course, they had to highlight some chocolate! These chocolate ganache filled shortbread cookies hit all the marks.
We know, they look and sound pretty fancy. But these can be made without specialized kitchen tools and we already know one person who was intimidated at the start but found they came together very easily!
First, choose a variety to make, or come up with your own original version, flavoring the ganache and or the cookies! A dark chocolate will balance the sweetness of the shortbread cookies, so we all opted to go that route!
Notes on cutting the cookies: You can use a circular cookie cutter or biscuit cutter to cut the cookies, or simply use the top of a glass dusted in flour. Create the indent with the bottom of a glass. A shot glass works well for small cookies (you can even use the top of the shot glass to cut the circles and the bottom to indent them)!
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookies:
1 cup (8oz) unsalted butter
¾ cup powdered sugar
1tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
2 cups all purpose flour
Ganache:
150g chocolate
75g heavy cream
Flavoring of your choice
PREPARATION
- Preheat the oven to 360 F
- Cream the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, hand mixer or a strong arm! Scrape down the bowl a few times while creaming.
- Add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing until it just comes together.
- Turn the bowl out onto a clean counter and use your hands to gather up the dough, gently pressing it into the ball.
- Lightly flour the counter and roll the dough out to between ⅛ and ¼ inch thick.
- Cut the dough into small circles.See notes on options for cutters and tools to indent the cookies.
- Place the cookies on a parchment covered baking sheet then use the bottom of a glass to gently indent the centers, doing your best not to crack the sides.
- Gather dough scraps and roll out once more, cutting and forming the cookies.
- Freeze cookies for about 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake for about 12-14 minutes, until the edges just start to slightly brown.
- While the cookies are baking, make your ganache. Heat cream to a gentle simmer and pour over chocolate. Let sit about 30 seconds, then stir until the chocolate has melted completely. See our notes above about flavoring your ganache!
- Immediately upon removing from the oven, use your glass to press down on the centers again, to ensure the indent remains. Slide parchment and cookies onto a cooling rack.
- Once the cookies have cooled, and the ganache is a pourable room temperature, assemble the cookies. Use a small spoon to fill the indent on each cookie with ganache. Top with crushed candy, citrus zest, nuts, etc if you wish!
- Let cookies set at room temperature for a few hours to set.
Let us know if you try out this recipe and tag us on social media to show us what you created!
