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These Dark Chocolate Drizzled Sea Salt Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies are sweet, salty, and are filled with the most wonderful nutty browned butter flavor!
Happy Sunday, everyone!
I am so excited to share with you all yet another cookie recipe, which is sure to get you all into the holiday spirit. These shortbread cookies are one of our ALL TIME favorite cookies ever, and I know you’re going to love them, too! After those lovely Chewy Ginger Molasses cookies I posted the other day, I knew I waned to switch things up a bit with a shortbread, and these are the best shortbread cookies we have ever had!
Christmas is fast approaching, and I have way too many recipes to share before the big day. Although I wont be able to get to everything this season, these shortbread cookies are one I knew I had to share before Christmas is over.
Before too long, life will be back to normal with a little less cookie making in our lives; so lets all enjoy the Christmas cookie madness while we still have an excuse! Next month I will be focusing more on healthy-ish (warning: I can’t make any promises) dinners, which I’m sure you’ll be relieved to see after all this sugar consumption.
While we are all consuming an ungodly amount of sugar this Christmas, you’ll want to make sure to add these Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies to your must bake list this holiday season. These cookies are just way too good to pass up.
Today is the perfect baking day. Outside is dark and stormy and snow is starting to fall. The mountains are covered in mist and the inside of our home is dimly lit with twinkling Christmas lights. Its just so homey and my heart is full!
Have I mentioned how much I love stormy weather? I am so glad we live somewhere with all four season; its just not the same to live somewhere that doesn’t snow during Christmas time.
Cookies and snowfall are two of the best December combinations ever. So lets get to the basics of these lovely brown butter shortbread cookies so you can get baking, shall we?
Here’s the rundown:
The base for these cookies is really simple and only requires a handful of kitchen ingredients which you probably already have in your panty.
You will start by browning the butter. If you have never browned butter before, don’t be intimidated- its so easy! Browned butter is one of my best kept secrets, which I guess isn’t really a secret anymore. I do tent to post a lot of browned butter goodness. The flavor just can’t be beat!
In a medium saucepan, you will melt the butter over medium high heat. As the butter melts and bubbles, it will eventually start to foam and have a nutty aroma. As the foam begins to subside and has an amber color, its time to take off the heat. Put the browned butter in a heat proof bowl, and set in the freezer until it solidifies, about an hour.
When the browned butter is firm, take out of the freezer and add to a stand mixer. If you don’t have a stand mixer, by hand with a wooden spoon works as well. Cream the butter, brown sugar and vanilla.
On low, you will then add the flour and salt and mix until fully combined. The mixture may seem crumbly, thats ok!
Using parchment paper, you will squeeze and roll the dough into a 12 inch long log. Place in the freezer for an additional 30 minutes, or until firm enough to slice.
Slice the dough, arrange on a cookie sheet and bake!
When the cookies are done baking, melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof glass. Dip or drizzle the dark chocolate over the shortbread cookies, and sprinkle with a little but of sea salt. Allow the cookies to cool at room temperature until the chocolate hardens, or place the cookies in the freezer for 15 minutes to speed up the process.
Then EAT!
As always I love to hear from you! Leave a rating and comment below and let me know how these turn out for you!
If you make this, be sure to tag #butternutandsageblog on Instagram!
Recipe
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ sticks salted butter
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 16 oz. good quality dark chocolate bars, melted
- coarse sea salt for tops (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat. As the butter melts and bubbles, it will eventually start to foam and have a nutty aroma. As the foam begins to subside and has an amber color, its time to take off the heat. Put the browned butter in a heat proof bowl, and set in the freezer until it solidifies, about an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Once the butter is firm, cream the butter, vanilla and brown sugar in a stand mixer until smooth. On low, slowly add the flour and salt. Mix until fully combined and crumbly.
- Dup the crumbly dough onto parchment paper, and use your hands to form and shape into a log. Roll the log in the parchment paper until it measures about 12 inches long. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes, until the dough is firm enough to slice with a sharp kitchen knife.
- Slice into 1 inch slices, and arrange on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Set on a cooling rack to cool.
- While the cookies are cooling, melt the dark chocolate bars in a heat proof bowl in the microwave for 30 second intervals. Stir each time. Melt until just combined and smooth. Be careful not to over heat the chocolate- if it gets too hot it will become thick and wont drizzle.
- Dip or drizzle each shortbread cookie, and sprinkle with the coarse sea salt if using. ENJOY
Love brown butter? You may also love this Browned Butter Balsamic Ravioli with Walnuts
and these… Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Browned Butter Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting
OH…MY….GOSH!!! Definitely rates as one of my all time FAVORITE cookies! Seriously. UNBELIEVABLY mouthwatering!😋💖
This makes me so happy!!! So glad you love them so much! These are definitely a favorite around here, too!
I have had the brown butter cookies and they are the best! But added chocolate yes please!
Thank you, Laurel! These are definitely the BEST shortbread cookies!!! I’m sure you will love the dark chocolate version, too!
You had me at shortbread!
Add the dark chocolate and sea salt and oh, my, gosh!
I would LOVE to see you post some of the recipes you have for the savory browned butter shortbread “cookies”. I think you had one with rosemary, but l’m not sure, I just remember it was really good.
Looking forward to many more recipes.
Browned butter and dark chocolate are two of the best things ever! I believe you’re thinking about those browned butter rosemary apricot bites… I will definitely have to blog about those!