Welcome back to my virtual holiday cookie swap! I’m sharing my personal favorite cookies recipes, plus my baking secrets from a professional baker (That’s me!) In today’s cookie recipe, I’m sharing a twist on the age-old shortbread cookies…add some cocoa. And I’m upping my cookie game with cut outs of reindeers and stars and a little gold leaf for extra sparkle!

Are you joining me on this year’s virtual cookie swap? Don’t forget that you can find all of the virtual cookie swap recipes and baking tips on the blog, in case you missed any recipes. And, if you want me to email all of the recipes and tips to you, you can sign up right here.
Always Use Quality Ingredients
Everyone always asks me what the secret to my cookies and Southern desserts. What makes everything you bake so good?? I always say the same thing: it’s all about the ingredients.
Cookie baking secret from the pro: The secret to these cookies and any cookie is using quality Cocoa like Ghiradelli’s for a chocolatey buttery taste. Just like using great chocolate, I advise you don’t skimp on the quality of your ingredients when making shortbread cookies. Using just any old brand of flour, butter and sugar, you will taste the difference with superior ingredients. Always use the best quality ingredients that you can find.
Tips For Making Chocolate Short Bread Cookies
There’s no need to chill this chocolate shortbread cookie dough unless you want to slice-and-bake instead of doing cut outs. (If you’re making slice-and-bake, you’ll need the dough to be firmer, so that’s why you might want to chill the dough.)
These delicious, buttery chocolate cookies are great for rolling out and cutting. Most people cut them out in rounds, but I fell my holiday cookie cutters calling. Some stars and reindeers with a bit of gold for glitz where the perfect choice for my cookie swap trays. (There’s alway pressure in my neighborhood for me to make the best cookies!)
If you’re wondering where to find cookie tools or the edible gold leaf, don’t forget that you can shop my cookie baking essentials anytime.
One or two reindeer may be missing a back leg and I may or may not have eaten said leg. Call it the perks of the job!
Not in the mood for cut-out cookies with cookie cutters? To make slice-and-bake-cookies with this dough, simply, roll the dough into a log, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Once chilled, cut the cookies into equal slices and bake.
There’s no need to chill the dough otherwise.
Tada! The perfect chocolate shortbread cookies for the holiays!


Cookie Swap: Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300° and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Have all ingredients at room temperature before mixing.
- In the bowl of a heavy duty mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract until creamy.
- Add cocoa, blend well.
- Gradually add flour. If batter is stiff, work last of the flour in with your hands.
- Roll dough onto 1/8” – 1/4” thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters and place on baking sheet.
- Bake 30 minutes or just until firm. Let sit on cookie sheet 2-3 minutes before removing and placing on cooling rack.
Notes
- Before mixing, have ingredients at room temperature and the oven preheated.
- Use the very best cocoa for this recipe. The chocolate is the star of this recipe.
- No chilling before baking…you’re welcome!
Join Minette’s Cookie Swap This Year!
So, what about you? Did you join my Cookie Swap and make the snowball cookies? I’d love to see your comments and experience with this recipe. Leave me a comment below and we can talk all things cookie swap and Southern snowball recipes!
Remember, I’ll send you all of this year’s cookie swap recipes right to your Inbox, plus share my cookie baking secrets, so don’t forget to sign up for my cookie swap emails right here.
Join Minette’s Cookie Swap right here and see all of this year’s Cookie Swap recipes!
Join Minette Rushing & C’mon In The Kitchen
C’mon in the kitchen with Minette Rushing Custom Cakes! For more of my baking secrets and Southern dessert recipes, be sure to follow along on the blog while I share cookies recipes, my best cake recipes and delicious recipes for fillings and how to make frosting recipes and so much more!
You can also shop all of my baking essentials and tools, so you’re fully equipped to join me in the kitchen for all things sweet and Southern. If you’re looking for the recipes that built my business and other business tips, please check out my cake business shop where I’ll show you how to build the cake business of your dreams, just like I did.
C’mon in the kitchen with me!
XOXO
Minette
Did You Make These Chocolate Shortbread Cookies?
Leave me a comment below and a recipe rating if you made my chocolate shortbread cookies.
I’d love to hear from you! Let me know how it went and let me know if you have any baking questions.
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