Almond Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies
Buttery shortbread cookies feature brown sugar, vanilla bean paste, dark chocolate chunks, and Marcona almonds.
Ingredients
- 255 grams high-quality salted butter (2-1/4 sticks), cold, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 55 grams light brown sugar (1/4 cup)
- 5 grams vanilla bean paste or extract (1 teaspoon)
- 325 grams all-purpose flour (2-1/2 cups)
- 140 grams semi-sweet or bittersweet dark chocolate (5 ounces), rough chopped
- 80 grams Marcona almonds (3 ounces), rough chopped
- 50 grams egg (1 large), beaten
- 30 grams turbinado sugar (2 tablespoons), for cookie edges
- 5 grams flaky sea salt (1 teaspoon)
Instructions
- Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the vanilla bean paste. Beat on low just until incorporated, about 15 seconds.
- Gradually add the flour, about 1 cup at a time, and beat on low, just until incorporated. Add the chocolate chunks and chopped Marcona almonds. If necessary, knead the dough on a smooth surface to ensure the flour, chocolate, and almonds are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough,
- Divide the cookie dough in half. Place one half on a piece of plastic. Roll into a log about 6-inhes log and a few inches in diameter. Wrap completely in the plastic and refrigerate for several hours. I like to place the logs in round drinking glasses, so the log takes the shape of the glass and does not have any edges that can flatten on a refrigerator shelf.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Remove one log of cookie dough from the refrigerator. Unwrap and place the dough on a cutting board and brush the sides of dough with the beaten egg. Roll the dough in turbinado sugar. Cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Place the rounds on the parchment, 9 to a cookie sheet. I use the bottom of a flat bottomed drinking glass to lightly press the cookies down. I use my fingers to shape the cookies into perfect round circles, if not perfect when cutting. Sprinkle the cookies with sea salt.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges and tops begin to brown.