Easy vegan shortbread cookies recipe with dark chocolate chunks, vanilla and cultured vegan butter. Also known as European sugar cookies or Christmas biscuits they make perfect treats to dunk in your coffee or to pack nicely as holiday gifts.
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Keyword Christmas cookies, plant based, vegan cookies
Bring the butter to room temperature until softened.
8 oz cultured vegan butter
In the bowl of your stand mixer add the sugars and butter and cream together until incorporated using the paddle attachment. Start on low speed and gradually move up to medium.
1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 8 oz cultured vegan butter
Add the vanilla extract then sprinkle in the flour, salt and chocolate chunks. Continue mixing until everything is incorporated.
2.5 cups all purpose flour, 1.5 tsp vanilla extract, 3.5 oz dark chocolate bar, 1/4 tsp sea salt
Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper and using your hands shape it into a long log. Roll it in the parchment paper to the size of a medium rolling pin. Twist the ends and refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes or so. (Alternatively you can place the dough between two large sheets of parchment paper and roll it out to 1/3 inch thickness. Chill 20 minutes then use a favorite cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. This method is recommended if you are doing a mix of dried fruit and nuts with the chocolate chunks).
Once the dough is set use a serrated knife (or cookies cutter ) and slice the dough into 1/3 inch slices. It should yield approximately 24 cookies. Place the cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet without touching one another. (Use two cookie sheets or work in batches if necessary.)
Meanwhile preheat your oven to 350”F. Bake your shortbread cookies for 15 to 17 minutes until lightly golden around the edges or done to your liking.
Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and sprinkle with a pinch of Fleur de Sel (sea salt flakes) if available. Allow to cool off completely before serving or drizzling with chocolate.
Fleur de Sel sea salt flakes
Notes
Nuts - You can swap the chocolate chunks in the recipe with equal parts chopped nuts: pistachios, pecans or walnuts are great additions.
Dried Fruit - Use 1/2 cup of dried cranberries or peanut butter chips.
Fancy - add in one teaspoon of lemon zest or orange peel, chopped rosemary or dried lavender flowers.