Keep chunks below 1/4 inch so the knife can cut 1/2-inch slices without splitting them.
Chocolate-heavy log slices have chunky inclusions, a granulated-sugar snap and a flaky-salt finish.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Salted Chocolate-Chunk Christmas Shortbread Recipe
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Total time includes hands-on preparation, required chilling or resting, whole-batch cooking, cooling and finishing.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- mixing bowl
- mixer
- kitchen scale
- two 13 x 18-inch half sheets
- parchment
- sharp knife
- ruler
- plastic wrap
- wide spatula
- cooling rack
Ingredients
US measures are approximate. Gram weights help keep portions consistent; spice weights vary with density.
Instructions
Mix the dough
- Mix the dough: Beat butter and granulated sugar for 1 minute, then mix in flour and fine salt just until cohesive. Fold in chopped chocolate.
Shape and manage temperature
- Shape and manage temperature: Form two 6-inch logs about 1 3/4 inches wide. Wrap and chill 120 minutes. Slice each into twelve 1/2-inch rounds; if a chunk causes a split, press the slice back together. Distribute flaky salt over tops.
Bake the whole batch
- Bake the whole batch: Heat oven to 325°F (165°C) conventional or 300°F (150°C) fan. Arrange cookies on two parchment-lined 13 x 18-inch half sheets, 12 cookies per tray, with at least 1 inch between edges. Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack, keeping the waiting tray refrigerated for 20–24 minutes, rotating front to back once, until the edges and bases are lightly golden and the centers look dry. Whole-batch cookie baking is 2 trays x up to 24 minutes = 48 minutes.
Cool and finish
- Cool and finish: Rest 10 minutes on each tray, then cool 20 minutes on a rack before serving or packing. Cooling includes the tray rest.
Timing and scaling
- Timing and scaling: Active preparation is 20 minutes; required chill/rest is 120 minutes; whole-batch oven baking is 48 minutes; cooling/setting is 30 minutes. Cooling allowance runs from the final tray; earlier trays may cool during later baking and that overlap is not counted again. Start with butter at the stated consistency; ingredient warm-up and frozen-dough thawing are extra. Oven preheating can overlap shaping or chilling. Scale every ingredient weight but keep piece dimensions, oven temperature and per-tray bake range unchanged; extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
The large chocolate load interrupts the crumb and distinguishes these from a plain flavored shortbread.
Technique & texture
Keep chunks below 1/4 inch so the knife can cut 1/2-inch slices without splitting them.
Finishing & serving
Fine salt seasons the dough; the tiny flaky-salt finish is a separate contrast and should be measured by volume.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 5 days | Up to 5 days. Store completely cooled cookies airtight in a cool, dry room, with parchment between layers. Keep away from moist filled cookies. |
| Refrigeration | up to 7 days | Unnecessary; up to 7 days if needed. Baked refrigeration is unnecessary for these unfilled cookies and may soften the crumb. If the room is warm, seal airtight and bring to room temperature while still covered. |
| Raw freezing | 1 month | Up to 1 month. Freeze tightly wrapped logs airtight. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator until a knife can cut without cracking; slice cold and bake using the stated per-tray range. Allow additional thawing time beyond the fresh-batch timings. |
| Baked freezing | 2 months | Up to 2 months. Freeze fully cooled cookies airtight with parchment between layers. Thaw in their sealed container at room temperature for about 1–2 hours. |
| Restoring | As described | Serve after thawing; optional 3–5-minute refresh. For plain unfilled cookies only, refresh at 300°F (150°C) conventional or 275°F (135°C) fan for 3–5 minutes, then cool 20 minutes before sealing. This is extra time beyond the fresh recipe. |
Notes
- Scale ingredients, including US measures, without changing cookie size or oven temperature. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Nutrition
Approximate values per portion from the listed ingredient weights divided into 24 equal portions. Includes required fillings and finishes. Brands, unused coatings and actual portion size affect the estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use full-size chocolate chips?
Small chopped pieces cut more cleanly; large chips can tear the chilled slices.
Why two hours of chilling?
The logs need to be firm enough to hold chocolate-heavy slices when cut.
Should I omit the fine salt if using flaky salt?
No; fine salt is mixed through the dough and the approximately 0.5 g flakes finish the surface.
