Buttery Salted Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

These melt-in-your-mouth Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies are nothing like a classic chocolate chip cookie! They are thick and buttery soft, loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chips, and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes. They are a must-make this holiday season!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• No chilling of the cookie dough is needed!
• Thick, buttery-soft chocolate chip shortbread cookies that melt in your mouth.
• Zero eggs are needed to make this chocolate chip shortbread cookie recipe!
• Makes two dozen cookies, the perfect amount!
• A tasty sweet-and-salty combo when you add flaky sea salt on top!
• This shortbread recipe can easily be doubled!
• Perfect for a cookie swap or for sharing with family during the holidays!

These salted chocolate chip shortbread cookies are incredibly easy to make, and your friends and family will love them!

Enjoy!

What You Will Need

The ingredients in the image below go into these buttery soft, chocolate chip shortbread cookies. Key ingredients that need more explanation are in the bulleted list.

• All-Purpose Flour. My go-to brand is always King Arthur.
• Unsalted Butter. I have used Kirkland, Plugra, and Kerrygold. Any of them will work well in this recipe.
• Light Brown Sugar. ALDI has the best light brown sugar, and Trader Joe’s is a close second. Use whatever you have on hand!
• Vanilla Extract. I also recommend trying vanilla paste! It has a more concentrated flavor, and you can see the vanilla bean specks in the cookie dough.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Ghirardelli is one of my favorites and what I used here, but go with what you have on hand!
• Sea Salt Flakes. Do not mix these up with table salt! This optional ingredient goes on top of the chocolate chip shortbread cookies just before baking. If you want a good brand, Malden makes really great sea salt flakes.

For quantities and instructions, please see the recipe card below.

Bringing Unsalted Butter to Room Temperature

We all forget to set the butter out 30-45 minutes before baking so it can soften. If that happens, pop the butter in the microwave and heat it for 30-45 seconds at 50% power. That should do the trick!

If your butter is frozen, you may have to repeat this 2-3 times. Just remember to heat it at 50% power! On full power, you will end up with a puddle of melted butter, and that is no fun to clean up, trust me.

Swaps and Alternatives

Here are a few swaps to consider when making this chocolate chip shortbread cookie recipe.

• Swap out the butter. You can use salted butter instead of unsalted. Just leave the salt out of the ingredient list.
• Skip the light brown sugar. If you do not have light brown sugar, you can leave it out. Increase the granulated sugar to 1/2 cup.
• Try powdered sugar. For a slightly softer cookie, use 1/4 cup of powdered sugar in place of the light brown sugar.
• Use chocolate chunks. Instead of chocolate chips, chop up 7 ounces of dark chocolate and fold it into the dough.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here is a brief overview of how to make these easy chocolate chip shortbread cookies. The full printable recipe, in US customary or metric measurements (switch with the toggle), is in the recipe card below.

Step 1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. Set aside.

Step 2. Beat the butter and sugars together on medium-high speed until well blended. Add the vanilla extract.

Step 3. Lower the mixer speed to low, gradually add the whisked dry ingredients, and mix until just combined.

Step 4. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Step 5. Scoop the dough with a 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop and place the balls about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Flatten them slightly with the bottom of a glass or jar.

Step 6. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 300ºF. If you like, top the cookies with sea salt flakes before baking. When done, cool them completely on a wire rack.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

To store chocolate chip shortbread cookies, let them cool completely before moving them into a well-sealed food container.

To freeze chocolate chip shortbread cookies, follow the same steps as above. I suggest placing a sheet of wax paper between each layer so they do not stick together in the freezer. The cookies keep in the freezer for up to 4 months. When you are ready to eat, let them sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes, or reheat them for 30 seconds in the microwave or toaster oven.

To freeze chocolate chip shortbread cookie dough, make the dough, then scoop it into balls on a parchment- or wax paper-lined baking sheet and flatten with the bottom of a jar. Freeze until solid, then move to a well-sealed freezer bag or container. When ready, sprinkle sea salt flakes on top (optional), then bake. You may need to add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.

Helpful Tips

Here are a few tips for making the best chocolate chip shortbread cookies!

• Softened, room-temperature butter is best. Letting the unsalted butter come to room temperature helps it blend well with the granulated and light brown sugars.
• Use a 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop. To yield 24 cookies, I recommend the 1 1/2-tablespoon scoop. A 1-tablespoon scoop will give you more cookies if you prefer.
• Fold in your chocolate chips. I always recommend folding chocolate chips into the dough with a spatula instead of the mixer.
• Sprinkle with sea salt. This step is optional, but wow, adding sea salt flakes on top of each chocolate chip shortbread cookie is THE BEST. I highly recommend it.
• Use a small glass or jar. Flatten the cookies slightly with a small glass or jar. No Hulk strength needed; a gentle press will do the trick.
• Let the cookies cool. These are fairly soft once they come out of the oven. Let them cool for about 5-10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.

Recipe FAQs

Are there eggs in these chocolate chip shortbread cookies?

No eggs are needed in this recipe! Without them, you get a nicely crisp, crumbly texture when you bite into these buttery chocolate chip shortbread cookies.

Do you need to refrigerate chocolate chip shortbread cookies?

Not this recipe! Just make it, then bake it!

Can you freeze chocolate chip shortbread cookie dough?

Yes! You can freeze chocolate chip shortbread cookie dough (scooped into balls, then slightly flattened with a small jar) or the baked cookies. Make sure the cookies have cooled completely before freezing. They keep in the freezer for up to 4 months. If baking from frozen, you may need to add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.

If you tried these Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know what you thought in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!