12 Days of Cookies, 2016 - Day 4: Chocolate Shortbread Meltaways

Andrea Leeson, manager of the Kingston branch, donned her baker's cap to whip up these dainty treats from Back to Baking: 200 timeless recipes to bake, share, and enjoy.

These cookies have a chocolate intensity that balances with their buttery richness, and when piped onto a baking tray, they look like chocolate kisses. 

1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter,

   at room temperature

1 cup (250 mL) icing sugar, sifted

1 Tbsp (15 mL) vanilla extract

11/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour

1/3 cup (80 mL) Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
2 Tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius) and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

Cream the butter and icing sugar together until smooth.  Beat in the vanilla extract.

 

Add the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt, and beat until evenly incorporated.

 

Spoon the soft cookie dough into a piping bag fitted with a large plain tip, and pipe 1” (2.5 cm) “kisses” onto the baking trays, leaving a 2” space between the cookies.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, until they lift away from the parchment paper without sticking.

Let the cookies cool completely on the tray before removing. The cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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