Cocoa Shortbread Bites

November 17, 2016 - By Chrissy

By: Ally from Ally’s Sweet & Savory Eats

I don’t know about you but I’m ready to bring out all my feelings for the holidays. It’s November and I’m ready!

One of my fondest memories from growing up is baking with my mom during the holidays. Although she won’t admit it, she is one of the best. Her specialties include her famous Sour Cream Sugar Cookies, the classic Peanut Blossom and this incredible sandwich cookie that I’ve attempted multiple times, yet still have not mastered.

Beyond baking, I’m also gearing up for holiday gift giving. I have publicly vowed on my blog that I’m going to get my butt in gear this year and not be shopping and wrapping the last few days before Christmas. I’m hoping, praying and crossing all my fingers and toes that I am FINISHED by December 1st.

I want to experience the month of December through the joys of the holiday. I do not want to be worried about my “lists”. I do not want to be scurrying around like a made woman. I want to attend parties, play in the snow with my kids and bake to my hearts content, fully knowing I AM DONE. Anyone want to do this with me?

I fully realize Thanksgiving is BEFORE Christmas {don’t send hate mail}, but I’m a planner through and through. I technically don’t start my holiday baking prior to America’s biggest meal in late November….I just make lists, upon lists, upon lists. I can’t help it! Try it, it makes you feel super organized.

Again, since I run a food blog, I tend to work on recipes prior to when the rest of the world is thinking about them. But hey, my family loves it! When my kids saw I was dipping cookies in chocolate they thought something special was happening because “Mommy never dips cookies in chocolate”. Oh but I do, when it comes to holiday cookies!

Now, I love an easy drop cookie that only requires mixing the dough, chilling the dough, baking the dough and eating the dough. But sometimes I enjoy a cookie that gives me a break, you know? This version has the dough come together one day, then chills for a WHOLE DAY, then bakes the following day.

It does sound like a process, but let me tell you, these short spurts helped me tremendously. By breaking up the steps I didn’t have to allocate a whole afternoon to cookies. I simply worked on them over the course of the weekend. Hello, I have three kids under the age of 7. Anything I do tends to get interrupted.

Put these Cocoa Shortbread Bites on your holiday baking to-do list. Please. Don’t make me come and hunt you down.

Cocoa Shortbread Bites

Ingredients:

1 c. unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 c. flour
6 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ c. sugar
2 regular sized Hershey chocolate bars
2 t. coconut oil

Instructions:

In a medium stainless steel sauce pan melt the butter over medium heat, stirring until the butter turns golden and small brown bits start to form in the bottom of the pan, will take about 5 minutes. Pour the butter into a bowl and place in the fridge for 30 minutes or until semi-firm.
Meanwhile grease an 8×8 glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Remove the butter from the fridge and place in a stand mixer beating for 1-2 minutes or until creamy. Sift in the dry ingredients {flour, sugar, cocoa}. Combine until the dough starts to come together. Press it together and form it into the greased dish, pressing down until flat. With a sharp knife cut the dough {only ¼ down} into 24 pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cut cookies along the already scoured lines. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely.
In a small bowl combine the broken up Hershey bars and coconut oil. Microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Take cooled cookies and dip halfway into the melted chocolate. Place back on the baking sheet to firm up. If the chocolate has trouble setting up, place back in the fridge. Store in an airtight container for up to a week, or the freezer for up to one month.