Chocolate Nut shortbread cookies
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 Makes 4 dozen shortbread cookies.
2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour 3/4 cup cocoa 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or Kosher salt ( plus extra for sprinkles) 1 and 1/2 cups butter, softened, not melted 1 and 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs (if small, use 2) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup toasted and chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts |
- Whisk flour, salt, cocoa, cinnamon, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl or your stand mixer or in another mixing bowl, beat softened butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating a tiny bit after each addition. Pour in the vanilla and beat until combined.
- Carefully stir in the flour mixture, then beat on low speed until just mixed through - not too much.
- Toast the nuts on a cookie sheet in the oven or in a skillet on low heat. Don't burn or brown them - toast just a bit. Stir into cookie dough.
- Remove dough from bowl and roll out into two logs about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the rolls separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight, if desired.
- Cover a cookie sheet with baking parchment or grease it with butter.
- Remove plastic wrap from dough logs and cut into round slices about 1/2-inch thick. Place slices on the cookie sheet about 1-inch apart and sprinkle with just a bit of Kosher or coarse sea salt.
- Bake in preheated 325 degree oven until just done - about 12 minutes or so. (Press lightly in the center to see if it springs back a bit). Don't bake too long - with chocolate cookies, it's hard to tell when they're done.
