Chocolate Chip Espresso Shortbread Bars
These Chocolate Chip Espresso Shortbread Bars are a delicious and easy treat to satisfy your sweet tooth. The recipe combines the rich flavors of chocolate and espresso creating a divine sweet treat to share with your family and friends.
Are you a fan of mochas? If so, next time you are hit with a chocolate craving, this is the recipe that you need to come back to.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You only need a few simple ingredients to help you make this treat, so you don’t have to spend a lot of money.
- No special equipment is needed so you don’t have to buy new kitchen equipment to make this easy recipe.
- It’s so easy that even beginners can make this make this.
🛒Ingredients
You will need a handful of basic kitchen staples to help you make this simple recipe. Gather these ingredients on your next trip to the grocery store so you can enjoy this homemade shortbread recipe.
- espresso powder
- boiling water
- butter
- powdered sugar
- vanilla
- salt
- flour
- mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Flake sea salt
See the recipe card below for quantities.
🔪 How to Make This Chocolate Chip Espresso Shortbread Bars
Making this espresso shortbread is simple. Just follow these step-by-step instructions or check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
Step 1: Make the espresso
Dissolve the espresso powder in the boiling water and set it aside to cool.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar together until smooth. Add in the cooled espresso and vanilla and beat until well mixed.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients
Add in the flour and salt and mix. Don’t beat it too long, just until the flour is incorporated. Stir in the mini chocolate chips and mix.
Step 4: Chill the dough
Get a gallon sized ziploc bag and put the cookie dough in the bag, but don’t seal it yet. Roll the dough so it fills the size of the bag, about ¼” thick. Seal the bag and place it flat into the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours.
Step 5: Cut the dough
Place the ziploc bag on a cutting board slice the edges of the bag and peel it away from the dough. Cut the cookies into 1 ½” squares.
Step 6: Bake the shortbread
Place on a baking tray about 1” apart. Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 18-20 minutes. Cool on rack.
Step 7: Drizzle the cooled cookies with chocolate
In a microwave safe bowl, slowly melt the remaining chocolate chips. Drizzle over the cooled cookies as desired. Sprinkle with flake sea salt if so desired.
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- Nuts – For a little crunch on top of the shortbread, add some chopped nuts onto the top of the drizzled chocolate.
- Chocolate – Use different types of chocolate, such as white chocolate or dark chocolate to drizzle on top.
- Zest – For a bright citrus flavor, top these shortbread bars with a sprinkle of orange or lemon zest.
Do you love chocolate shortbread? If so, next time give this Homemade Twix recipe a try.
🥄 Equipment
Gather these kitchen tools to help you make this coffee shortbread recipe to share with your family and friends:
- saucepan
- large bowl
- electric mixer
- gallon sized storage bag
- knife
- cookie sheet or baking sheet
- small bowl
🥫 Storage
Storage – Store leftover shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freezing – Shortbread can also be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to three months. Thaw it for a few hours on the counter at room temperature.
Serve With
Shortbread is great with a cup of your favorite coffee or hot tea. However, you can also pair it with your favorite meal such as Korean Bibimbap. No matter what you decide to serve with this homemade shortbread you will quickly fall in love with it.
💭 Tips
Here are a few tips that you can use to ensure that this recipe turns out perfectly for you when you make it. Use the tips to help bake these bars.
- Make sure the espresso powder is fully dissolved before you add it to your dough for the best flavor.
- Lining your baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or a piece of parchment paper will prevent sticking.
- Don’t skimp on the chill time, this allows your dough to set up fully.
- Make sure to allow the shortbread to cool before you remove it from the baking sheet.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
The secret to making shortbread is to use real butter. This is not the recipe to use a low-fat alternative.
Shortbread should be crispy but not crumbly.
Shortbread has a higher butter-to-flour ratio and uses a lower temperature which is what gives it that delicious buttery flavor.
🍽 More Chocolate Recipes
Do you enjoy chocolate? If so, give these recipes a try:
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this chocolate chip espresso shortbread bars recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Chocolate Chip Espresso Bars
Equipment
- Saucepan
- large bowl
- Electric mixer
- gallon sized storage bag
- Knife
- cookie sheet or baking sheet
- small bowl
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 1 tablespoon boiling water
- 1 cup butter softened
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups flour
- 4 ounces mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips for drizzling
- Flake sea salt
Instructions
- Dissolve the espresso powder in the boiling water and set it aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar together until smooth.
- Add in the cooled espresso and vanilla and beat until well mixed.
- Add in the flour and salt and mix. Don’t beat it too long, just until the flour is incorporated.
- Stir in the mini chocolate chips and mix.
- Get a gallon sized ziploc bag and put the cookie dough in the bag, but don’t seal it yet.
- Roll the dough so it fills the size of the bag, about ¼” thick.
- Seal the bag and place it flat into the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Place the ziploc bag on a cutting board and slice the edges of the bag and peel it away from the dough.
- Cut the cookies into 1 ½” squares.
- Place on a baking tray about 1” apart. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool on rack.
- In a microwave safe bowl, slowly melt the remaining chocolate chips.
- Drizzle over the cooled cookies as desired.
- Sprinkle with flake sea salt if so desired.
