Chocolate Pecan Shortbread

Made with dark chocolate and crunchy pecans and finished with a sprinkling of sea salt, this simple, seven-ingredient recipe is my favorite recipe for chocolate pecan shortbread. These slice-and-bake style cookies pair nicely with a cup of tea or coffee, and they also make a lovely homemade gift.

What Inspired This Chocolate Pecan Shortbread Recipe?

While I love a fancy cake or a big, bakery-style cookie as much as the next person, there are times when nothing beats a simple “slice and bake” style shortbread biscuit. Traditional shortbread recipes consist of just a few staple ingredients: butter, flour, sugar, and sometimes a pinch of salt. However, these days there are plenty of creative shortbread recipes available, of both the sweet and savory varieties. You’ll find shortbread cookies flavored with citrus, dried fruit, rose petals, and even Earl Grey tea.

Packed with dark chocolate, pecans, and sea salt, these chocolate pecan shortbread cookies definitely fall into the “creative” category. And while I know that people have very, very strong opinions on whether or not nuts belong in a chocolate chip cookie (it’s long been a subject of “controversy” with fans of the famous chocolate chip cookies at New York City’s Levain Bakery, so much so that after many years they’ve finally introduced a walnut-free version to meet customer demand), I think pecans work perfectly here!

Chocolate Pecan Shortbread Recipe Ingredients

• Butter – Shortbread recipes always contain three staple ingredients: flour, sugar, and butter. Lots of butter. Unsalted butter works best for this recipe, because you’re also adding a sprinkling of sea salt on top of each cookie. If you do opt for salted butter, omit the fine sea salt from the dough to avoid an overly salty finished product.
• Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar adds sweetness and promotes browning. You can replace it with another grainy white sugar (caster, superfine) but for accuracy, I recommend measuring by weight rather than volume. Too much sugar can cause the cookies to over-spread as they bake.
• Flour – All purpose flour (plain flour in the UK) forms the shortbread dough base. To learn more about how I convert US to UK recipes, see my guide to types of flour.

• Sea Salt – A pinch of fine sea salt balances the sweetness of the dough, while a sprinkling of flaky sea salt (or coarse sea salt) adds a salty-sweet contrast. Halen Mon and Maldon make my preferred sea salts for finishing.
• Pecans – Chopped pecans add texture and crunch. Unless you need to make these cookies nut-free for dietary reasons, I do not recommend skipping the pecans; they add a nutty note that really does place this recipe a step above standard chocolate chip. And as a bonus, you can turn the rest of the bag into homemade maple pecans!
• Chocolate – You’ll need 100 grams (2/3 cup, or about 3 1/2 ounces) of dark chocolate or chocolate chunks. Choose a good-tasting, good-quality chocolate, rather than chocolate chips (although those will also work in a pinch!)

Chocolate Pecan Shortbread Tips and Tricks

• Do not skip the chilling steps. Chilling the log of dough for at least one hour will make it much easier to slice. Meanwhile, chilling the individual slices keeps the butter nice and cold, preventing the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
• Use a sharp knife. Use a very sharp knife when slicing your shortbread log. A dull knife will produce ragged-looking slices, and might cause your dough to crumble.

• Choose good chocolate. For maximum flavor, opt for a good-quality dark chocolate for this recipe, rather than grocery store chocolate chips. Brands such as Guittard, Ghirardelli, Valrhona, or Callebaut are all solid choices.
• Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Top your unbaked cookies with a sprinkling of coarse sea salt or flaky sea salt—fine sea salt will disappear into the dough. And if you’re not a fan of the sweet-and-salty combo, you can finish your shortbread cookies with a sprinkling of Demerara or sanding sugar instead.

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Chocolate Pecan Shortbread

Recipe by becky

• Total TimeAbout 2 hours
• Yield18 2-inch round cookies 1x

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A recipe for chocolate pecan shortbread biscuits with dark chocolate, crunchy pecans, and flaky sea salt.

Ingredients

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120 grams unsalted butter (8 1/2 tablespoons; 4 1/2 ounces), softened
50 grams granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
192 grams all purpose flour (1 1/2 cups)
Pinch fine sea salt
100 grams chopped dark chocolate, or chocolate chunks (2/3 cup; 3 1/2 ounces)
50 grams chopped pecans (1/2 cup)
Coarse or flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

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Instructions

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix butter and granulated sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add all purpose flour and fine sea salt, and mix on low speed until mixture resembles breadcrumbs, about 30 seconds more.

With a bench scraper, work in the dark chocolate and chopped pecans. Use your hands to finish bringing the ingredients together until a soft dough forms.

Shape dough into a log, approximately 9 long and about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 355° F (180° C). Line a half sheet rimmed baking tray with parchment or a silicone baking mat.

Unwrap log. With a sharp chef’s knife, slice into 1/2-inch-thick slices. You should have about 18 slices total.

Arrange on prepared tray. Sprinkle with coarse or flaky sea salt.

Freeze tray for 10 minutes, or refrigerate for 30 minutes if your tray doesn’t fit in the freezer.

Bake in preheated for 20-22 minutes, or until very lightly golden brown around the edges

Remove from oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store chocolate pecan shortbread biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

 

Equipment

callebaut 54.5%

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chopped pecans

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flaky sea salt

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• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Chilling Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20-22 minutes
• Category: Biscuits and Cookies
• Method: Oven

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

To make ahead: You can make the shortbread dough up to 24 hours in advance. Shape it into a log, wrap in clingfilm/plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you’re ready to slice and bake your cookies.

To freeze: Layer cooled cookies between sheets of parchment and freeze in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature.

Other Shortbread Recipes You Might Enjoy

Funfetti Slice and Bake Shortbread
Shortbread with Spring Flowers
Apricot and Rosemary Shortbread
Lavender Shortbread
Earl Grey Shortbread 

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!