World Peace Cookies

For Christmas last year, a friend asked a group of us if we wanted to participate in a cookie exchange. An abundance of baked goods to share and consume? Of course I was in.

She asked each of us to bake a different type of cookie, which sent me down a rabbit hole trying to decide what to make. I associate shortbread with the holidays and prefer them over a sugar cookie, but wanted to add a little oomph to a plain shortbread.

The conclusion: a chocolate shortbread.

In my opinion, everything can be improved upon by adding chocolate. Half the dessert recipes on this site has chocolate in them.

It's not surprising that Dorie Greenspan's chocolate shortbread (sablés chocolats) are considered the best, so much that they're called world peace cookies. Can these cookies actually bring world peace? Even in today's toxic political environment, I almost think they can.

World Peace Cookies
Barely adapted from Dorie Greenspan

I slightly decreased the amount of brown sugar and chocolate from the original recipe. I've never had issues with the dough but if you find it too crumbly, Dorie has some tips on her website.

Makes about 36 cookies.

1 1/4 cups (170 grams) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (28 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons; 5 1/2 ounces; 155 grams) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 ounces (112 grams) best-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped into irregular sized bits

Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars together on medium speed until soft, creamy and homogenous, about 3 minutes. Beat in the salt and vanilla. Turn off the mixer, add all the dry ingredients and pulse a few times to start the blending. When the risk of flying flour has passed, turn the mixer to low and beat until the dough forms big, moist curds. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix to incorporate.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and gather it together, kneading it if necessary to bring it together. Divide the dough in half. Shape the dough into logs that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Don't worry about the length - get the diameter right, and the length will follow. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and freeze them for at least 2 hours or refrigerate them for at least 3 hours.

When you're ready to bake: Centre a rack in the oven and preheat it to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Working with one log at a time and using a long, sharp knife, slice the dough into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. (The rounds might crack as you're cutting them - don't be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.) Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them. (If you've cut both logs, keep one baking sheet in the fridge while you bake the other.)

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes - don't open the oven, just let them bake. When the timer rings, they won't look done, nor will they be firm, and that's just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm or let them reach room temperature.

Bake the remaining dough.

Storing: The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you've frozen the dough, you needn't defrost it before baking - just bake the cookies 1 minute longer.