Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies Recipe

If you love buttery shortbread and chocolate chip cookies, you’ll love these chocolate chip shortbread cookies. They are crisp on the outside, soft in the middle, and packed with chocolate in every bite.

They’re quick to make and perfect with a cup of tea or coffee. Whether you’re baking with kids, prepping for guests, or just fancy a homemade treat, these cookies are always a hit.

What You Need

For the full recipe with measurements, scroll to the bottom of the post.

Butter

Butter is the star ingredient in shortbread, giving it that classic melt-in-the-mouth texture. Make sure it’s softened at room temperature so it’s easy to cream with the sugar.

Caster Sugar

Finer than granulated sugar, caster sugar blends smoothly into the butter and helps create a delicate crumb.

Plain Flour

You don’t need self-raising flour as there’s no rising agent in this recipe.

Chocolate Chips

You can use milk, dark, or white chocolate chips – or a mix of all three! Mini chocolate chunks or chopped chocolate also work well.

Making Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies – Step by Step

These cookies come together in no time, and there’s no fancy equipment needed — just a bowl, a spoon, and a baking tray. If you prefer, you can use a hand mixer to combine the butter and sugar.

Here’s how to make them:

Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare your tray

First things first — get your oven on and warming up. You’ll want it at 180°C fan / 200°C conventional / 400°F / Gas mark 6.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper so your cookies don’t stick. If you’re using more than one tray, great — these bake quickly so you can get multiple batches done easily.

Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar

Now for the fun part — grab a mixing bowl and add in your softened butter and caster sugar. Use a wooden spoon or hand mixer to beat them together until the mixture is pale and fluffy. This part helps make the cookies lighter and gives that gorgeous buttery base.

Step 3: Add the flour

Next, tip in the plain flour. At first, the mixture might look like a crumble topping and you’ll wonder if it’s going to come together — but keep going. Use your hands at the end if needed to gently bring the dough into a ball. It should be soft but not sticky.

Step 4: Fold in the chocolate chips

Once you’ve got a nice dough, it’s time to add the chocolate chips. You can use milk, dark, or white — or even a mix of all three if you’re feeling fancy. Mix them through so they’re evenly spread. There’s something so satisfying about seeing those little dots of chocolate in every part of the dough.

Step 5: Chill the dough

This step helps the cookies hold their shape while baking, stopping them from spreading out too much. Wrap the dough in cling film or pop it in a tub, and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Step 6: Shape the cookies

Once chilled, take the dough out and divide it into 12 equal portions — or smaller if you prefer bite-size cookies.
Roll each piece into a ball with your hands, then place on the tray and flatten slightly. They’ll spread a little while baking, so give them some space to breathe.

Step 7: Bake

Pop the tray in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.You’re looking for the edges to just start turning golden — the centres will still be quite pale and soft, and that’s exactly what you want. Don’t be tempted to overbake — shortbread firms up as it cools, and you don’t want to lose that delicious buttery texture.

Step 8: Cool and enjoy

Once out of the oven, let them sit on the tray for about 5 minutes — they’ll be delicate straight away, so don’t rush this step. Then carefully move them to a wire rack to cool completely (or eat one warm with a cup of tea — highly recommended!).

I hope you enjoyed this recipe for shortbread cookies with chocolate chips. Let me know in the comments if you end up making them!

More Shortbread Recipes

Are you looking for more shortbread recipes? Take a look at these for inspiration.

• Easy (Classic) Shortbread
• Lemon Shortbread
• Chocolate Shortbread
• Millionaire Shortbread
• Cooking Shortbread in an Air Fryer