Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread with deep chocolate flavour.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, at room temperature
¼ cup cocoa powder
¾ cup confectioner's sugar/icing sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup corn starch
½ tsp salt
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
white melting chocolate for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a 9x13" baking dish with parchment paper, letting paper overhang the ends for easy removal.
Beat butter, cocoa, icing sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until very creamy, 3-5 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, and salt.
Stir flour mixture into whipped butter until combined, then stir in cranberries and chocolate chips.
Using floured fingers or a large silicone spatula, press dough evenly into prepared pan. Prick surface lightly all over with a fork.
Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, until set and edges are firm to the touch. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes, then use parchment paper overhang to lift squares out of pan (careful not to bend them!) to cutting board. Slice into bars while still warm (this minimizes cracking/crumbling, although you'll still probably get a bit of both). Cool completely before drizzling with melted white chocolate or dusting with icing sugar.
Notes
For a classic, non-chocolate shortbread, simply omit the cocoa powder and increase vanilla to 1 tsp. White chocolate chips are also delicious in this version.
Recipe by Hidden Ponies at https://hiddenponies.com/2013/10/saturday-sweets-chocolate-cranberry-shortbread-bars/