My new favourite cookies! They are a cross between shortbread and cookie, making them perfectly soft, buttery, and rich. We are using roasted hazelnuts, dark chocolate chunks, and Overherd toasted oat milk powder for a warm, toasty, nostalgic flavour…
These beautiful creations are perfect for your Christmas festivities, the dough is rolled into a log and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days, or the freezer for 2 months! Just brush the log with vegan milk, roll in Demerara sugar, slice and bake 🙂
JUMP TO:
• Recipe
• What you’ll need
• FAQ’s
• The history of shortbread
What you’ll need
• Butter | I prefer to use a higher quality vegan butter rather than margarine, I like Naturli or Flora. I keep it at room temperature.
• Sugars | Since this is a cross between shortbread and cookie, I use both white and brown sugar – this is for both flavour and texture.
• Flour | Make sure to use plain flour (all-purpose)
• Hazelnuts | I chop them up into small chunks and toast them, don’t bother shelling!
• “Milk” powder | For an amazing flavour, I like to add Overherd oat milk powder. This gets toasted, blended, and added right into the dough making them super rich & tasty!
• Salt |Use fine sea salt in the dough and top with flaky salt.
• Vanilla | Using a high quality vanilla will really amp up the flavour.
• Chocolate | You want to use dark chocolate, but no darker than 60%. Keep it balanced! Also, be sure to FINELY chop the chocolate into chunks.
• Milk | This is used to brush the log before rolling in crunchy sugar.
• Demerara sugar | This is for the crunchy sugar rim.
FAQ’s
What is a shookie? | It’s my official name for this cross-classic recipe. Its a mix between shortbread and cookie!
Why did my cookies spread too much? | If you have this issue, you most likely used too much butter, or too warm butter. For this recipe, be sure to use vegan block butter, which has a higher fat content and is a lot more stable.
Why do you use brown sugar? | Well, a classic shortbread cookie uses all white sugar (the foundational ingredients being flour, butter, sugar) however this recipe is a cross between cookie and shortbread. The small amount of brown sugar in this recipe gives them a deeper caramelized flavour.
Can I make these in advance? | Yes!! Just make the dough, shape into logs, wrap tightly in cling film and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Before baking, brush with plant milk, roll in crunchy sugar, slice n’ bake!
History of shortbread
Shortbread first originated in Scotland, sometime during the 12th century. We cannot determine the exact date of when shortbread was first made, but the invention of them is often attributed to Mary, the Queen of Scott’s during the 16th century.
Shortbread is one of Scotland’s statement foods along with scones, fruit cakes, pancakes and oatcakes. A classic shortbread typically consists of flour, sugar, salt, butter and vanilla. Some of them also contain small chocolate chunks.
The invention of shortbread begins with something called ‘biscuit bread’ created in medieval times. Any leftover dough from this bread being made was dried out in a low oven until it hardened into a rusk type structure. Gradually, the yeast in these were replaced by butter, and eventually biscuit bread developed into shortbread as we know it today. The word ‘biscuit’ actually means ‘twice cooked’.
When shortbread was fairly new to people, it was considered a luxury for working-class people and was reserved for special occasions like weddings, new years, Christmas, etc.
Toasted “milk” hazelnut & chocolate chunk shookies
prep time: 30 mins / serves: 16 / cook time: 14 mins
Ingredients:
• 130g vegan block butter, cubed
• 50g granulated sugar
• 30g brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 165g plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 60g vegan chocolate, finely chopped
• 35g hazelnuts, finely chopped
• 25g oat milk powder
• vegan milk, to brush
• demerara sugar, to roll
• flaky salt, to top
Method:
① Prep the add-ins.
• Finely chop the hazelnuts into chunks and add to a hot pan with the oat milk powder. Cook until golden.
• *If the oat milk powder sticks to the pan, don’t worry! place the toasted bits into a blender and blitz into a powder.
② Cream the butter and sugars.
• To a large mixing bowl add the cubed butter (around 1/2 inch), granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract.
• With an electric hand whisk (or stand mixer) whip until fully combined and fluffy.
③ Add in the dry ingredients.
• To the same bowl, add the flour, and salt.
• Mix briefly to just combine.
• Add the finely chopped chocolate, toasted milk powder and hazelnuts.
• Fold to combine – use your hands if necessary making sure no flour lumps remain. Try not to over-mix – the dough should be smooth.
④ Shape & chill.
• Roll the dough into a log, at about 12 inches long.
• Wrap in baking paper / clingfilm and chill for at least 2h in the fridge.
⑤ Slice n’ bake.
• Before removing the cookie log from the fridge, pre-heat your oven to 180c / 160c fan oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Unwrap the log and brush all sides with vegan milk.
• Roll in demerara sugar making sure every side is coated.
• With a sharp knife, slice the log into even sized cookies, around 14-16.
• Place the cookies onto the baking sheet with about an inch of space.
• Bake for 14 minutes until lightly golden.
• Sprinkle with flaky salt, let cool and enjoy!
butterfly bakery blog 
Leave a comment