Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread

1 C + 2 T (252 g) cold salted butter, ½-inch pieces*
½ C (3 ½ oz/ 99 g) granulated sugar
¼ C (1 ¾ oz/50 g) light brown sugar
1 t (5 ml) vanilla extract
2 ¼ C (12 ½ oz/326 g) all-purpose flour
6 oz (170 g) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Demerara sugar (for rolling)
Flaky sea salt

* Notes: you can use unsalted butter and add ¾ teaspoon kosher salt instead.

Using electric mixer and medium bowl or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, sugars and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl as necessary. With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour, followed by chocolate chunks, and beat until just to blend.

Divide dough in half, then place each half on large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over to cover dough and protect hands from getting sticky. Using hands, form dough into log shape by rolling it on counter. Each half should form a log that is 2 to 2 ¼-inches in diameter and 8 to 10-inches long. Chill until firm, about 2 hours.

Position oven rack in middle position and heat to 350° F (177° C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking pads. Personally, I prefer using silpat pads because it minimizes cookie spread but both will work. Brush outside of logs with egg wash. Roll logs in Demerara sugar.

Using serrated knife with a sawing motion, slice each log into ½-inch thick rounds. Arrange on prepared baking sheet about 1-inch apart (they won’t spread much). Very lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Bake cookies until edges are just beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate pan one half turn midway through baking. Cool on pan for 5 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool completely.

Cookie dough can be made 1 week ahead. Tightly wrap in plastic and chill, or freeze up to 1 month. Cookies can be baked 5 days ahead. Store in plastic wrap or an airtight container.

Makes: 2 dozen cookies

21 Feb 19 – After reviewing comments, I discovered several items that others and I identified as possible problems. The NY Times (NYT) write-up pointed out a discrepancy with how much flour the original recipe called for verse what it recommended. I used the New York Times (NYT) suggested because it was closer to the 5 oz per cup that I typically use. I also decided to use salted butter. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate at Albertson’s so I used another brand. My initial question/concern involved the recipe’s instruction to cream the sugars with cold/chilled butter until light and fluffy. I just couldn’t believe cold butter would cream properly even it I beat it for 3 to 5 mins. As it turns out, I was wrong. The chilled butter and sugars creamed fine and did turn light and fluffy after about 5 mins. The NYT recipe indicated that if you were using a hand mixer, you should use room temp butter and cream for 5 to 8 mins. A lot of commenters remarked about how crumbly the dough was and it was almost impossible to cut even after chilling. As it turns out because of a major ingredient mistake, I didn’t have that problem. My mistake was adding the egg to the dough rather than using it for the egg wash. Needless to say, my dough was more than enough moist to come together. Dough was sticky and made it a little messy rolling into a log. The plastic wrap helped. Dough firmed up nicely after 2 hrs in the refrigerator. Cutting dough with a straight blade knife was a little tricky because of the chocolate chunks but I was able to easily cut 8 equal rounds. Baked in the island oven for 14 mins. Cookies spread a little on the slipat pad but not much. Cooled on rack for 5 mins. Salt on top may have been a little heavy. Texture was a little dense but the flavor pretty good particularly considering the egg which shouldn’t have been there. Susan’s Progress workout partner like the cookies.

22 Feb 18 – Remade cookies without the egg. Dough was a little dryer but still workable. Baked in island oven for 15 mins which, surprisingly considering the extra moisture, turned out just about right. Cookies held their form better, less spread. Susan couldn’t detect much difference from first batch. I thought the texture was more shortbread like thus better. Flavor was good to excellent. I used a serated knife to cut dough which worked better.