My Christmas chocolate shortbread is a delicious layer of buttery and crumbly chocolate shortbread topped with a thick layer of chocolate and decorated with crushed candy canes, marshmallows and gingerbread man sprinkles. Christmas shortbread is perfect for Christmas baking!
If you need to make a festive bake for a Christmas treat, a special “North Pole tea” for the kids or a Christmas bake sale then I have got you covered with this chocolate shortbread.
It is easy to make, quick to bake and even easier to eat!
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If you are like my kids then you would want a slice of this delight every day in the run up to Christmas, although that won’t actually be happening clearly.
As a special festive treat this is just right though and great to share.
Serve it up with with a hot chocolate (my thick and creamy slow cooker hot chocolate would be ideal) with whipped cream, marshmallows and candy canes for the ultimate Christmas treat!
How to decorate
It couldn’t be easier, the chocolate shortbread only take about 20 minutes to bake then once it has completely cooled cover it in melted chocolate and decorate with crushed candy canes, mini marshmallows and gingerbread man sprinkles.
Kids will love to help decorate this almost as much as they like to eat it.
Of course you can also enjoy the chocolate shortbread alone without added frills for an old school bake which brings back memories of school lunchtimes. Perhaps add some mint custard!
Baking with kids
We found these candy canes (as well as the marshmallows) in the pound store, the red and green stripes make the shortbread look extra Christmassy we thought.
You can get all kind of festive items in the pound shops right now which makes Christmas baking a lot cheaper, I think it is a lovely way to have fun with kids.
Ideal for bake sales
If you are baking for a Christmas bake sale for work or school to raise money for a charity or good cause, one large chocolate shortbread will make 6-8 slices which you can wrap in festive cellophane and tie up with red and white string to make it look extra special.
That’s if you can stop small (and large) hands from stealing it before it gets there…
Candy canes
I am sure candy canes weren’t really a festive treat in the UK when I was a child, they seem to be an import from the States.
I do like their peppermint flavour though and they add a nice crunch to bakes. I’ve also got a recipe for slow cooker candy cane fudge which you might like.
Ingredients
Here’s what you will need. Get the quantities further down in the recipe card.
- unsalted butter
- caster sugar
- plain flour
- cocoa powder
- dark and milk chocolate
- andy canes
- marshmallows
- gingerbread man sprinkles
Step by step
1. To make the chocolate shortbread
- Cream the softened butter with the caster sugar until soft and fluffy.
- Stir in the plain flour and cocoa powder and stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together as a dough, then bring the dough together into a ball with your hands.
- Grease a 7 inch cake tin with butter and preheat the oven to 180°C (fan).
- Press the dough into the tin, flatten it and prick with a fork.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave the chocolate shortbread to cool.
- Don’t worry if it is still soft, as it will harden as it cools.
- Once cool, remove the shortbread from the tin by running a sharp knife around the edge of it.
2. To decorate
- Break milk/dark chocolate (or a mixture, as you prefer) into chunks and melt it in a bowl in the microwave – heat on high for 1 minute, then stir, then another 30 seconds, then stir. Add another 30 seconds if needed.
- Spread the melted chocolate on the shortbread.
- Crush candy canes and sprinkle over the chocolate, adding mini marshmallows and gingerbread man sprinkles and any other Christmas decorations you are using.
- Chill the shortbread in the fridge until set.
- Slice and serve.
Pin my Christmas chocolate shortbread for later
Recipe
Christmas Chocolate Shortbread
Ingredients
For the chocolate shortbread:
- 125 g unsalted butter softened
- 55 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 150 g plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
To decorate:
- 150 g mixed dark and milk chocolate
- 5 candy canes
- 3-4 large marshmallows torn into small pieces
- gingerbread man sprinkles mine are from Sainsburys
Instructions
- Make the shortbread. Cream the butter and sugar together until very soft.125 g unsalted butter, 55 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- Add the flour and cocoa powder, stir with a spoon at first and then bring the dough together with your hands.150 g plain flour (all-purpose flour), 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- Grease a 7 inch cake tin with butter and heat the oven to 180℃ / 350℉.
- Press the dough into the tin, flatten and prick with a fork.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180℃ / 350℉. It will harden as it cools, don’t worry if it still feels soft.
- Allow to cool then remove from the tin (use a knife around the edge of the tin then turn over carefully and remove the shortbread onto your hands).
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave in a bowl. Spread onto the shortbread.150 g mixed dark and milk chocolate
- Crush the candy canes and sprinkle over the chocolate with the marshmallows and gingerbread man sprinkles.5 candy canes, 3-4 large marshmallows, gingerbread man sprinkles
- Chill in the fridge until set. Slice and serve!
Notes
Linking up with #Bakeoftheweek with Mummy Mishaps and Casa Costello
And #WeShouldCocoa with Tin and Thyme
Choclette says
Ooh, love this Lucy. Shortbread is an essential at Christmas and your chocolate shortbread looks truly outrageous and perfect for the festivities. I hope you and the family all had a good time.
Thanks for sharing with #WeShouldCocoa and I wish you the very best for 2018.
jenny paulin says
This does look very festive Lucy and a great thing to serve for kids and at xmas bake sales. I love those gingerbread man sprinkles – very cute x
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Jenny, I’ll link up over the weekend!
jenny paulin says
thank you for linking to #Bakeoftheweek – this just looks so festive x