Butter Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Filling
Learn how to bake chocolate filled shortbread cookies in under an hour with this simple recipe.
Chocolate-filled sablés are traditional French shortbread biscuits assembled in sandwich form, pairing two crisp, buttery cookies with a smooth chocolate center. The dough is made from everyday baking staples—flour, icing sugar, softened butter, egg, a pinch of salt, and a small amount of baking powder—yielding a melt-in-the-mouth texture once baked to a pale golden color. The filling typically consists of dark baking chocolate gently melted with a splash of cream to create a glossy ganache that sets as it cools. Often enjoyed at goûter (the mid-afternoon snack), as part of a holiday cookie assortment, or served alongside coffee or tea, these sablés offer a convenient make-ahead treat that keeps well in an airtight container for several days.
Butter Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Filling
This streamlined version is weeknight-friendly: one bowl, a quick chill, and less than a dozen minutes in the oven. Amp up the fun by blending espresso powder, orange zest, or a pinch of sea salt into the chocolate center for your own signature touch.
Prep Time
115 minutes
115 minutes
Cook Time
17 minutes
17 minutes
Total Time
132 minutes
132 minutes
Ingredients
All-purpose flour 250 g
- Unsalted butter (softened) 125 g
- Granulated sugar 100 g
- Vanilla sugar 1 sachet (≈7 g)
- Large egg 1
- Baking powder ½ tsp (≈3 g)
- Fine salt 1 pinch
- Chocolate-hazelnut spread (Nutella or similar) 150 g, or enough to fill the cookies
- Optional – icing (powdered) sugar for dusting 1–2 tbsp
- Optional – finely chopped toasted hazelnuts for extra crunch 2 tbsp
Method
Melt the chopped chocolate with the butter in a bowl set over simmering water
- Stir the mixture until smooth then leave it to cool and thicken slightly
- Beat the softened butter with the icing sugar until light and creamy
- Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated
- Stir in the ground almonds briefly
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the bowl and mix just until a dough forms
- Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes
- Lightly flour the work surface and roll the chilled dough to about 3 mm thickness
- Cut out even circles of dough with a cookie cutter
- Arrange half of the circles on a parchment-lined baking tray
- Place a small spoonful of the cooled chocolate filling in the centre of each circle
- Brush the edges of the circles with a little water
- Cover each filled base with a second dough circle
- Press gently around the edges to seal the cookies securely
- Refrigerate the assembled cookies for 1 hour to firm up
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F)
- Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes until just turning golden at the edges
- Transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely
- Dust the cooled cookies with icing sugar before serving
Nutrition
Calories
3092 kcal Protein
42 g Fat
154 g Carbs
384 g Fiber
11 g Sugar
189 g
3092 kcal Protein
42 g Fat
154 g Carbs
384 g Fiber
11 g Sugar
189 g
Notes
Roll the dough between two sheets of baking paper to about 4 mm, then chill the whole slab before cutting—cold dough keeps the edges razor-sharp and prevents spreading. For extra depth, swap 20 g of the flour for ground almonds and bake one minute longer; the nuts toast in the oven and give the sablés a delicate, nutty snap.
why this recipe
This chocolate filled shortbread cookies recipe is worth adding to your repertoire because it pairs the buttery, melt-in-the-mouth tenderness of classic sablés with a luscious, velvety chocolate core that stays pleasantly gooey even after cooling. The dough comes together quickly with pantry staples, yet the end result looks and tastes like a treat from an artisan pâtisserie, delivering a beautiful contrast of textures—crisp edges yielding to a soft, fragrant center. Each bite offers an elegant balance of sweetness and richness that makes these cookies equally suited to an afternoon coffee break or a festive dessert platter, ensuring they disappear from the plate almost as soon as they’re served.
FAQs
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Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store the chocolate-filled sablés, and how long will they stay fresh?
Once the cookies are completely cool, layer them between sheets of baking paper in an airtight tin or snap-top container and keep them in a cool, dry spot (not the fridge). Stored this way they stay crisp and taste fresh for about 4–5 days; after that the shortbread softens. If you need a longer shelf life, freeze the sablés for up to a month and let them thaw at room temperature.
Can I prepare the shortbread dough ahead of time and freeze it for later baking?
Yes—this dough freezes very well. Shape it into a flat disc (or roll and cut the rounds, if you prefer), wrap tightly in plastic and then in a zip-top freezer bag; it will keep for about 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then proceed with rolling/cutting or baking straight from frozen, adding 1–2 extra minutes to the bake time.
How do I stop the chocolate filling from leaking out while the cookies bake?
Make sure the ganache (or spread) is cool and slightly thick before spooning it on, then leave a 5 mm border so it doesn’t ooze when pressed. Lightly brush that border with water or beaten egg, press the top round on firmly to crimp out any air pockets, and chill the assembled cookies until the dough is hard—cold, well-sealed edges stay shut in the oven.