
These Chocolate Chestnut Shortbread Cookies are decadent, rich, nutty and delicious. And the addition of nutmeg and cinnamon adds something extra special making them a perfect festive treat.
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Hello, everyone! How are you doing? Any holiday baking fun?
Not too much for me (yet). My camera broke a few weeks ago, and since that I am taking a break from holiday cooking (because what’s the point if you cannot photograph? LOL) I baked some cookies last weekend for my work, and I am planning to repeat this weekend for Andrew’s work. But that’s all (I am still hopeful to get my camera soon, so I could shoot a few recipes for next year. A couple of cocktails and cookies are on my list.)
Long story short, this season I have shared with you only one cookie recipe for Soft Ginger Cookies with Orange Clove Glaze. And it was actually made and photographed last winter, along with these Chocolate Chestnut Shortbread Cookies.
Chocolate Chestnut Shortbread Cookies
These Chocolate Chestnut Shortbread Cookies are super easy to make, but the flavour is nothing short of spectacular. It is a basic shortbread dough that is spruced up with holiday flavours like roasted chestnuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I used dark chocolate to make them even more decadent. However, feel free to swap for semi-sweet or even milk chocolate.
We do not like our cookies too sweet, and if you are like us, you will love this recipe. If you love American-style cookies, which are super sweet, you may feel that this recipe is not sweet enough. You can always add more sugar to the dough or sprinkle baked and cooked cookies with some icing sugar.
More Shortbread Cookie Recipes
Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookies (With Cointreau Glaze)
Cranberry Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Cranberry Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
I hope you like these Chocolate Chestnut Shortbread Cookies, and you will give this recipe a try. If you make it, let me know in this post or send me an Instagram message or share your photos adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.
Cheers!


Chocolate Chestnut Shortbread Cookies
Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy25-35
servings10
minutes15
minutes30-60
minutesThese Chocolate Chestnut Shortbread Cookies are decadent, rich, nutty and delicious. And the addition of nutmeg and cinnamon adds something extra special making them a perfect festive treat.
Ingredients
170 gr. (3/4 cup) butter
170 gr. (1 and 1/3 cup) all-purpose flour
30 gr. (3 tbsp.) corn starch (if don’t want to use it, substitute for 30 gr. of flour)
2 tbsp. light-brown / golden sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon and ginger, each (or more, to taste)
a few generous gratings of nutmeg
150 gr. roasted and peeled chestnuts, crumbled
150 gr. (3/4 cup) dark chocolate baking chips
Directions
- First Method (Requires Mixer and Chilling):
- For this method, you will need softened butter; just remove it from the fridge 1-2 hours prior baking. In a bowl, with a mixer cream the butter, sugar, vanilla, spices, and salt on medium speed, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually stir in the flour and mix until the mixture starts to remain dough.
- Stir in the chestnuts and chocolate chips; do not overmix. Wrap up in plastic and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. After chilling the dough should be pliable, moist, and slightly crumbly (yet easily coming together). You may need to dust it with some flour when rolling. If the dough is too firm and crumbly after chilling, let it stay 5-10 minutes at room temp.
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees C (350 F). Line a baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough out with a rolling-pin (if the dough feels too moist . Cut cookies using cookie cutters and arrange them on the baking sheet(s) making sure you leave some space between them.
- Bake for about 10-14 minutes (depending on size and your preference) or until edges are slightly golden. If you prefer delicate, moist, and soft cookies, bake them less, depending on their size, thickness, and your oven. If you prefer them crisp and more browned, bake them for extra 2-3 minutes or so. Either way, they will be delicious!
- Cool the cookies for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer on a plate or cookie rack and cool completely. If desired, sprinkle cooled cookies with some icing powder.
- Second Method (No Mixer and Chilling Required):
- Cut the butter into few large pieces, place in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat for about 25-40 seconds or until very soft (partly melted); or melt a small saucepan over stovetop heat.
- Combine the soften/melted butter with sugar, sugar, spices, vanilla, and salt. Beat with a wooden spoon for 30 seconds until well-incorporated.
- Stir in the flour and starch and mix until remains dough. Stir in the chestnuts and chocolate chips; do not overmix.
- If the dough feels too sticky, dust with a little of flour. If it feels to crumbly / dry (that happens as density of ingredients could wary), you can fix it by stirring in a little more of melted butter or a splash of milk.
- You do not need to refrigerate the dough, but if you have time, giving it 5-10 minutes of resting will improve the texture even more. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (~175 degrees C). Repeat steps 4 to 6 from the 1st method. Enjoy!

Hi – I’m Ben, a blogger, recipe developer, and food photographer. I’m glad you’re here! I hope you will enjoy hundreds of delicious recipes and a pinch of havoc in the kitchen.
Chestnut and chocolate are match made in heaven! This is just beautiful!
These sound so incredibly dark and rich, Ben. I’ve never had the combination of chocolate and chestnut before… It sounds really interesting.
I’m definitely adding these to my holiday baking list, it sounds absolutely delicious, especially with the blend of rich chestnuts, dark chocolate, and the warm spices of cinnamon and nutmeg, Yum!
What a delicious sounding cookie with chestnuts- which I really love and of course chocolate puts it over the top. Hope you get your camera back soon.
Sorry to hear about your camera…hope you get it fixed soon. Your cookies must be delicious.
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Thank you Karen!
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Chocolate and chestnut are an amazing flavour combination!
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I like the combo of chocolate and chestnut…they look an sound amazing, Ben.
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