Light, crunchy, and buttery, these Chocolate Shortbread Bites are miniature in size and so good you won’t be able to eat just one! They’re great all year round but make an amazing edible holiday gift, too.

Shortbread cookie bites on a serving tray

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Easy Shortbread Bites

These shortbread cookie bites are so fun! They take the best parts of a classic shortbread cookie and turn them into a chocolate-covered bite-sized treat.

This recipe makes 100 shortbread bites which might seem like a lot but trust me – no one is going to be eating just one of these. Plus that’s the perfect amount for gift-giving or to add to a few holiday cookie trays.

Feel free to have some fun with this recipe too. I’ve included some ideas for dough mix-ins below and you can decorate them any way you want with chocolate and sprinkles. I drizzled 1/3 of the cookies with milk chocolate, white chocolate, and dark chocolate for some variety.

Why You’ll Love These Shortbread Cookie Bites

Perfect texture. The dough is delicate, resulting in a light, crisp cookie.
Store well. These are perfect for making in advance as they stay fresh for up to a week at room temperature and months in the freezer.
Easy to customize. Use your favorite combination of melted chocolate, add sprinkles, or even add some mini chocolate chips to the batter. There are so many possibilities here.

Chocolate shortbread bites on a serving spoon

Ingredients Needed

This shortbread bites recipe is made with just 6 ingredients.
(Scroll down to the recipe card below for measurements.)

Butter – You want to use salted butter cut into thin slivers and, most importantly, make sure it’s COLD.
Sugar – Powdered sugar and granulated sugar are both used in this recipe.
Vanilla extract – Adds a light flavor to the cookies.
All-purpose flour – Use the spoon and level technique for accurate measuring.
Chocolate – I used a combination of dark, milk, and white chocolate to decorate my shortbread bites. I love to use the Ghirardelli melting wafers, they melt smooth and fully harden quickly.

Collage of process shots of how to make shortbread bites

How to Make Chocolate Shortbread Bites

Here’s an overview of how to make these shortbread cookie bites.
(Scroll down to the recipe card below for measurements.)

Make the dough. Mix the cold butter and both sugars until well combined in a stand mixer. Add in the vanilla. Add the flour in three batches, fully combining each batch.
Chill. Press the shortbread dough into the bottom of a parchment lined 13×9 pan. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Bake. Cut the dough into very small 1/2-inch squares. Arrange on parchment lined cookie sheets about 1 & 1/2 inches apart. Bake at 350F for 12 to 14 minutes, until very lightly brown along the edges. (Note: they will spread a little.) Cool on the tray.
Add the chocolate. Melt the chocolates then drizzle over the shortbread cookie bites. Let sit to harden then enjoy.

A stack of shortbread bites, one with a bite missing to show the inside

Tips & Variations

Here are a few tips and variations for making the perfect shortbread bites.

Can I use a handheld mixer? I recommend using a stand mixer in the instructions. However, you can use a handheld electric hand mixer, but it may be a little on the stiff side.
Use any combination of chocolate. I love the pretty variation of the colors of the chocolate, but you can certainly stick to the chocolate variety you like the most.
Fun mix-ins for the batter. Mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or finely chopped nuts.
Add some sprinkles. Add sprinkles on top of the drizzled chocolate for a pretty presentation. Make sure to do it before the chocolate hardens so they stick.

Proper Storage

Room temperature. Store your shortbread cookie bites in an airtight container. They’ll last for up to a week at room temperature away from sunlight and moisture.
Freezer. These shortbread bites also freeze well. Once the chocolate has hardened, transfer to an airtight container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter.

More Cookie Recipes:

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!

Chocolate Shortbread Bites

Light, crunchy, and buttery, these Chocolate Shortbread Bites are miniature in size and so good you won't be able to eat just one! They're great all year round but make an amazing edible holiday gift, too.

Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 13

Chill Time 1

Total Time 1 28

Servings: 100 bites

Ingredients

12 ounces cold salted butter , cut into slivers
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
1/4 cup melted dark chocolate (Ghirardelli melting wafers)
1/4 cup melted milk chocolate (Ghirardelli melting wafers)
1/4 cup melted white chocolate (Ghirardelli melting wafers)

Instructions

Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
In the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the cold butter, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix until well combined, scrape down the bowl.
Mix in the vanilla.
Add the flour in three batches, fully mixing it in before adding more, and scrape down the sides as needed.
Press the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line sheet trays with parchment paper and set aside.
Remove the cookie dough from the baking dish by using the parchment paper to help lift it out. Cut into very small 1/2-inch squares.
Arrange the cookie bites on the prepared sheet trays about 1 & 1/2 inches apart; note that they will spread a little.
Bake for 12-14 minutes until they very, very lightly start to brown along the edges. Allow to cool completely on the tray.
Once the cookies are cool, melt the different chocolates. Drizzle a third of them with the dark chocolate, a third with the milk chocolate, and the last third with the white chocolate.
Allow them to sit until the chocolate has hardened and serve.

Notes

Butter. You want to use salted butter cut into thin slivers and, most importantly, make sure it’s COLD

A stand mixer is recommended. I recommend using a stand mixer as instructed. However, you can use a handheld electric hand mixer, but it may be a little on the stiff side.

Use any combination of chocolate. I love the pretty variation of the colors of the chocolate, but you can certainly stick to the chocolate variety you like the most.

Fun mix-ins for the batter. Mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or finely chopped nuts.

Nutrition

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

Other Notes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate shortbread bites, shortbread bites, shortbread cookie bites