Brandy Butter and Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Crumbly, buttery, tipsy treats.

So I have to admit that this recipe is not my own really. It is adapted from one of my absolute favourite biscuit recipes: Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread by Alison Roman.

These biscuits are so incredibly buttery and light that you will not be able to stop at one cookie - trust me.

The joy about them is that you can't quite classify them - are they a cookie? Are they shortbread? Well, they're both. When I first tried Alison's original recipe my mind was blown and my world has not been the same since.

I've tweaked it a bit to make it even simpler to get the perfect cookie. These are so incredibly easy - all in one bowl, saving you washing up (always a win!). You only need a handful of simple, store cupboard ingredients and I've even made it egg free - so even if you've run out of eggs you can still make a gorgeous batch of cookies.

Of course added my own little twist by adding the brandy - a little nod to the festive season. So enjoy making these delectable beauties.

Brandy Butter and Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 255g cold salted butter, diced

• 100g granulated sugar

• 55g light brown sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 tbsp brandy

• 325g plain flour

• 170g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

• Granulated or demerara sugar, for rolling

• flaked sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)

(notes, substitutions and variations found below the method)

Method

1. Place the butter and sugars into the bowl and beat together with an electric whisk/mixer for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Doing this with a wooden spoon this will take longer. Ensure the texture is light and fluffy or the finished dough will be likely to crumble when cut.

2. Add the vanilla and brandy and beat for 30 seconds to combine.

3. Add the flour in one go and mix on low speed, just until the dough is just combined. You want to be careful about over mixing the dough at this stage as it will make the cookies tough and chewy. Add the roughly chopped chocolate and mix briefly just to evenly distribute throughout the dough.

4. Tip the dough out onto the work surface and use your hands to gently bring together into a ball. Then cut the dough into two roughly equal pieces and use your hands to form into rough sausage shapes, about 2 - 2 1/4 inches in diameter.

5. Sprinkle granulated/demerara sugar on a work surface and roll the logs in the sugar to get a crispy coating on the outside of the logs.

6. Wrap the logs in clingfilm and refrigerate for two hours before baking (or pop in the freezer for 30 minutes).

7. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the logs from the fridge and discard the clingfilm.

8. Use a thin sharp knife to cut the logs of dough into cookies about 1/2 inch thick. Place onto the prepared baking sheets, an inch or so apart (they don't spread much). Sprinkle each cookie with a little flaked sea salt (optional) and bake in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes until just starting to turn golden around the edges. Let cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note:

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.

Notes, variations and substitutions:

• Flour: You need to use plain, not self raising. Gluten free flour will work pretty well here too, as does spelt and rice flour.

• Sugar: If you haven't got any brown sugar, just use 155g white sugar.

• Butter: These do really taste best with butter, but failing that do try it with margarine or even better - coconut oil

• Brandy: Sub out for your favourite liqueur - rum, whisky, you name it!