Chocolate can help in stressful times. It is comforting and evokes happy feelings. It is the one thing I seek out when I'm feeling sad, under pressure, stressed, or majorly concerned about something. Recent events had me in the kitchen seeking it. I looked around and the bag of candy was long gone. Other sweets were everything but chocolate. The last resort was bags of chocolate chips in the pantry. Popping a handful of those chips in my mouth sparked the inspiration for baking Quadruple Chocolate Shortbread Cookies.
What recent events were causing me stress? It had to do with my dog, Tiger. Bear with me for sharing the details. If you want to skip them scroll down closer to the recipe. It started one morning several weeks ago as he was walking through the den. He stopped, turned, gave me a distressed look, and fell over on his side. I could tell there was something very wrong and immediately took him to the vet. His tests and bloodwork came back fine. An x-ray showed some type of possible mass however more tests would need to be done to find out what was wrong.
A back story on Tiger first. Over three years ago he had some lumps we thought were typical fatty ones on dogs. We had some of them removed and the test came back positive for cancer (sub-cutaneous lymphoma). The type is one chemotherapy doesn't do much good. We took the vet's advice and did our best to make each and every day a happy one for him. The vet said all would be okay until the cancer got into his organs and we thought this time had come.
The next test for Tiger was an ultrasound. It revealed his spleen was enlarged and there was a mass either in it or beside it. A biopsy of both was taken and the results came back benign. The vet who did the ultrasound called Tiger a miracle dog because she had never seen or heard of any dog diagnosed with sub-cutaneous lymphoma to live for more than a few months. There is a possibility it could have gone into a type of miraculous remission. However the major issue at hand was with his spleen and we decided to have it and the mass removed. It is major surgery for a dog.
How is Tiger now? He is doing great. He plays, snoozes, and is soaking up being spoiled as usual. It was such a stressful time while going through it all. Thank goodness for chocolate and the kindness of family and friends. I was deeply touched by the outpouring of caring and concern for him from so many. He doesn't like the camera so getting a photo of him is difficult. Click on the link to Tiger Butter Candy in the next paragraph to see the one I took of him for that post.
How are the quadruple chocolate shortbread cookies? They are big, dense, domes full of four types of chocolate; unsweetened cocoa plus milk, dark, and white chocolate chips. I haven't made these in years. It was time to make them again because it also coincided with this month's Creative Cookie Exchange theme. Read more about it below the recipe. Take a look at Quadruple Chocolate Loaf Cake and Tiger Butter Candy too. The more chocolate the better.
Quadruple Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup milk chocolate chips
- ¾ cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment or non-stick liner.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
- Add egg yolks and vanilla to creamed mixture and beat until combined.
- Add flour mixture and mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over-mix.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Drop rounded dough balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets using a 1.25-ounce (1.75-inch diameter) ice cream scoop. (I did 8 dough balls per baking sheet).
- Bake for 18 minutes, or until almost firm when lightly touched.
- Cool cookies on baking sheets for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies on the Food Network website.
The Creative Cookie Exchange theme this month is Comfort Food Cookies. What cookie says comfort food to you? If you are a blogger and want to join in the fun, contact Laura via email (thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com) and she will get you added to our Facebook group where discuss our cookies and share links.
You can also use us as a great resource for cookie recipes. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them here at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:
- Baked Thekua (Traditional Sweet Wheat Flour Cookies) from Indian Curries/Stew
- Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from What Smells So Good?
- Butterscotch Cookies from A Baker's House
- Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies from Made with Love
- Chocolate Cappuccino Toffee Chip Cookies from Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Chocolate Chip Cookies Made with an Assortment of Chocolate from The Spiced Life
- Crispy Potato Chip Cookies from Rhubarb and Honey
- Dark Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies from Food Lust People Love
- Momma's Bran Chocolate Chip Cookies from Sweet Cinnamon & Honey
- Nut Cookies from Basic N Delicious
- Peanut Butter & Damson Jam Bars from Baking in Pyjamas
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Noshing with the Nolands
- Quadruple Chocolate Shortbread Cookies from Magnolia Days
- Roth - The Sacred Cookies from Kashmir from Spiceroots
- Triple Chocolate Cookies from It's Yummi
I love how puffed up your cookies are, and chocolate times 4?? How can you possibly go wrong?!
Thanks Becca and you cannot go wrong with chocolate times 4 - at least not as far as I'm concerned.
So pleased that Tiger is doing better, Renee! You should have added a photo of him so everyone can see his svelte physique. Such a handsome fellow!
I have been known to pop a few dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips myself when stress is bearing down on me. Chocolate really does have something magical in it that helps. Your quadruple chocolate shortbread cookies would be ideal for those times too!
Tiger does not like the camera at all. It is rare that I can get a good photo of him. I put a note in my post on where to go to find a photo of him.
Renee - I beg your forgiveness as I've accidentally deleted your gorgeous cookies from FFG. Would you mind resubmitting one of them?
I already resubmitted them and thanks a bunch for approving and sharing my photos on FFG.
Very glad to know that Tiger is getting back to his normal self. Chocolate is comforting for me too, these cookies must have hit the spot!
Oh yes, the cookies definitely hit the spot.
Hello....I am a huge dog lover and have three German Shepherds. If you ever experience a cyst or tumor again, please visit http://www.buckmountainbotanicals.net and search on the tab that says Tumor and warts. Get your vet to order the Neoplasene (bloodroot) for you. This natural herb eats away the cancerous cells and protects the healthy cells. We just recently used this on one of my dogs two weeks ago. She had a benign cyst on her back the size of a pea. I scratched the surface of it so that it bled and poured the Neoplasene all over it so that it would soak in. Then I left it alone. A week later, the cyst was completely gone. True story!!! I swear by this stuff. Anyway, I'm glad that your Tiger is doing great and I can't wait to try your cookies!!! Terry
Thanks so much for the advice on what to do for tumors and warts. I'll have to ask my vet about it.
Wowwww
These are really scrumptious cookies
I can't wait to try them
Pinning
Thanks Winnie and I appreciate the pin.
Big hugs! What a comforting story to go with comfort cookies (and I could not agree more about chocolate). The cookies look fantastic.
Thanks Laura
Hey, Hope ur Tiger is well now... Cookies look delicious... Want to try these Chocolaty bites..
Thanks Shilpi and Tiger is doing great now.
Chocolate and shortbread together is like a double explosion of fun. Delicious and chewy.. so very comforting. Glad Tiger is recovering. Give him a cuddle from me.
I like "double explosion of fun" and it is so true. I gave Tiger a cuddle from you too.
What a wonderful recipe! I love shortbread cookies, so adding all this chocolate just sounds heavenly...I'm sorry to hear about Tiger. I have two "babies", and would be lost without them. I hope he is okay!
Tiger is doing great. He is back to his usual happy boy self.
I'm so sorry to hear about your situation with Tiger. I am so glad to hear he's doing well now! Your cookies look sooo good I think I have to go out and get the ingredients to make them nowww. I am definitely a chocoholic and these look perfect!! 🙂
Thanks a bunch Sophie
I'm glad Tiger is doing better now I can't imagine how stressed you would have been, your cookies sounds amazing.
I was very stressed for sure. I still keep checking on him during the day even though I know he is doing great.
Loving the sound of a 'quadruple chocolate shortbread cookie'.. they look so delicious, definitely craving a bite of one right now!
Yep, anything quadruple chocolate would get my attention.
I'm so happy for your Tiger Bear! I'm with you, chocolate is the ultimate comfort food, and I definitely seek out the open bags of chocolate chips when I need a bit of chocolate comfort.
Thanks Karen and I don't know what I would do without those bags of chocolate chips in my pantry.
I'm so glad Tiger Bear is recovering well and happy! My "kids" are some of the best things in my life and bring so much joy. Cancer in dogs is so frustrating our Sasha ended up with salivary gland cancer and she was a trooper until the very end when it spread through her lungs. We gave her every chance and everything those last six months.
We will keep Tiger Bear in our thoughts!
Thank you so much Christy and I really appreciate you keeping Tiger in your thoughts. He is such a sweetie.
I love how buttery and crumbly these look. So comforting and no doubt delicious!
Oh yes, very delicious. It was hard to resist eating all of them.
I have been following along with your updates on Tiger, so glad he is doing well now. I know how important animals are in your life as they are in mine!! I adore your cookies too, they look fabulous!!
Thanks Tara and my hounds are so very important in my life. They are such a source of love.
Renee, I've been following Tiger's progress on your Facebook page and I'm always so relieved for you every time you post a positive update. Thank goodness he's pulling through. My heart broke when you wrote about how he gave you a distressed look right before falling over. Poor guy! You definitely deserve all the chocolate and these beautiful shortbread cookies look jam packed with it. I'm sending big hugs to you and Tiger!
Thanks Nancy and I was sure to give Tiger a big hug from you.
I am thrilled for all of you that Tiger is doing so well. Sweet baby!! Chocolate is a comfort food to me, too. Ok, it's also a go-to food for just about everything. Thanks for this delicious recipe and heartwarming post!
Thanks a bunch Betsy
aw I'm so glad that Tiger is doing ok!!!! How wonderful! I'm sure you def. needed some chocolate to deal with all that stress, though, and these cookies look like the best comfort snacks!
Thanks Kayle
Shortbreads are so addictive, and chocolate just makes them even better 🙂
So very true Sarah.