Chocolate Chocolate Chip and Coconut Shortbread Cookies

I know, I know. These look like brownies. They are actually shortbread cookies that contain some leavening, which is probably why they have this brownie "look." I probably should have cut them into triangles to make them look more shortbread-y. Nevertheless....

These are tasty and super easy. Think deep rich chocolate with the subtle nutty flavor of coconut. They were a big hit in my house.... and there were very few dishes to wash.

Recipe notes:
I used King Arthur Flour's Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa, which gives these cookies their deep color, but any Dutch process cocoa will work with this recipe.

I also used my (clean, thank you very much) hands to combine the dough even though the recipe suggests stirring the dough, because the dough would not come together when mixing with a spoon.

I used French fine sea salt that I picked up at Surfas Culinary District in Culver City (I love, love, love Surfas) when taking a bread baking class. This salt is amazing, but I'm sure it's not necessary. I just like to justify having purchased specialty ingredients.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Coconut Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

1 C unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tsp salt

1 C sugar

1/3 C (1 oz) Dutch process cocoa

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 3/4 C (7.25 oz) unbleached all purpose flour 

1/4 C mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 C finely chopped sweetened or unsweetened coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Grease one 9 inch by 9 inch square baking pan.
3. In a medium bowl, cream the butter, salt, and sugar.
4. Add the cocoa, vanilla, baking powder, and flour, and mix until you have a fully blended stiff dough. This is where I used my hands. 
5. Add the chips and the coconut and mix. 
6. Press the dough evenly into the pan and prick liberally with a fork.
7. Bake the shortbread for 50 to 55 minutes.
8. Run a thin knife or spatula around the edges of the pan to separate the dough from the sides.  
9. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
10. Place a piece of parchment, plastic, or wax paper on top of the pan, and flip it over onto a cutting board. 
11. Cut the shortbread into 25 squares (a pizza wheel works nicely) while still warm (it will be too crispy if you wait until it cools).
12. Cool the cookies on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour. The basic formula originally appeared in the book, King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion.