Buttery, vanilla-rich cookies speckled with toffee bits and finished with melty chocolate—these Chocolate-Toffee Butter Cookies deliver bakery texture with weeknight ease. Think shortbread meets chocolate chip, with caramel crunch in every bite.
Why You’ll Love Them
- Perfect texture: Crisp edges, soft-tender centers.
- Big flavor, simple dough: No fancy steps—just cream, fold, chill, bake.
- Make-ahead friendly: Dough chills or freezes beautifully.
- Pretty finish: Dip or drizzle in chocolate for gift-worthy shine.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup (160 g) toffee bits (Heath/Skor-style), divided
Chocolate Finish (choose one)
- 6 oz (170 g) semisweet or dark chocolate, chopped (or chips)
- 1 tsp neutral oil (optional for extra shine)
- Flaky sea salt, for topping (optional)
Time & Yield
- Prep: 20 minutes (plus chilling)
- Chill: 30–60 minutes
- Bake: 9–11 minutes per tray
- Total: ~1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 28–32 cookies
Step-by-Step
1) Make the Dough
- In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until light and creamy, 2–3 minutes.
- Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt; add to the bowl. Mix on low until almost combined.
- Fold in ¾ cup toffee bits (reserve the rest for topping).
2) Chill
- Scoop dough into 1½-tbsp balls (a #40 scoop works). Arrange on a tray, cover, and chill 30–60 minutes until firm.
Slice-and-bake option: Roll into two 9-inch logs, wrap, and chill 2 hours; slice ½-inch thick.
3) Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line sheets with parchment.
- Place chilled dough balls 2 inches apart; gently press tops to a ¾-inch thickness.
- Sprinkle a few reserved toffee bits on each.
- Bake 9–11 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden and centers are just pale.
- Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
4) Chocolate Dip/Drizzle
- Melt chocolate (microwave 50% power in 20–30 sec bursts, stirring) with oil if using.
- Dip half of each cookie or drizzle across tops.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and a pinch of remaining toffee. Let set.
Nutrition (Per cookie, 1 of 30)
Approx. 160–180 kcal, 9 g fat, 20 g carbs, 2 g protein, 85 mg sodium (varies with chocolate/toffee brand).
Pro Tips
- Don’t overbake. Pull when edges are golden; carryover heat finishes the centers.
- Chill is key. It keeps edges neat and prevents excessive spread.
- Toffee placement. A few bits on top caramelize for extra crunch and “bakery” look.
- Clean cuts (slice-and-bake). Warm a knife in hot water, wipe dry, then slice.
Variations & Twists
- Espresso Crunch: Add 1 tsp instant espresso powder to the dough; finish with dark chocolate.
- Brown Butter Boost: Brown the butter, chill to semi-solid, then proceed—nutty depth guaranteed.
- Pecan Toffee: Fold in ½ cup finely chopped toasted pecans with the toffee.
- Milk-Chocolate Swirl: Marble melted milk and dark chocolate for the finish.
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 GF flour blend; add 1 tbsp cornstarch for tenderness.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing
- Dough in fridge: Up to 48 hours (scoop or log).
- Freeze dough balls: Up to 2 months; bake from frozen +1–2 minutes.
- Baked cookies: Airtight at room temp 5–6 days; freeze up to 2 months.
Serving Ideas
- Sandwich two cookies with a thin layer of chocolate ganache or peanut butter.
- Crumble over vanilla ice cream with warm caramel sauce.
- Pair with coffee or hot cocoa; the salt-chocolate-toffee combo sings.
These Chocolate-Toffee Butter Cookies hit every note: buttery base, caramel snap, and glossy chocolate. Mix, chill, bake, dip—then watch them vanish from the cooling rack.