"Let's Play Dominoes" Cookies
Submitted by Julie1259
Domino cookies are buttery shortbread bars with lemon zest, scored down the center and topped with chocolate chips arranged as domino dots. A fun baking project for kids and parties.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
15 minREADY
45 minThese are simple shortbread bars dressed up as dominoes, and they’re as fun to decorate as they are to eat. The dough is classic shortbread: chilled butter cut into self-rising flour with sugar, lemon zest, and an egg to bind. It rolls out smooth and cuts into neat rectangular bars.
The lemon zest is a quiet but important addition. It brightens the buttery flavor and keeps the cookies from tasting flat. Scoring a line across the center of each bar with a knife, then pressing chocolate chips into the dough as domino dots before baking makes each one look like an actual game tile.
The chocolate chips sink just slightly into the soft dough during baking and stay put as the cookies firm up. The result is a crisp, golden cookie with embedded chocolate dots and a subtle citrus note in every bite.
Kitchen Tips
- Keep the butter cold and cut it into the flour like you would for pie crust. Cold butter creates a tender, crumbly shortbread texture.
- Knead the dough just until smooth. Overworking develops gluten and makes the cookies tough instead of crumbly.
- Use a ruler for even 3-by-1½-inch bars. Uniform sizing means even baking and a polished look.
- Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring. Warm shortbread is fragile and breaks easily.
Variations
- Use orange zest instead of lemon for a warmer citrus note.
- Press white chocolate chips alongside semi-sweet for multicolored dots.
- Dip half of each cooled cookie in melted chocolate for a more dressed-up presentation.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Sift flour into mixing bowl.
Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in sugar and zest.
Mix in egg to form dough.
Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.
Spray 2 baking sheets with vegetable cooking spray.
Roll dough out on lightly floured board to a rectangle about ¼ inch thick.
Using a knife, cut into 3 by 1½-inch bars.
Using a metal spatula, transfer to baking sheets.
With a knife, mark each cookie crosswise across center.
Arrange chocolate pieces on each to resemble domino dots.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes until light brown at edges.
Cool on baking sheet a few minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.
Comments
