World Peace Cookies

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A buttery, salted chocolate shortbread cookie, simplified by the slice and bake method.

stack of dorie greenspan's world peace cookies on a wire cooling rack

We are nearly done with our 12 Days of Christmas Cookies celebration for this year, and I’m going to go ahead and say that this cookie is right up there at the top of my list for… Cookies the world needs this year.

Tell me you agree.

Now I realize that the world cannot actually be fixed with a cookie, but the name that the cookie suggests is just one big suggestion for the year 2020. So let’s run with it.

If you were here yesterday, you know that yesterday’s gingerbread chocolate cookie was brought to me by a gym member/blog fan.

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But guess what– today’s is, too!

stack of dorie greenspan's world peace cookies on a wire cooling rack

At last year’s gym holiday party, I hosted a cookie exchange. And these cookies were our member Jan’s contribution.

Upon tasting them, I said “I need this recipe right this second,” and again, just like with Laura’s gingerbread chocolate cookies, added them to my list of cookie recipes for this year.

THE WORLD PEACE COOKIES STORY

When Jan gave me this recipe, she noted that it was from Dorie Greenspan. Dorie included this cookie recipe, which originally came from Pierre Hermé, in her Paris Sweets cookbook, under the name “Korova cookies.”

collection of dorie greenspan's world peace cookies on a wire cooling rack

She republished the recipe in her Baking: From My Home To Yours cookbook under the name “World Peace Cookies,” a name given to them by her neighbor who was certain a taste of these cookies was all everyone needed to achieve world peace.

(I can’t say I disagree with that neighbor, really.)

Dorie most recently published a revised (method) recipe in Dorie’s Cookies, the cover of which features these amaaaaazing little shortbread chocolate cookies. I dare you not to lick that cookbook.

WHAT ARE WORLD PEACE COOKIES?

I explain all of this in the recipe, and Dorie actually mentions it in her write-up, but the dough is a bit crumbly, but this is completely normal.

These World Peace Cookies are actually a form of a shortbread cookie, but made with chocolate.

collection of dorie greenspan's world peace cookies on a wire cooling rack

Though you’re probably familiar with the end result of shortbread, unless you’ve made shortbread cookies yourself, you might not be aware that crumbly dough is completely normal with shortbread.

While shortbread are similar to sugar cookies, they’re made without eggs, and have a higher ratio of butter to sugar. The good news is that despite a crumbly dough, this ingredient makeup results in a super tender cookie.

slices of world peace cookies

You’ll form the dough into logs, let them chill, and then these cookies turn into easy peasy slice and bake cookies.

hand slicing a log of world peace cookies with a serrated knife

A quick 12 minute bake in the oven and the result is unlike any chocolate cookie I’ve ever had before.

sliced world peace cookies on a baking sheet ready to bake

I find these World Peace Cookies to be quite a refreshing chocolate cookie in that they’re not your typical chewy, fudgy cookie.

They’re ever so lightly crisp on the outside while still maintaining a tender interior which brings you back for more over and over.

collection of dorie greenspan's world peace cookies on a wire cooling rack

And, delightfully, they have more than just a touch of salt in them– I didn’t know until I had these cookies that a salty chocolate cookie is simply delectable (think salted caramel or your favorite chocolate cookie with a sprinkle of sea salt on top).

I must toot the horn on these cookies– I love that they’re simple, and that they can be prepped ahead of time for a busy day of cookie baking.

aerial photo of dorie greenspan's world peace cookies on a wire cooling rack with a blue kitchen towel

They’re the perfect little slice of chocolate cookie, and honestly, given their name and their loving praise, I think we can call them the best cookie in the world. Yeah?

Give these ones a try– you’ll definitely love how easy they are and how they fit so nicely into a cookie collection. Plus, they’re bite size, so they’re perfect for munching and EXCELLENT with a glass of wine.

collection of world peace cookies one with a bite taken out of it

I know this for a fact.

World Peace Cookies

A buttery, salted chocolate shortbread cookie, simplified by the slice and bake method.
Prep Time10 minutes
Bake Time12 minutes
Chilling Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 22 minutes
Recipe Author Lynn April
Servings: 36 cookies

Ingredients

  • ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons (75g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
  • 2 and ½ Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 5 and ½ Tablespoons (78g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • cup (67g) firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ounces (57g) semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped

Instructions

  • In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda. Set aside.
  • In another medium size bowl with a handheld mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat again to combine.
  • Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture. Continue to mix until dough comes together. The dough will be crumbly. Add the chocolate and continue to mix until evenly dispersed.
  • Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface, bringing all of the bits of dough together with your hands. Divide the dough in half and shape into 9" logs, 1" in diameter. Since the dough is crumbly, rolling it will take some patience. Wrap each log and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
  • When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 325ºF (163ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
  • Trim the ends off of each log, then slice off ½" slices and place on prepared baking sheet. Cookies will spread a little, so don't crowd them, but I like to make 5 rows of 5. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. Cookies freeze well, up to 3 months. Rolled dough freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before slicing.

Notes

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan
Did you make this recipe?Mention @freshaprilflours on Instagram or tag #freshaprilflours!

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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13 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    One of my favorite cookies ever!!! I had so much fun making these with my fiancé. They were outside my comfort zone, but were surprisingly super easy and fast to make! The directions were spot on and never left me guessing. The dough was a lot different than what I usually work with, but made so a super great texture! These have been added to our (new) family yearly holiday cookie list.

    1. Reading comments like this make me so happy! Thank you for trusting my instructions and I’m so glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for also being a pre-publish taste tester 😉

  2. I followed the instruction item for item, word for word, They were not good and I can not make them again. A lot of wasted effort and ingredients.

    1. Hey, Gerald– I’m bummed to hear you didn’t think they were good. What didn’t you like about them? As stated in the recipe, the original recipe comes from world renown baker Dorie Greenspan, and I was honest in stating they are a salted chocolate cookie. If that’s not what you were expecting or didn’t enjoy, this is definitely not the cookie for you.

    1. Hey, Ann– I replied to your message on, I believe, Facebook. I’m unsure what you’re asking as there is salt in the recipe and instructions.

    2. Thank you for responding. Since they were salted do you sprinkle sea salt on the cookies before baking? I do plan to make them soon.

    3. I’m sorry, am I missing something here? How in the world does this recipe make 18 cookies?? It barely made enough dough for 4 cookies. I’m very confused.

    4. Hi, Kim– funny enough, I mistyped, and it actually makes 36 cookies! You are to make two 9″ long logs, 1″ in diameter, that you slice to 1/2″ thickness. So each 9″ log makes roughly 18 cookies. Was something unclear in the instructions?