Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry (also known as short dough or pâte sucrée) is a slightly sweet cookie-like dough that is perfect for making fruit tarts, cream pies and cut-out cookies. It’s dead-simple to make and freezes very well.

How can I use Chocolate Pastry Dough?
Pâte Sucrée or Short dough bakes up with a nice crisp bite and is strong enough to hold soft fillings like pastry cream or fresh fruit without getting soggy.
I love to use this dough as the base for a delicious Chocolate Strawberry Tart. You can also use this dough to make chocolate cut-out cookies. Sandwich the cookies with jam or chocolate ganache for a chocolatey treat.
Chocolate Shortcrust couldn’t be easier to make. Cream the butter and sugar, add the egg and then the flour and cocoa.
This recipe makes enough dough for two 12″ tarts. You can halve the recipe or just freeze the extra dough to use later. It freezes beautifully.
Scroll through the process photos to see how to make Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry:





If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a 5-star review.
Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry
Ingredients
- 12 1/2 oz all purpose flour (2 1/2 cups)
- 2 oz dutch process cocoa powder (1/2 cup)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 10 oz unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 5 oz granulated sugar (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Sift together the flour, cocoa and salt and set aside.12 1/2 oz all purpose flour, 2 oz dutch process cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp salt
- Cream the butter and sugar just until combined and slightly aerated. Add the egg and vanilla, mix to combine and scrape down the bowl and beater.10 oz unsalted butter, 5 oz granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Add flour/cocoa and mix until the dough just begins to come together. Remove from the mixer and knead into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 pieces and flatten each ball to a disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before using or freeze for up to 3 months.
Equipment
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Kate
Saturday 11th of March 2023
What is the recommended bake time and temperature?
Eileen Gray
Saturday 11th of March 2023
The bake time and temperature will depend on how you are using the dough. If you will bake the tart shell with no filling bake it at 375F for about 10-15 minutes. Since you won't be able to use color as an indicator of doneness, press the center of the tart shell to make sure it's baked through.