Chocolate Espresso Shortbread Cookies
These slice-and-bake chocolate espresso shortbread cookies are studded with bits of semi-sweet chocolate and laced with espresso to create a slightly bitter, oh-so-chocolatey cookie.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond brand)
- 2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 ounces (about 1 cup) chopped semi-sweet chocolate
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Spoon in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until the dough comes together.
- Toss in the chopped chocolate and mix until just combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed.
- Divvy the dough in half and roll each half into a 2 1/2-inch-wide (7-cm) log. Wrap each log in plastic.
☞ TESTER TIP: The dough may be quite sticky. Once you get each log rolled in plastic, use the plastic to help even out the shape.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours or freeze for 30 minutes.
- Crank up the oven to 350°F (178°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
- Use a sharp knife to slice each dough log into scant 1/2-inch (12-mm) rounds. Place the cookies on the baking sheet, about 1 inch (25 mm) apart.
- Bake until the edges are just set, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes--they are fragile at this point--then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
Notes
- To make smaller cookies--Roll the dough logs to 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) in diameter. This will give you a yield of about 40 cookies.
- Add some salt--If you like a salty-sweet combination in your cookies, sprinkle the cookies with flaked sea salt before baking.
- Don't rush the cooling process--The cookies are soft and fragile when they come out of the oven. Don't attempt to move them from the baking sheet until they've cooled for at least 10 minutes, and let them cool completely on a rack before enjoying.
- Storage--Store baked cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g