Chocolate Espresso Shortbread Cookies

Wanted to make cookies. These sounded yummy and I had all of the ingredients for them. Used this recipe and didn't change a thing, except my batch did not make 42 cookies (more like 32). And I didn't dust them with additional confectioner's sugar. Subtle coffee and chocolate flavor - next time might double the coffee and increase chocolate amount a bit. A tasty shortbread!


1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon boiling water
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chocolate chips, chopped (or left whole if mini chips)

Dissolve the espresso in boiling water, set aside to cool.

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter and confectioner's sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in the vanilla and the espresso. Reduce speed to low and add flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Fold in the chopped chocolate.

Transfer the dough into a gallon size zipper-lock plastic bag. Leaving top open, put bag on flat surface and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that's 1/4" thick. When correct size and thickness is achieved, seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 325. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

Slit open the plastic bag, on a cutting board. Discard the bag and cut the dough into 1 1/2" squares. Transfer the squares to a baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies will be very pale. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

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