Espresso Chip Shortbread Cookies are sophisticated cookies for the adults in the room! These easy slice and bake cookies are made with espresso powder and dark chocolate chips for a decidedly grown up treat.
Espresso chocolate chip shortbread cookies #adulting
You know how I feel about coffee. And I’m pretty sure I’ve made it clear how I feel about chocolate. And since it’s getting to be that time of year again when cookies come in pretty handy, I’m combining the two into one of my favorite forms, a shortbread cookie. This is an adult cookie. It’s got a strong espresso presence and large chunks of barely sweet dark chocolate. I love the combination, and it fits in beautifully with my growing assortment of shortbread recipes.
The only two kinds of cookies I make, as a general rule, are drop cookies and slice and bake. The task of rolling out dough, cutting it, then reforming the scraps, etc. usually exceeds my level of patience and energy. And really, most cookies aren’t worth all that work and mess.
Cookie making should be a joy, an easy breezy task that doesn’t create chaos in the kitchen. Enter the slice and bake cookie ~ it couldn’t be more convenient. ย Form the dough into a log, wrap it up, chill it, and slice and bake when you’re ready.
My husband walked into the kitchen while these were baking and asked ‘Who’s roasting coffee?’ย ย That was just the effect I was going for.
Btw ~ย Like all my shortbread cookies, these are absolutely incredible hot from the oven.
Tips for making shortbread cookies
- You can make this dough in a food processor, a stand mixer, with a hand held mixer, or by hand. I do it with my stand mixer. Just be sure you get the ingredients fully combined, with no dry flour left.
- Room temperature butter is important, it helps the dough come together.
- Don’t have room temperature butter? Check out my post on how to get ingredients to room temperature in a jiffy!
more shortbread to try ~
- Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
- Churro Shortbread Cookies
- Espresso Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
- Turkish Coffee Shortbread Cookies
Espresso Chip Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, or superfine sugar
- 2 Tbsp instant espresso powder, use 1 for a lighter coffee flavor
- 1 stick, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature and cut in pieces
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 or 2 tsp milk or half and half
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325F
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, briefly blend the dry ingredients.
- Add the butter and the vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix on low until the butter is incorporated.ย It will seem dry at first, until the butter has a chance to become thoroughly incorporated into the flour.ย Add in the milk or half and half a little at a time just until the dough comes together.
- Turn out onto a surface and mix in the chocolate chips with your hands, distributing well, but don't overwork the dough.
- Form the dough into a smooth 7 or 8 inch log, on top of parchment, plastic, or waxed paper.
- Roll the log of dough up with the paper and twist the ends to secure.
- Refrigerate for about 2 hours until firm.
- Slice the chilled dough into approximately 1/3 inch slices.ย Don't worry if the dough crumbles, just reform them on the baking sheet.
- Bake on a silpat or parchment lines baking sheet for about 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your slices.ย Don't over bake, this shortbread should be silky and creamy, not crisp.
- Cool on a rack.
Can these be frozen instead of just refrigerated?
Yes, absolutely Lauralee.