There’s a universal truth when it comes to sweet treats: we’re all kids at heart. Who can truly resist the occasional, perfectly baked cookie or a delightful dessert? Yet, sometimes our palate craves something a little more refined, an indulgence that speaks to a grown-up taste. If you find yourself in search of a sophisticated treat that’s not overly sweet, you’ve arrived at the perfect destination. These Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies are a revelation – rich with creamy butter, yet boasting a mild, balanced sweetness. Each bite offers a delightful burst of flavor, akin to a luxurious shot of espresso, perfectly complemented by pockets of melting chocolate.

Our journey to cookie perfection is inspired by none other than Dorie Greenspan, often hailed as the reigning queen of homemade cookies. This particular recipe draws its foundation from her acclaimed cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours. The beauty of this recipe lies in its straightforward preparation, though a key step requires patience: allowing the prepared dough ample time to chill. You’ll need at least two hours in the refrigerator for the dough to firm up, a crucial detail we highlight upfront to ensure your baking experience is as smooth as these cookies are delicious!

The Secret Ingredient: Instant Espresso

Don’t let the word “espresso” intimidate you; crafting these coffee-infused shortbread cookies doesn’t require any fancy equipment or a barista-level skill set. The robust flavor and subtle caffeine kick come from a surprisingly simple, yet potent, ingredient: instant espresso powder. We create a concentrated syrup by dissolving instant espresso powder in an equal amount of boiling water. This method ensures a deep, authentic coffee flavor without adding excessive liquid to your delicate shortbread dough.

This instant espresso syrup is a baker’s secret weapon, not just for these shortbreads. If you’re looking to elevate the flavor profile of other chocolate baked goods, try adding a teaspoon or two of this concentrated magic to your next batch of brownies, chocolate cakes, or even hot fudge sauce. It mysteriously deepens the chocolate notes, making everything taste more intensely chocolaty without overtly tasting like coffee. It’s truly a game-changer!

Crafting the Perfect Shortbread Dough

While your freshly prepared espresso concentrate cools, you can begin assembling the heart of these cookies: the rich, buttery shortbread dough. As an avid baker, I feel incredibly fortunate to own a stand mixer, and this is precisely the kind of recipe where its power and efficiency are truly appreciated. The initial step involves creaming together the softened butter and confectioners’ sugar. This isn’t just a quick mix; we beat them for a full three minutes, allowing the mixture to transform into a light, airy, and wonderfully creamy consistency. This creaming process incorporates air, which contributes to the signature tender texture of shortbread. After achieving that perfect creaminess, we incorporate the vanilla, the cooled espresso mixture, and a touch of salt to balance the flavors. Finally, the flour is added on a low mixer speed, just until it’s fully integrated into the dough. The key here is not to overmix the dough once the flour is in, as excessive mixing can develop the gluten, leading to tougher cookies rather than the desired delicate crumb. The last step before chilling is to gently fold in the chocolate chips by hand with a sturdy rubber spatula. Of course, if a stand mixer isn’t part of your kitchen arsenal, a hand mixer will do the job beautifully, just ensure you dedicate the full three minutes to creaming the butter and sugar.

For those with dietary preferences or needs, transforming these delectable cookies into a gluten-free treat is remarkably simple. Just swap out the all-purpose flour for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. This specific blend is designed to be a direct substitute, ensuring your gluten-free shortbread cookies maintain the same delightful texture and flavor as their traditional counterparts.

Let’s Talk Chocolate: Finding Your Perfect Sweetness

The choice of chocolate plays a pivotal role in these Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies. As pictured, I’ve opted for bittersweet chocolate, which is a family favorite and perfectly complements the sophisticated, mildly sweet profile of the shortbread. However, it’s essential to understand that these cookies, on their own, are not inherently super-sweet. They’re designed for a more refined palate that appreciates balanced flavors over sugary intensity.

If your preference leans towards a sweeter cookie experience, I highly recommend experimenting with semi-sweet chocolate or even milk chocolate. Semi-sweet chocolate chips will offer a classic chocolate chip cookie vibe, adding a familiar sweetness that many adore. Milk chocolate, with its higher sugar and milk content, will make the cookies considerably sweeter and creamier. It truly is a matter of personal preference, so feel free to choose the chocolate that best suits your taste buds and transforms these shortbreads into your ideal indulgence.

Whether you choose a solid block of your favorite chocolate or start with pre-made chocolate chips, the crucial step is to finely chop it before adding it to the batter. Smaller pieces distribute more evenly throughout the dough, ensuring every bite has a perfect hint of chocolate. Once chopped, the chocolate is gently folded into the dough by hand, preventing overmixing and maintaining the delicate structure of the shortbread.

The Crucial Chill & Shaping Perfection

As you can probably tell from its rich consistency, the freshly mixed shortbread batter is quite moist and sticky. This is completely normal and precisely why the chilling step is so absolutely essential for these cookies. Without adequate chilling, the butter in the dough would melt too quickly in the oven, causing the cookies to spread excessively and lose their delicate shortbread texture. A minimum of two hours in the refrigerator is required, but for the best results and easiest handling, an overnight chill is even better. This allows the butter to solidify, the flavors to meld, and the dough to become much more manageable for rolling and cutting.

A clever trick for chilling and shaping is to simply transfer the entire batch of dough into a gallon-sized freezer-safe zipper-lock bag. Once in the bag, gently press and roll the dough to smooth it out into a uniform rectangle. This method not only keeps your workspace clean but also helps the dough hold its shape perfectly as it chills. It’s a simple technique that makes the subsequent steps much easier and more enjoyable.

The ideal thickness for these shortbread cookies is around 1/4-inch. Achieving this consistent thickness across the entire batch is effortless when using a rolling pin equipped with measured, removable rings on each end. These rings act as guides, ensuring that your chilled dough is perfectly even, resulting in beautifully uniform cookies that bake consistently.

When it comes time to cut your perfectly chilled dough into neat, consistent squares, a valuable tool is a bench scraper. Its straight edge and measurements make it ideal for precisely portioning and cutting the dough, ensuring each shortbread cookie is uniform in size and will bake evenly. This simple tool helps achieve that professional, polished look for your homemade treats.

Your Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies Are Ready to Indulge!

After the anticipation of chilling and baking, your delicate and flavorful Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies are finally ready to be enjoyed. The aroma filling your kitchen right now is probably just as intoxicating as the cookies themselves!

These beautiful shortbreads are incredibly versatile in how they can be served. They pair wonderfully with a freshly brewed cup of coffee, enhancing their espresso notes, or with a comforting cup of tea for a more relaxed moment. For a classic treat, serve them alongside a tall glass of cold milk. Of course, they are absolutely divine enjoyed simply by themselves – their rich, buttery texture and balanced flavors need no accompaniment to shine. Whether for a morning coffee break, an afternoon snack, or an elegant after-dinner treat, these cookies are sure to impress with their sophisticated simplicity and irresistible taste.

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Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan in Baking: From My Home to Yours

Delicious not-too-sweet coffee-flavored treats, generously laced with bits of chocolate.

Servings 42 cookies

Author Rosemary Stelmach

Ingredients

• 1
  tablespoon
  instant espresso powder
• 1
  tablespoon
  boiling water
• 8
  ounces
  unsalted butter, at room temperature
  (2 sticks)
• 2/3
  cup
  confectioners’ sugar
  (plus more for dusting, if desired)
• 1/2
  teaspoon
  pure vanilla extract
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  coarse sea salt
  (or coarse kosher salt)
• 2
  cups
  all-purpose flour
  (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)
• 4
  ounces
  bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  (or mini chocolate chips)

Instructions

1. Dissolve the espresso powder in the boiling water. Set aside to cool.

2. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is creamy and very smooth. Beat in the vanilla, espresso mixture and salt. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate with a sturdy rubber spatula. 

3. Using the spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2-inch rectangle that’s 1/4-inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days. 

4. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. Place the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet. 

6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will still be very pale at this point. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.

7. If you’d like, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while they are still hot. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving.

Recipe Notes

FOR GLUTEN-FREE: Replace the all-purpose flour with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.

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