Best 3 Chocolate Espresso Shortbread Recipes

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, beat the butter with the flat paddle attachment on the medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. In another bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and beat on low speed until incorporated. Scrape the soft dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and gather together into a ball. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, or until firm enough to roll out. You may chill it overnight; just let it soften a bit at room temperature before proceeding. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with a cookie cutter of your choice. These baking instructions are for 3-inch cookies. If you make small cookies, reduce the baking time, larger cookies will require a longer baking time. Reroll any extra dough and cut out as many cookies as possible. Transfer the cookies to the prepared pans, keeping them at least 1-inch apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans front to back halfway through the baking time. These cookies are so dark that it is impossible to see if they are beginning to color. Use the time suggested and check to see if the edges and bottoms are completely dry. You should be able to lift a cookie up with a spatula to peek at the bottom; the cookie should be baked enough to remain stiff and not break. Set the pans directly on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Then remove the cookies to the rack and cool completely. The sheet pans must be cooled completely between uses, but you will probably be able to reuse the parchment. The cookies are best eaten within 1 week; store them at room temperature in an airtight container.

DARK CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Sift together the dry ingredients (except the sugar) -- flour through espresso powder -- in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar, three to four tablespoons at a time beating well. Stir in dry ingredients by hand and beat just until blended.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough into three equal balls. Take the first ball, place it between two sheets of plastic wrap, and pat or roll out into a 5 1/2 inch disk. Place on the far side of your baking sheet. Lightly score the disk and mark out 8 triangular wedges.
• Repeat the patting, rolling and scoring for the other two disks, placing one on the other side of the first baking sheet and the third disk on the second baking sheet.
• Bake rounds for 23 minutes or until shortbread feels firm to the touch. Remove from the oven.
• Gently score each round again with a sharp knife following the lines you make on the dough. Slide parchment from baking sheets onto wire racks. Let shortbread cool completely on parchment. Cut shortbread into wedges along scored lines.
• Melt unsweetened chocolate baking bars separately in small bowls according to package directions. You can do this in a microwave or on the stove using a double boiler. Partially dip wide end of each shortbread wedge in unsweetened chocolate. Place on a wax paper-lined jelly-roll pan, and freeze briefly to set chocolate. (Alternately, if your house is cool you can let it set on it's own.)
• Melt the white chocolate. Then partially dip other half of wide end of each wedge in white chocolate. Alternately, you can place in a plastic bag and stripe the cookies. Freeze briefly to set white chocolate or allow to air dry.

CHOCOLATE CHIP ESPRESSO SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water, and set aside to cool to tepid. 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 very smooth.
• 2. Beat in the vanilla and espresso, then 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 chocolate chips 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 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Put 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 twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.
• 5. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale-they shouldn't take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack. If you'd like, dust the cookies with confectioners' sugar while they are still hot. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving.