Espresso Shortbreads- Crisp shortbread cookies made with espresso and a luscious chocolate icing are the perfect treat for your sweetheart! These little treats are so simple to make and are sure to please the coffee lover in your life. The espresso flavor is subtle but definitely noticeable, adding a hint of complexity to the traditional shortbread cookie.
You know that February is the month that I want to make every thing I cook and bake heart shaped! It was the perfect moment to make these adorable Espresso Shortbreads I've been craving since Christmas time.
Originally published February 2016 and updated on January 18, 2023. I thought you would enjoy these very easy to make cookies for your Valentine!
It really wasn't that long ago since I enjoyed these delights, but it was time to get them made in cute heart shapes for all my sweet hearts! We arrived at my family's adorable home in Ohio to my cousin taking trays and trays of cookies out of the oven. I felt almost as if I had arrived in a bakery.
There were chocolate chip cookies and thumbprint cookies being baked on this day. My cousin, quite the avid baker, was taking each tray out with swift precision and ease and placing them throughout the kitchen to cool so she could add more to the oven. There were also ricotta cookies and chocolate crinkle cookies.
But the cookie that I fell in love with were her espresso shortbreads!I have been told by some family members that I drink way too much espresso. Like, way too much!
And I always come to my own defense explaining I only have my espresso in the morning and then one in the afternoon to pick me up a little. Don't most people drink American coffee all day long in the office?
Jump To
Why you'll love these espresso cookies?
- They have a deep and rich flavor that will surely impress your taste buds.
- The espresso is subtle, adding just the right amount of complexity to the classic shortbread cookie.
- They are easy to make and require minimal ingredients.
- The chocolate icing adds an extra special touch and makes them really indulgent.
What ingredients do you need?
- cold unsalted butter- make sure the butter is room temperature
- confectioner's sugar- makes the cookie soft and tender
- salt-brings out the flavor of the other ingredients
- espresso or coffee or tea decaf or regular- this is what gives the cookie a coffee flavor
- vanilla extract-adds flavor
- all-purpose flour
- cocoa powder
Why are shortbreads called shortbreads?
Well, I did. I guess I'm a cooking/baking nerd because I like to know more about the background of dishes and their names. I'm not usually content just baking or cooking it. I like to be at a dinner party with friends and impress them with the history of the name shortbreads...don't you???
How to make these easy shortbread cookies?
- In a small bowl, add the cocoa powder to the flour by whisking it together; set aside. Using a paddle attachment on your mixer on low speed, beat the butter and confectioner's sugar until smooth, about 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the espresso, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined.
- Add the flour/cocoa powder mixture and mix on low speed until combined (about 3 minutes), making sure not to overmix the dough.
- Dump the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk. Chill for 30-60 minutes (or until the dough is firm enough to work with).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Make sure you're rolling it out evenly so the cookies will bake evenly.
- Using a heart or other shape cookie cutter, cut out shapes as close to one another as possible. Use the scraps to roll out and cut more cookie shapes. Chill dough a little bit more if it becomes sticky. Arrange the cookies on two parchment-lined baking sheets and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
Well, anyway, this is what I found out on a cool blog called British Food History...shortbreads were made all the way back in the 12th century and they used to be made from leftover bread dough that was sweetened and dried out. The word short means there is a lot of butter used to make them. So if you use the word short in describing biscuits or pastry, it means crumbly, because you are using loads of butter!
Do you need eggs in this recipe?
To use eggs or not? The recipe I found recently The Chicago Tribune did have eggs. Every other recipe I've ever used or seen has not had eggs. I think either way, they are delightful! Can they truly be a shortbread if they have eggs?
According to George Read’s 1854 book The complete biscuit and gingerbread baker’s assistant, they do have eggs. These are the list of shortbread ingredients from his book:1 ¼ lb. of flour, ½ lb. of sugar, ½ lb. of butter, 3 eggs, ¼ oz. of volatile salts…a little essence of lemon.
Are you shaking your head as I was wondering what in the world are volatile salts?? They were smelling salts and they were used as a leavening agent!
Are shortbread cookies the same as butter cookies?
While butter cookies still have a high proportion of butter, the amount of flour and sugar is increased, which means they will hold their shape better than a shortbread.
So if you're wondering what sort of a cookie you should use for cutouts, sugar cookies have the highest ratio of flour to fat, giving a sturdier dough that makes it easier to work with.
The large amount of butter is what makes shortbread short: the term short, when applied to cookies and pastry, means crumbly, like shortcrust pastry should be. This is explains why the fat added to biscuits and pastries is called shortening.
Much better than the typical hot and humid air we get here in FL. These cookies are super easy to put together.
Absolutely! To make up for the weaker taste of espresso powder, add an extra teaspoon to guarantee a delicious cup.
As I prepared the cookies, there were instances where the dough became too warm. As a reminder, it is ideal for them to be cold when baking so that they come out perfectly. In case this happens while you're working with your cookie dough, place it back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before continuing on.
A regular shortbread cookie is made with butter, sugar, and flour. Scottish shortbread usually has a higher ratio of butter to dry ingredients, resulting in an even richer flavor. It also typically uses rice flour or cornstarch which gives it a more melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Expert Tips
- I melted a little Nutella that I had on hand and after the cookies cooled, I smeared some on and sprinkled on some Maldon salt to make it sparkly and pretty.
- Make sure you measure out the flour correctly: spoon it into the measuring cup, not scooping directly from the bag. Too much flour will make for tough cookies.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges and no longer wet in the center. Let cool completely before icing (if desired).
- You could skip the Nutella part (but why would you??)and you could sprinkle on some colorful sprinkles or turbinado sugar if you don't have the salt. Valentine's is right around the corner...bake these for your sweethearts!!
Some other cookie recipes to enjoy:
Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below:)
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Espresso Shortbreads
Ingredients
- 1 cup 8 oz. cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½ cup confectioner's sugar
- ½ tsp. table salt
- 2 Tbs. espresso or coffee or tea decaf or regular
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the cocoa powder to the flour by whisking it together; set aside. Using a paddle attachment on your mixer on low speed, beat the butter and confectioner's sugar until smooth, about 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the espresso, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined.
- Add the flour/cocoa powder mixture and mix on low speed until combined (about 3 minutes), making sure not to overmix the dough.
- Dump the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk. Chill for 30-60 minutes (or until the dough is firm enough to work with).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Make sure you're rolling it out evenly so the cookies will bake evenly.
- Using a heart or other shape cookie cutter, cut out shapes as close to one another as possible. Use the scraps to roll out and cut more cookie shapes. Chill dough a little bit more if it becomes sticky. Arrange the cookies on two parchment-lined baking sheets and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Bake the cookies until golden on the bottom and edges and pale to golden on top, 13-18 minutes.
- Cool and spread on some melted chocolate or Nutella. Add Maldon salt or sprinkles.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Cristina says
Ciao Lora. So that is why pasta frolla is called ‘short crust pastry’ interesting. The cookies look yummy! I make an espresso shortbread cookie too, but the recipe is quite different and uses powdered espresso. I like the idea of using actual caffè. Ciao, Cristina
Lora says
Ciao Cristina! I saw quite a few recipes that use powdered espresso but thought I wanted to give it a little extra kick;) Buona Domenica!!
Katyy says
How much vanilla?? It's not in the ingredient list but is in the written instructions. Thank you.
Lora says
Hi Katyy-I added that in the ingredients (sorry about that!) It's 1 teaspoon. Happy Baking! XX