Espresso Shortbread Cookies that are buttery and crumbly with a bold, bittersweet coffee flavor – these cookies are a TREAT! Classic shortbread cookies made with instant coffee (or instant espresso) powder, and dipped in chocolate.
Espresso shortbread cookies are great for snacking and gift-giving!
First published: 03/2015. Updated: 06/2019
I am a sucker for anything coffee. There are very few things in the world that I care to be snobbish about, and coffee is one of them. I’d rather skip coffee than subject myself to a horrid cup of joe.
But with these cookies… my sweet tooth and my coffee tooth are plenty satisfied! Buttery, crumbly, delicious, and perfectly bittersweet with a no-holds-barred coffee flavor, these Espresso Shortbread Cookies deliver on their promise!
Plain shortbread cookies or espresso shortbread cookies?
If you like shortbread cookies and if you like coffee, then these chocolate dipped espresso shortbread cookies are a MUST try! These cookies aren’t pretending when it comes to the coffee flavor either. Have them plain, or dip them in chocolate – either way, these coffee shortbread cookies are a treat.
A few month ago, I shared my classic recipe for making easy shortbread cookies with plenty of tips to perfect these light, crumbly, buttery cookies. So today, I’m going to show you how to adapt that shortbread cookie recipe to make these espresso shortbread cookies.
Brewed coffee or instant coffee?
Since shortbread cookies are made with butter, sugar and flour, I wanted to minimize the addition of extra liquid, since that can interfere with the cookie texture. So to keep it simple, I used instant coffee (or instant espresso). In place of the vanilla extract, instant coffee is dissolved in a small amount of water and then added to the butter and sugar mix.
But I also add EXTRA instant coffee granules along with the flour, because I want a robust coffee flavor for these espresso shortbread cookies. This also results in little specks of coffee in the shortbread cookies, which don’t hurt in terms of looks and flavor either! 🙂
How to choose ingredients for shortbread cookies
Check out my classic shortbread cookies post to find out why it’s important to use good quality ingredients to make great tasting shortbread cookies.
The main flavor comes from the butter, so it goes without saying that you need good quality butter. I also prefer to use unsalted butter, because the flavor is better, and I can also adjust the amount of salt to my liking then. If you have European butter, then that’s the best kind to use. But any good quality supermarket brand works too.
For sugar, I use a good quality white cane sugar for these chocolate dipped espresso shortbread cookies. If you like the flavor of brown sugar, you can use 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 white sugar as well. I prefer using a fine white sugar (like caster sugar), since it’ll dissolve more readily in the butter.
How to make espresso shortbread cookies
First step is to dissolve the instant coffee in the smallest amount of water. This espresso extract is quite bitter, so don’t be tempted to taste it!
Secondly, cream the butter, sugar and the espresso extract. It’s important to make sure the butter and sugar mix is really creamy, and that the sugar is mostly dissolved. This shouldn’t take more than 2 minutes in a stand mixer.
Once the butter and sugar are creamed well, the flour can be added. I also like to add an extra teaspoon of instant coffee at this point. This is optional however.
Make sure to form a dough without over-mixing the flour. The more you mix, the more gluten will develop, making the cookies less crumbly, and more chewy. Not good.
Tips for making perfect espresso shortbread cookies
After you make the shortbread cookie dough, you need to let it chill and rest a little before rolling it out. This is because the dough at room temperature is too soft and difficult to roll out, and won’t hold its shape.
Here’s where this clever method to roll out the cookie dough comes in handy.
Place the cookie dough in a 1 gallon ziploc bag (12 x 12 inches), and roll the dough to an even thickness while it’s inside the ziploc bag. It’s important to make sure it’s rolled out to an even thickness of about 3/8 inch. I prefer my espresso shortbread cookies to be a little thinner than regular shortbread cookies.
Once the dough is rolled out inside the ziploc bags, carefully place the bags on a FLAT SURFACE (like a cookie sheet or a sheet pan). Keep it in the fridge to completely chill the dough. You can even leave it overnight as well.
Finally, when you’re ready to bake the cookies when the dough is chilled. Carefully cut the plastic bag to remove the chilled, rolled out dough. Then it can be cut into shapes and baked.
Make sure the cookies are nice and chilled before baking, because this will prevent the cookies from spreading as they bake.
To dip or not to dip?
If chocolate dipped shortbread cookies are that much more fun than regular shortbread cookies, same goes for chocolate dipped espresso shortbread cookies!
You can use either white chocolate or milk chocolate for a sweeter option, or bittersweet chocolate, which is my personal preference.
How to serve espresso shortbread cookies?
With a cup of coffee, of course! 🙂 Or a glass of milk! These are perfect as a snack, and for gift-giving too! I actually made a big batch of these last Christmas and gave them out to my neighbors. Nothing like a delicious plate of buttery, crumbly, shortbread cookies to charm a grumpy neighbor.
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Other recipes you may like,
Mocha Frappuccino/ Coffee Slushie
Other cookie recipes you should try
Easy Shortbread Cookies (The basic shortbread cookie recipe for beginners)
Juniper berry chocolate hazelnut cookies
Chocolate Chip & Cranberry shortbread cookies
EQUIPMENT I USED FOR THIS RECIPE
Stand mixer or Hand mixer – I use a KitchenAid stand mixer, and also have a kitchen aid hand mixer.
2 x Sheet pans – You can chill one batch, while the other is in the oven. Ensuring better results without wasting time between batches. I love this Nordic Ware pans or these USA Pans.
Sharp knife and Fork – to cut and dock the cookies.
Gallon ziploc (10 inch x 10 inch) – It’s easy to roll out the dough inside ziploc bags.
Rolling Pin – A heavy rolling pin to ensure even thickness when rolling out dough.
Heat proof bowl – to melt chocolate
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Espresso shortbread cookies
What You Need:
- Stand mixer or Hand mixer
- 2 x Sheet pans
- Parchment paper
- Sharp knife and Fork
- Gallon zip loc (10 x 10 inch)
- Rolling Pin
- Heat proof bowl
Ingredients:
- 226 g unsalted butter 1 cup, softened
- Generous pinch of sea salt
- 115 g caster sugar ½ cup + 1 tbsp
- 2 tsp instant coffee
- 2 tsp hot water
- 284 g AP flour 2 ⅓ cup , spoon and leveled
- 57 g cornstarch or rice flour 5 ½ tbsp, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp instant coffee
- 226 g semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chopped or chips (optional)
Instructions:
Espresso Shortbread Cookies
- Dissolve the 2 tsp of instant coffee in the 2 tsp of hot water to make the coffee extract.
- Place the 226 g butter and generous pinch of salt in the mixer bowl, and mix on medium speed until creamy (using a paddle beater - about 2 to 4 minutes). You can use a stand mixer or a hand-held mixer as well.
- Add the 115 g caster sugar and instant coffee extract, and mix until the sugar and butter are well mixed, and the mix is creamy - about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the 284 g AP flour and 57 g cornstarch (if using) and mix on LOW (or the stir setting), until the flour is mixed in with the butter-sugar mix, and the dough forms clumps. Do NOT over-mix, as this can make the cookies tough and chewy. Add the 1 tsp instant coffee and stir it into the clumps of dough.
- Using floured hands OR a spatula - bring the dough clumps together to form a cohesive dough (fold over the dough 2 - 3 times to help bring it together). Then flatten the dough into a disc shape.
- Place the dough disc in a gallon-size ziploc bag (about 10 x 10 inches in size), on a flat, smooth surface. Without closing the bag, gently roll the dough using a rolling pin, maintaining an even thickness throughout the dough. Press/roll the dough into the bottom edge of the ziploc bag, and form a roughly 10 x 10 inch square (about ⅜ of an inch thick). Keep the bag open while you do this to allow excess air to escape and prevent air bubbles from forming. This will help you easily roll out the dough to an even thickness.
- Once the dough is rolled out, seal the bag, and carefully place it on a sheet pan. Then transfer this to the fridge to chill for about 30 - 60 minutes, or until the dough is firm enough to cut through.
- When you’re ready to bake the espresso shortbread cookies, line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 °F/180°C.
- Once the oven is preheated, carefully remove the dough disc from the ziploc bag (you may need to cut the bag to remove the dough disc). Place the dough on a parchment paper on a smooth surface, and trim the edges of the dough using a sharp knife.
- Cut the dough into 20 (4 x 5) equal pieces. Pierce each piece of cookie with a fork 3 - 4 times (see pictures in the post).
- Place the chilled pieces of espresso shortbread cookies on the parchment paper, with about 1 in of space between each. You may need to use two half sheet pans.
- Make sure the cookies are still stiff and chilled when you put them in the oven. (If they have softened, then return the pan to the fridge and refrigerate for about 30 minutes until the cookies are completely chilled.) You can also leave the cookies in the fridge overnight at this point.
- Bake the cookies in the center of the oven, for about 15 - 20 minutes, or just until the bottom edges of the cookies are starting to color. Make sure to check on the cookies every few minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool. If you're baking both sheet pans at the same time, make sure to switch the sheet pans (between the two oven shelves) halfway through.
- Allow the cookies to cool down for a few minutes and then transfer them onto a wire rack to let them cool down completely.
Chocolate dipped espresso shortbread cookies (optional)
- Place a parchment paper-lined sheet pan in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
- Place the 226 g of chopped bittersweet chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, until most of the chocolate is melted, but some clumps of chocolate still remain.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and stir gently until all the chocolate has melted.
- Remove the chilled sheet pan from the freezer.
- Dip half of each cookie in the melted chocolate. Gently shake the cookie to remove excess chocolate. Place the dipped cookie on the lined and chilled sheet pan. This helps set the chocolate faster. (You do not have to put the chilled sheet pan back in the freezer.)
- Once the chocolate is set, remove the cookies from the chilled sheet pan, and store in an air-tight container.
Tips & Tricks
- If you don’t have cornstarch, then replace that amount (57 g / 2 oz) with an equal amount of AP flour.
- The cookies will last about 1 week at room temperature. They will last longer in the freezer, but allow them to completely thaw before eating.
Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
V says
I found my new favourite cookie recipe. I love them, my grandmother loves them. They’re super easy to make, too. I tried it both with the espresso and also another time with lemon zest and a teaspoon of vanilla extract instead. So good.
Kim Oates says
I made these last year and they were a hit! Making a lot more this year and will freeze until just before Christmas. Will then dip them in chocolate and package up as gifts with a bag of really good coffee.
Love the tip to roll out in a freezer bag! Genius!
cookie critter says
The recipe states 226g butter not 115g as in directions. Am I missing something?
Dini says
Hi Cookie critter
Thank you for pointing that out! I have fixed it now 🙂
Pauline says
Wonderful coffee flavor, easy to make.
tina lee says
I decided I’d make these for my workplace cookie exchange so prepped a 2x batch. The result…..
Complete failure! The dough was extremely dry and would not come together. I could’ve kneaded it together but was afraid of over-working. What a let down.
Dini says
Hi Tina
I’m sorry the recipe didn’t come out well for you. I just made this two weeks ago and it came out really well, so I’d like to help you.
To help figure out what might have gone wrong, I need to ask you two quick questions. Did you use cup measurements for the flour? If you did, how did you measure the flour – did you spoon and level or scoop and level?
I always recommend weighing ingredients for accuracy because cup measurements vary too much. If you do use cup measurements, then I recommend to spoon the flour into the measuring cup until over-filled and then level it with one quick swoop with a flat knife.
Depending on how you measured the flour, this can lead upto 20% extra flour than stated in the recipe. This can cause the dough to be extremely dry, which is likely what may have happened.
Please let me know, so I can help you further.
Winnie says
These are simply amazing cookies, even without the dip.
The kind I cannot stop eating once I start 🙂
Janine says
Yum, these look divine!
Jennifer A Stewart says
I’m not a big coffee drinker but this hint of espresso with chocolate is a must try for me!
Joy @ Joy Love Food says
I’m a coffee lover too, these cookies sound wonderful!
Joanne T Ferguson says
Your shortbread cookies look delicious and could go for one with my coffee
Helen @ Scrummy Lane says
I was always a tea girl, too, but got hooked on coffee while working in an office … trying to cut down again now but it’s always OK to have a shortbread biccie … especially one covered in chocolate!
Hirra Pervaiz says
This is sheer goodness! I so want to have these now
Faye Wilkerson says
I love a crisp cookie, will have to try recipe soon.
Isabel says
These look amazing!!! They look perfect for my exam revision snacking 😛
Carrie @ Kenarry: Ideas for the Home says
Love the cartoon that goes along with this post, Dini! That’s totally me with my one LARGE cup of coffee a day. These shortbread cookies would be perfect with it.
Prachi Garg says
So delicious and beautiful ! Love the simplicity of your shortbread cookies.. nothing beats chocolate dipped biscuits ! Lovely ! Thanks for bringing it to the FF table 🙂
Josette says
Beyond FABULOUS!!
skd says
That stick of butter wouldn’t mind ending in those scrumptious cookies 😀 Have no guilt Dini. It was meant to be in those cookies and torture all us droolers 😉
Dini says
Thank you skd! I need to stop making these soon! It’s bordering unhealthy… 😀
derrick B. Loane says
My dough did not get the consistency like your pictures. I wondered if the 115 grams of butter should be 215 grams?
Dini says
Hi Derrick
The butter is definitely 115 g (which is one stick of butter in the USA). Shortbread dough is a little crumbly but comes together when patted down and wrapped up. What is the consistency that you got?
Did you weigh the flour, or use cup measurements?
Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake says
I’m not a coffee person, I’m one of those freaks! I do like a nice dose of coffee in my chocolate cake though and I have been known to enjoy a peppermint mocha!
These cookies do sound awesome though, I mean what’s not to love?!
Dini says
That’s ok Michelle! 😀 You still belong to the Chocolate Lover’s Club! But you can, reduce the amount of coffee and add some chocolate chunks! It makes the Chocolate taste all the more better 🙂
Julianna says
These are simply yummy! Love your photos!
Nancy says
These cookies look fabulous, Dini! Thanks for sharing them with the group at Fiesta Friday. Hope you have fun mingling among all of the participants. 🙂
Julie @ HostessAtHeart says
Dini these cookies look delicious! I love chocolate and these would make a great treat! I learned to love coffee as a child by dunking my cookies into it at my grandmothers house. I felt so grown up!
Dini says
Thank you Julie! 🙂 I always thought of coffee as a grown up drink too! 😀 I was always excited when I got to have iced coffee when I was a kid!
Jhuls says
Wow!! Save me some of these, please!!! 😀
Dini, is that a gif? The last photo, I mean…
Dini says
Thank you Jhuls! 🙂 Yes, the last is s gif! I’ve been using them for some of my posts and I love it! What do you think about them?
Tracy says
definitely no such thing as too much coffee! These look divine! Thanks so much for bringing them to FF!
Loretta says
How absolutely gorgeous, so simple, yet so elegant and those flavors have me each time. Love the dipping chocolate :). Not sure why you aren’t coming up in my Reader feed, I’m pretty sure I’ve added you????
Dini says
Hi Loretta! 🙂 It is so easy to put together, but the waiting time is what makes me impatient… I tried skipping it once and it didn’t turn out as pretty! So I learnt my lesson! 🙂
I’m not sure Loretta how to check the reader Loretta… :s I do send out subscription emails though! Is that the same thing?
Katie @ Recipe for Perfection says
Love the idea of chocolate dipped cookies. I haven’t tried a coffee flavor in my cookies before, so I’m definitely intrigued. Very pretty, too!
Dini says
Thank you Katie 🙂 This does have a strong coffee kick… but I love putting coffee in anything!
Kaila (GF Life 24/7) says
I love these cookies. I’m not a coffee fan (*gasp*), BUT I would never say no to dipping anything in chocolate. The cookies look delicious, and I like how the espresso adds a crunch to them. Have a wonderful weekend! 😀
Dini says
Thank you Kaila!! I won’t hold the fact that you’re not a coffee fan against you 😉 hahaha!! You can omit the coffee and STILL dip in it chocolate! 😀 I agree that chocolate dipping is fun AND delicious!
Margy@lapetitecasserole says
Love these cookies! For the flavours you put together and for the cute shape you have chosen! That’s awesome!
Dini says
Thank you Margy! 🙂 I love smaller cookies too… it’s easier, and bakes faster… which means I can eat it quicker! hahaha!!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
This is some serious yumminess here! I love all your desserts! Can you come over for coffee? !
Dini says
😀 Thank you Michelle!! You can come over anytime for coffee! 😀
Amanda says
DROOL!! Chocolate… espresso… cookies? Yes, yes, and YES! Thanks for sharing with us at the Friday Favorites Link Party! We love having you 🙂
Dini says
Thank you Amanda! I love being a part of it too! 🙂
Suzie@homemaker-mom says
Ok this was simply amazing! Found your post in the Friday Favorites Party.
Dini says
Thank you Suzie! 🙂