Every rich, velvety bite of Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies will delight mocha lovers. These melt-in-your-mouth espresso cookies are studded with chocolate toffee bits, for a wondrous flavor treat.
Even better, this shortbread travels well in care packages and the flavor improves over time! You are sure to find many snacking and gifting possibilities for these scrumptious cookies.
Updated from the original April 2013 version. Last updated November 2018.
For my 40th birthday (a long time ago), I decided to celebrate by taking my husband and two children on their first trip to Europe.
Inspired by Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series (an historic fiction/romance which begins in the United Kingdom), I chose Scotland as our destination. It is a beautiful, magical country.
As my children learned how to be travelers, I learned about prepping for and planning family focused trips. It is truly amazing to me what kinds of interests can be sparked in children with just a little preparation.
Before our trip, we read fairy tales of the Highlands, discussed Nessie at length, and even read a children’s version of Macbeth.
With a ten year old and five year old in tow, our itinerary spent less time in museums and more time enjoying trains and boats, exploring castles and gardens, and searching for prehistoric beasties.
I had some unrealistic expectations on that trip. My children did not mysteriously turn into little adults. They continued to act like the children they were and had the same number of melt downs and grumpy moments as they would have had at home.
On a longer travel day, when they had been cooped up too long together in the back seat of the rental car, they squabbled just like they would have at home. I am not sure why I was surprised.
However, what I also didn’t expect was the long lasting, positive impact those 3 short weeks in Scotland would have on our family, my daughter in particular.
It was on this trip, at the Oban Highland Games, that my daughter first saw and fell in love with competitive Highland dance.
She watched the groups of girls (and a few boys) dance the same three dances over and over as they competed for the highest individual performance score.
The music of the pipers flowed into her soul and she desperately wanted to know how to dance to its beat.
When we got back to St. Louis, a series of amazing coincidences led us to Sandra Brown, a woman who we believe (with a certain amount of bias) is the world's best Scottish dance teacher.
My daughter has now been involved in Scottish Highland dance and a part of Sandra’s Dance Caledonia for 19 years! Though we have no Scots in our background, from time to time we consider ourselves to be honorary Scots.
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As honorary Scots, my daughter performs in Pride of Scotland tartan. As honorary Scots, we are aware that Robert Burns is the national poet of Scotland and we attend the annual Burns Dinner held in his honor here in St. Louis (and all over the world).
As honorary Scots, we are supposed to savor haggis, but don’t. We do, however, savor shortbread, Scotland’s gift to the world of cookies.
I wish that I had thought of posting an espresso shortbread recipe this winter. Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are wonderful care package cookies.
Kept in an airtight container at room temperature, shortbread will stay fresh for 3-6 weeks. The flavor improves over time. However, the key here is room temperature. This is NOT a hot weather cookie.
These are butter cookies and can go rancid if you ship them during the summer. If the weather is already too hot at your care package destination, enjoy espresso shortbread at home now and bake them for mailing when it's cool again.
Tips
The recipe for these espresso chocolate chip cookies is originally from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours. It is not a traditional shortbread because of the added chocolate and espresso, but it is delicious.
- This recipe calls for rolling out the dough inside a gallon size ziplock bag. This prevents the unchilled dough from sticking to the rolling pin or counter. The bag is also the perfect size for a ¼” thick rectangle of dough.
- The rolled out dough should be chilled for 2 hours to 2 days or can be frozen in the bag to be defrosted and used later.
- Once chilled the dough can be cut with a knife into rectangle fingers or into squares. Cookie cutters can also be used (I used a 1 ½” scalloped edge round cutter). The dough scraps can be rolled out again.
- Be sure to prick the cookies with a fork before baking. The small holes release air so the cookies will bake flat.
More shortbread recipes
Spiced Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread Cookies
Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are so delicious, you will definitely want to share some. The coffee lovers in your life will thank you!
Espresso Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 1 tablespoon boiling water
- 1 cup butter unsalted, room temperature
- ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar plus extra for dusting
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 chocolate covered toffee bar, 3.5-4 ounces, finely chopped ¾ cup of mini chocolate chips (or combination of toffee bits and mini chips) can be used instead of the chopped chocolate bar
Instructions
- In a very small bowl, dissolve the espresso powder in the boiling water.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and confectioner’s sugar for 3 minutes at medium speed.
- Add the vanilla and espresso, beating until incorporated.
- Add the flour and mix at low speed until just combined.
- Fold in the chopped chocolate toffee bar OR chocolate chips and toffee bits.
- Transfer the cookie dough into a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag, but do not close the bag.
- Roll the dough into rectangle the width of the bag and ¼” thick (approximately 9”x 11”x ¼”). While rolling, make sure no creases are formed in the dough from wrinkles in the plastic.
- Zip the bag closed removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate for 2 hours- 2 days.
- When ready to bake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- Cut open the zip lock plastic bag and place the dough rectangle on a cutting board.
- Using a sharp knife or cookie cutter, cut the dough into desired shapes and transfer to the cookie sheet.
- Use a fork to poke holes in each cookie.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Dust with confectioner’s sugar while the cookies are still hot.
- Let the shortbread cool completely on a wire rack before storing.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container for at least 3 weeks.
Notes
- Instant coffee can be used instead of the instant espresso powder but the cookies with have weaker coffee flavor.
- This recipe calls for rolling out the dough inside a gallon size ziplock bag. This prevents the unchilled dough from sticking to the rolling pin or counter. The bag is also the perfect size for a ¼” thick rectangle of dough.
- The rolled out dough should be chilled for 2 hours to 2 days or can be frozen in the bag to be defrosted and used later.
- Once chilled, the dough can be cut with a knife into rectangle fingers or into squares. Cookie cutters can also be used (I used a 1 ½” scalloped edge round cutter). The dough scraps can be rolled out again.
- Be sure to prick the cookies with a fork before baking. The small holes release air so the cookies will bake flat.
Nutrition
Lisa
I made these for a Christmas cookie swap. I doubled it and got 71/2 dozen cookies. I rolled the dough and chilled it and then cut and baked. They are delicious and look cute. Super simple recipe to follow, thanks for sharing!
Ruth
Want to make this but ... Do you add toffee chocolate bar AND mini chocolate chips or just one? Ingredients don't match instructions.
Barbara Anderson
You misread the instructions. You can either use a chocolate toffee bar OR mini choc chips and toffee bits. Toffee bits come plain or with chocolate. 🙂
"Fold in the chopped chocolate toffee bar or chocolate chips and toffee bits."
June
These were a huge hit! I tried the zip lock bag trick. It was a bit awkward but it worked. Next time - and there will be a next time - I'll just use my shortbread method. I press the dough into a parchment lined rectangular pan and refrigerate. Once chilled, I remove the dough and slice and bake! No rolling out. Of course using a cookie cutter makes for a better presentation! In any case, these were delicious! Thank you.
Wendy Sondov
I'm glad you enjoyed the cookies! Thank you for sharing your shortbread method. I'm sure many readers will find your simplified methd to be helpful!
Linda
"Fussy" recipe but YUMMY!
Tina
Have you ever tried the chilled rolled log version instead of rolling it out then cutting?
Wendy Sondov
Slice and bake from a dough log should work great as long as (as you mention) the dough is well chilled so that it is firm and not sticky. The rolled out version just ensures even thickness for even baking. Careful cuttin a dough log would do the same thing. 🙂
Terri
While the cookie recipe is really good the gallon bag did not work for me, the cookies would have been way too thick. I laid the gallon bag and took my 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter to count how many cookies and there was only space for 12 cookies. After chilling the dough I used powered sugar to roll the dough out and that worked great.
Thank for the recipe the cookies are great!
Wendy Sondov
The plastic bag rolling method is just a suggestion for convenience. Rolling out between sheets of parchment paper works equally well. Gallon bags come in different measurements (varying in thickness to accommodate the gallon volume) which is why the dimensions of 9" x 11" are indicated in the recipe. A 9" x 11" bag should result in rolled out dough with 1/4" thickness.
Kristy
Love the flavour! I added chocolate chips & they were a hit. Will try with toffee bits next time. Do you know if they freeze well?
Wendy Sondov
i'm so glad you are enjoying the shortbread! Yes, these cookie freeze well.
Dave Chambers
Hi Wendy,
Your recipe reminds me of an espresso milk chocolate chip and hazelnut shortbread cookie I used to be able to get from a gourmet grocers near me. They got discontinued many years back and life has not been the same….
Your recipe sounds like a great starting point to replicate my long lost dream cookie but I wanted to get your advice around the addition of hazelnuts to go with the chips. I think chopping them down to reasonable size is a good start but want to ensure that the ratio of dry ingredients to wet stays within reasonable ratio. Any thoughts?
P.S. you’re wonderful.
Wendy Sondov
Hi Dave. Thank you for the kind words. I sure hope this recipe can be tweaked to get you your dream cookie back! I think you are definitely on the right track considering the ratio of dough to add-ins. For round 1, I would try adding 1/2 cup of chopped hazelnuts plus 1/2 cup of chopped milk chocolate bar and would not use any of the toffee bar. Tweak the amounts in round 2 if needed. I hope you'll let me know how it turns out! Good luck!
Dave
Hey Wendy
Went with your suggestion but added a little artistic license of my own. I substituted a Tbsp of frangelico for the water added to the espresso powder to bump up the flavour of the hazelnuts. I toasted the hazelnuts to bring up the flavour a bit and pulverized half to keep the texture of the shortbread. I decided to roll the dough in silicon logs and freeze them for a few days to let the flavours marry a bit. The remaining hazelnut sand got mixed with a little fine espresso and some castors sugar. When I bake the cookies I plan to brush the logs with a little egg white then roll them in my concoction to give them a bit of eye appeal, Cut them into half inch rounds and hope for the best. I’ll let you know how they turn out in a few days. To be continued
Wendy Sondov
Wow, Dave! This is a cookie journey!! They sound SO full of flavor. A very special cookie indead. It sounds like you are having fun. I hope so. 🙂
Gabby
Are you sure these make 42 cookies? I'm confused. I've followed the exact recipe and hve them in the ziplock but if I cut them into 42 they would be tiny! Maybe 12?
Wendy Sondov
42 is correct. I used a 1 1/2 inch scalloped round cutter and got 42 cookies. You can make larger cookies but will need to leave them in the oven a few minutes longer.
Karen
Please clarify: The recipe says you can use 3/4 cup of mini chocolate chips INSTEAD OF the chopped toffee chocolate bar. But if you have BOTH, should you use both the chopped toffee chocolate bar AND the mini chips? Thanks!
Wendy Sondov
I wouldn't put in both. My recommendation would be to use the chopped chocolate toffee bar (or the chocolate covered Heath bits sold in the baking aisle). Use 3/4 cup total of either the choc chips or the toffee or a combination of choc chips and toffee if you prefer, but I think more than 3/4 cup would over sweeten the cookie.
Cici
Bonjour! Would an addition of chopped pecans (instead of the toffee) work? Thank you for this recipe. I’ll be trying it this week, before Christmas 🎄 😇🎅🏻
Cici
Wendy Sondov
Bonjour! Though I haven't tried it, I think your substitution of chopped pecans would work fine in this recipe. I would just be sure that the pieces are very small around the same size as toffee bits.
Cici
Merci!
Merry Christmas 🎄
Nancy Peters
I made a batch of these cookies today. I love them. I found they are not overly sweet. So delicious with a cup of coffee. 🥰
Cathy
These are DELICIOUS!! And rolling them in a zip lock bag is BRILLIANT!! Thank you!
Anna
Wonder if this recipe would work with gluten-free flour?
Wendy Sondov
I'm not sure, Anna, because I haven't tried it. What I would suggest is that you find a good gf shortbread recipe and add the flavors that are in this recipe. I know some people believe you can just substitute gf flour in any recipe, but that's just not true. GF flour changes the texture in baking. In some recipes that change works and in others it really doesn't.
Marlene
Yum! Made these to go in a care package for my college-age grandson. Kept half for myself and to share. I followed the recipe with regard to rolling in a plastic back, hadn’t done that before but I see it in other shortbread recipes. Might do as slice and bake next time, though. (And there will be a next time!)