Hazelnut Espresso Shortbread Cookies

Loving nuts prompted me to come up with a cookie recipe using them. I know this is more of a fall to winter nut but I couldn't help myself!!! In the morning I always have coffee with hazelnut creamer and I have done this for years. I cannot believe it took me this long to think about transferring these flavors to a cookie.

Shortbread is the best type of cookie to add flavors to since it doesn't really have a strong taste of its own. I wanted a good hint of vanilla so I used the vanilla bean paste. You can also use vanilla extract but I would add 1 teaspoon more to equal the vanilla bean paste.

For the chocolate, you can use milk and white or dark and white whichever is your preference.

Hazelnut Espresso Shortbread Cookies

Barbara Hall

Fantastic flavor and easy to make. I love how versatile shortbread can be. Dipping it in chocolate makes it extra indulgent.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 mins

Total Bake Time 12 mins

Chill 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 27 mins

Course Cookies, No-Eggs, Nuts

Cuisine American

Servings 30 minutes

Calories 177 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• 1 cup Butter unsalted 2 sticks room temperature
• ⅔ cup Powdered sugar 83 g
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste
• 3 tablespoon Espresso coffee cooled
• 1 cup Hazelnuts ground
• 2 cups All-purpose flour 240 g
• ¼ teaspoon Baking powder 1 g
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt

ICING

• 1 cup Milk chocolate wafers
• ½ cup White chocolate wafers

Instructions

 

COOKIE DOUGH

• In a food processor pulse hazelnuts till they are small pieces but not dust, you want small pieces. Then add hazelnuts to a small bowl. It gives the cookies a little texture and will incorporate well throughout the whole cookie dough. Set bowl aside.
• Weigh or measure your powdered sugar into a bowl. In a separate bowl weigh or measure flour, baking powder, and salt together. I run a whisk through to blend them.
• In a stand mixer or handheld add the butter and mix on medium speed to cream the butter. I scraped down the sides to make sure all the butter was incorporated.
• Turn the mixer speed down and slowly add the powdered sugar till it is all incorporated. Next, add the vanilla bean paste and espresso coffee. Turn the mixer back to medium speed. I had to stop and scrape down the bowl and across the bottom to make sure it was all mixed together.
• Turn the mixer speed down and slowly add the flour, baking powder and salt mixture till the flour is incorporated. The dough will be a little stiff. Turn the mixer off and add hazelnuts, turn the mixer on for about 30 seconds. You may need to hand mix the dough a little to make sure the hazelnuts go through the whole dough.
• Take the dough out of the bowl and place on a silicone pastry mat. Divide the dough in half and roll and form 2 log shapes about 12 to 14 inches each. It should have a diameter of approximately 1-½ inches. Take plastic wrap and wrap around each cookie dough log, and put it into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. I took them out after about ¾ of an hour and just rolled them a little, so they do not get a flat bottom, then returned them to the refrigerator for 15 minutes or more.
• Preheat the oven to 350°. Take one log out of the refrigerator and unwrap the plastic (I put it on a piece of parchment paper so I can slice the log). Slice into ½ inch slices and put them onto a parchment lined cookie pan. I did 4 across and 5 down. These cookies do not spread hardly at all so they only need about an inch between each disc of cookie. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, leave on pan for about a minute or two after pulling the pan from the oven before moving to a cooling rack.

ICING

• Heat the milk or dark chocolate wafers for 30 seconds in the microwave and then stir. The wafers will still be pretty solid. Heat for another 20 seconds and stir again. If it still needs heating to finish melting do for another 10 seconds. I tip the bowl slightly and dip the about a third of the cookie into the chocolate.
• For the white line, I heat the white chocolate wafers as I did the milk chocolate wafers but I put the white chocolate into a small disposable bag. I used the Wilton 12in. disposable decorating bags with a Wilton #5 tip. You could use a smaller tip but I prefer the #5.

Nutrition

Calories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 80mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 191IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg

Keyword black and white cookies, eggless shortbread cookies, hazelnut espresso shortbread cookies

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