Espresso Shortbread

This crisp and buttery Espresso Shortbread is flecked with ground espresso beans and dipped in a coffee glaze…the perfect treat for any coffee lover.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 16 cookies

Ingredients

• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup butter, cold
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  ground  espresso beans
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup powdered sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1  tablespoon milk or 1  tablespoon water

Directions

1. Cut the butter into cubes.
2. Place all of the shortbread ingredients in the bowl of your food processor. (You can also use a mixer, or just work the butter in with your fingers.).
3. Blend until the mixture looks sandy and dry. Turn the mixture out onto a flat surface and keep pressing until the dough comes together.
4. Lightly flour your surface and roll the shortbread into a 1/2 inch thick square. It will be roughly 5.5 x 5.5 inches.
5. Cut in half horizontally, and then cut each half into eight fingers (16 cookies total).
6. You can also use cookie cutters to cut into shapes.
7. Transfer to a baking sheet spacing an inch apart. There is no need to grease the pan.
8. Refrigerate the shortbread for about 20 minutes.
9. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350ºF.
10. Bake for 25 minutes until the edges are golden. If some of the cookies have spread a bit and you want them all to look identical, you can trim them as soon as you take them out of the oven.
11. Let the shortbread cool.
12. Place the powdered sugar, instant espresso powder and milk in a small bowl and mix until smooth.
13. If the glaze is too thick add an bit of extra milk or water a half teaspoon at a time, until you get the desired consistency.
14. Dip half the shortbread into the glaze. You can also drizzle the glaze over the baked shortbread.
15. Allow the glaze to harden.
16. Store in an airtight container in a single layer.