Espresso-Hazelnut Shortbread
Submitted by [email protected]
Espresso-hazelnut shortbread cookies with real coffee grounds, toasted hazelnuts, and cold butter baked low and slow. Sandy, crumbly, and deeply aromatic with a bold coffee bite.
YIELD
2 dozenPREP
15 minCOOK
45 minREADY
2 hrsThese shortbread cookies pack real espresso grounds right into the dough alongside finely ground toasted hazelnuts. No extract, no powder, just actual coffee for a gritty, aromatic bite that hits you with every crumb.
The dough mixes on low speed for a few minutes and will look impossibly dry before it suddenly pulls together. That’s exactly what you want. Cold butter keeps the texture sandy and snappy rather than cakey.
Baking low and slow means these cookies stay pale, almost white, even when fully baked. They’re done when firm to the touch, not when they look golden. That gentle heat lets the espresso and hazelnut flavors come through without any bitterness.
Pro Tips
- Chill the cut shapes for a full hour before baking so they hold their edges cleanly
- The dough freezes beautifully after cutting. Bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes
- Toast your hazelnuts until fragrant, then grind them fine in a food processor. Leave a little texture
- Don’t crank the heat to speed things up. Low temperature is what gives these their signature sandy snap
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Place butter and sugar in mixing bowl and using electric mixer, beat on low speed until blended.
Add flour, espresso grounds and salt and hazelnuts.
Mix on low speed 3 to 5 minutes until dough comes together.
(It will look dry just before it comes together.)
Place dough on lightly floured board and roll it out ¼ inch thick.
Using shaped cookie cutter, cut out shortbread cookies.
Chill 1 hour before baking.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper and place shortbread on pan so they are not touching.
Bake 45 minutes until firm. (They will remain white in color.) Note: one of the great things about this shortbread dough is that after you have cut out the shapes, you can freeze and just place them in the oven when you are ready to bake.
Comments
