Coffee Sugar Cookies

Here is the latest in Sweet Bean’s kitchen! Try our Coffee Sugar Cookies they are chewy and soft and full of coffee and espresso flavors. Turn them into a latte cookie with a silky vanilla bean buttercream! The cookies can also be dipped in melted chocolate or left un-decorated. As always, we would love to see and hear from you about how your own cookie creation.

Coffee Sugar Cookies

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

BAKE TIME: 8 minutes

ADDITIONAL TIME: 1 hour

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 18 minutes

INGREDIENTS

COFFEE SUGAR COOKIES

-          3 cups all-purpose flour

-          1 ½ teaspoons aluminum free baking powder

-          1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

-          ½ teaspoon kosher salt

-          1 cup granulated sugar

-          1 large egg, room temperature

-          1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

-          2 tablespoons instant ground espresso powder

VANILLA BEAN BUTTERCREAM

-          3 large egg whites

-          ¾ cup granulated sugar

-          ½ teaspoon kosher salt

-          ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

-          2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder or vanilla bean paste

-          ½ pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1.       For the coffee sugar cookies: In a medium bowl, combine flour (3 cups) and aluminum free baking powder (1 ½ teaspoons) with a whisk. Set aside.

2.       Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter (1 cup) and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape up and down the sides of the bowl. Add in sugar (1 cup) and beat until smooth, about 1-1 ½ minutes. Beat in egg (1 large) and vanilla (1 tablespoon) and mix until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape up and down the sides of the bowl as needed.

3.       With the mixer on low, add about ⅔ of the flour mixture a little at a time, occasionally stopping to scrape your bowl. Whisk the espresso powder (2 tablespoons) into the remaining flour and add it to the dough. The dough should form a ball around the paddle when the mixing is finished. The dough should be soft, but not sticky.

4.       Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and press into a 1 inch thick disk. Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes (and up to three days) before rolling. If the dough has chilled for more than a couple hours, let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes or so until you can roll it out without it cracking.

5.       Preheat the oven to 375°. Prepare baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

6.       On lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about a ¼ inch thickness, use additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used.

7.       Arrange cookies on baking sheets about 1 inch apart. If the dough has gotten warm while rolling and cutting, pop it in the freezer for about 10 minutes before baking to help prevent them from spreading.

8.       Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven, about 7-8 minutes, until puffy. Allow the cookies to rest for 2 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

9.       For the vanilla bean buttercream: Wipe the bowl, the whisk of your stand mixer and the whisk you are using to mix with vinegar or lemon juice to make sure it is grease free or your egg whites may not stiffen.

10.   Whisk egg whites (3 large), granulated sugar (¾ cup) and salt (½ teaspoon) in the bowl of your stand mixer. Whisk and heat mixture over saucepan of simmering water until hot to touch, sugar is fully dissolved (you should not feel any granules when rubbed between your fingers) and it’s a bit frothy, approximately 3 minutes. (If you want to use a thermometer, 160°F is what you are going for).

11.   Remove the bowl from the saucepan and wipe the bottom dry. Place on your stand mixer and whisk on medium-high (I use speed 8 on my Kitchen Aid Mixer) until the mixture is cool and the meringue holds a stiff peak (the outside of your bowl should also be cool), approximately 10 minutes. If the bowl and meringue still feel quite warm (more than room temperature), wait a few minutes for it to cool down. If you add the butter with the mixture too warm, the butter will just melt.

12.   Switch to the paddle attachment and lower the speed to medium (I use speed 4 the majority of the time, but 6 also works) and add the butter (¾ cup/), one tablespoon at a time, letting the butter fully incorporate before adding more.

13.   Once all butter is incorporated, scrape down sides of the bowl and add the vanilla bean powder or vanilla bean paste (2 teaspoons), and vanilla (½ teaspoon) and whip until a thick, creamy whipped consistency is reached. Start on a low speed for about 1 minute, then stop and scrape up and down the bowl. Turn the mixer up to medium-high {I use speed 8} and whip for 4-5 minutes until the buttercream is silky and smooth.

YIELD: 32

NUTRITION: CALORIES: 180TOTAL FAT: 10gSATURATED FAT: 6gTRANS FAT: 0gUNSATURATED FAT: 3gCHOLESTEROL: 33mgSODIUM: 71mgCARBOHYDRATES: 20gFIBER: 0gSUGAR: 11gPROTEIN: 2g