Espresso Shortbread With Toffee Chunks (Printable version)
Rich, buttery shortbread infused with espresso and packed with sweet toffee chunks—perfect with coffee.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
02 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
04 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
05 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Mix-Ins
07 - 3/4 cup toffee bits
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar together with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
03 - Mix in the instant espresso powder and vanilla extract until well combined.
04 - Gradually add the flour and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together.
05 - Fold in the toffee bits by hand, distributing them evenly throughout the dough.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball slightly with your hand or the bottom of a glass.
07 - Bake 16–18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
08 - Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The coffee flavor intensifies as the cookies cool, giving you that perfect morning pick-me-up in dessert form
- Buttery shortbread melts in your mouth while toffee bits add the most delightful crunchy contrast
02 -
- Underbaking is better than overbaking with shortbread—pull them out when the bottoms just start turning golden
- The dough needs to be chilled if it's too soft to scoop, but room temperature dough bakes up more tender
03 -
- Weigh your ingredients if possible—shortbread is particularly sensitive to flour ratios
- Let your butter soften naturally rather than microwaving it, which creates hot spots that affect texture