
I made these cookies with a minimal amount of sugar (I don't think you could go lower than this) so that these cookies were more of a play on the bittersweet flavour of coffee beans and cocoa powder. I roll all of my icebox cookie doughs in turbinado because I am addicted to those crunchy edges. These bittersweet cookies were the perfect canvas for some powdered sugar stencilling. If you prefer a sweeter cookie, just double the sugar (use 100 grams granulated sugar in the cookie dough, which comes out to ½ cup).
They are a slice-and-bake cookies so you should actually chill the dough overnight. If you want other slice-and-bake cooke recipes, try these fruitcake cookies, vanilla sablés, or another kind of chocolate cookie, chocolate sablés.
Bittersweet cocoa coffee cookies
Ingredients
- 281 grams bleached all-purpose flour 2 ¼ cups
- 10 grams Cacao Barry extra brute cocoa powder 2 tbsp
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 1 ½ tablespoon ground coffee beans I literally mean ground coffee beans, not instant coffee!
- 173 grams unsalted butter ¾ cups, room temperature
- 50 grams granulated sugar ¼ cup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon whole milk (3.25 % fat)
- 50 grams turbinado sugar ¼ cup
- icing sugar to stencil or sprinkle on top before serving
Instructions
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour with the cocoa powder, salt, and coffee grinds. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fited with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and the sugar.
- Add the vanilla and beat in, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer running on low, add the flour mixture gradually. Then add the milk. Beat until a dough forms.
- Dump the dough onto a clean work surface and pat together into a 7 ½-inch log. I pressed my cookie dough into a a rectangle so that my cookies would be pretty square (about 1 ¾"x1 ¾"). Roll the log of cookie dough in turbinado, pressing into all sides. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in fridge over night.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment.
- Unwrap the cookie dough and slice to about ¼" thick. You should get about 30 thin-ish cookies. Space them out on your baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until the surface looks dry.
- Cool a couple minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
- Stencil or sprinkle with lots of powdered sugar. Watch the gif on Instagram to see what I mean!
Mardi (eat. live. travel. write.) says
Good for you branching out into video. I admire you!
I am also a foot stamper because I really don't like to be told what I *should* and *shouldn't* be doing for my blog. I've all but stopped reading "how to" and "!0 things you need to do right now to make you a better blogger/ how to keep up with everyone/ how to improve your SEO" etc... etc... It's tiresome. I believe things will come to me when I am ready and maybe I won't ever be ready for video. But I do need to stop comparing myself to others and just do what I love.
Which is why I love this post of yours - it's got SO many great Janice-elements: 1. Deliciousness and 2. A hint of geeky 😉 You are inspiring! (also, I need a glass of wine and an explanation of Snapchat from you I think!). Checking out that book for my Kindle, too!
Janice says
Thanks, Mardi! I completely agree that reading so much on what we should & shouldn't do is tiresome and really takes ALL the fun out of everything because everything feels so forced. But at the same time, I feel like if I don't try things, I might never get anywhere. And while that's fine for some bloggers, I've honestly felt so stagnant lately.
I think wine is definitely necessary for Snapchat tutorial (and I'm no expert by any means). Wine would probably make me more interesting & entertaining on Snapchat, lol!
Read the book!
Karen says
These look adorable!
Justine @ JustineCelina.com says
Yes! I love this post, love Big Magic, and love everything you said about how trying and failing is better than not trying at all. Bravo for having the courage to explore your creativity and letting it take you to new places! Oh, and these cookies are super cute and delicious looking. 🙂 Have a great weekend, Janice!
Janice says
Thanks, Justine! I find the more I try to do things that scare me or intimidate me, the more I am able to face things the scare me, so I guess it's a good thing 😉
Auntie Liz says
Good for you, Janice! You can do whatever you set your mind to, I am sure of that! I really enjoy your blog and your recipes, but mostly I enjoy when you put a bit of yourself out there for all to read. I guess I enjoy it because part of you is part of me, genetically speaking!
Janice says
Thanks for reading, Auntie Liz, and for all the support! I really appreciate it!
Samantha | My Kitchen Love says
I've placed a hold on this book! I too feel stuck at times, but I do think you're wonderfully creative and exceptionally good at tiring science and curiosity into your work. ❤️
Also, got any of these cookies left?! 🙂
Janice says
I ate them all, sigh.
I'm so excited for you to read the book! I'm quite certain it will help you. I think it should be a mandatory read for all of us 😉
Julia says
What an inspiring post. Yes, you are right, done is far better than good. Reading this post has been helpful for me this morning, so thanks! Oh, the cookies are so pretty and I bet they taste delicious. I love bittersweet as well! Have a great weekend.
El says
Agreed! And the cookies look sensational too!!
Smitha says
I had to add extra milk but is ok . ready to bake tomorrow. Thanks for the recipe. Happy holidays!!
Maria says
Janice,
These cookies are the best I have made (in my opinion anyway). 😉
I turned them into sandwiched type though: added filling made of dulche de leech with mascarpone and coffee paste made out of instant coffee powder with little water.
They are so soft, tender, barely sweet... Oh, so good!
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes!