Salted Mocha Sandwich Cookies

  • Prep Time:
  • 30 mins
  • Cook Time:
  • 45 mins
  • Total Time:
  • 1 hour(s)
  • 15 mins

Ever wonder what makes your favorite chocolate dessert taste extra chocolatey? Chances are it's a magical ingredient long-coveted by professional bakers: Medaglia d'Oro Instant Espresso Powder.

These rich, buttery, can't-eat-just-one cookies get a double dose of instant espresso powder in both the cookie dough and the coffee buttercream filling.  A finishing sprinkle of fleur de sel boosts the chocolate flavor even more.

Recipe by Asha Loupy

Makes 16 cookies

Ingredients

For the chocolate shortbread cookies

For the coffee buttercream filling

Instructions

To make the cookies, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt into a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and confectioner’s sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the espresso powder and vanilla extract and continue to beat until the espresso powder dissolves into the butter and sugar mixture, another 30 seconds to a minute.

Add flour and cocoa powder mixture and mix until combined. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Take one half of the dough and form it into a log about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove the dough logs from the refrigerator, unwrap and slice into rounds about 1/3-inch thick. Arrange the sliced cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, about 3/4-inch apart. Sprinkle half of the cookies with a few crystals of fleur de sel (these will end up being the tops of your sandwich cookies). Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, make the coffee buttercream filling. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons of the espresso powder, vanilla extract, heavy whipping cream and a pinch of salt and continue beating until the espresso powder has dissolved, about another 1-2 minutes. Taste and add more espresso powder, if necessary, beating to combine. Transfer to a piping bag set aside (if you don’t have a piping bag, create one by using a zip-top bag and snipping off one of the corners).

To assemble the cookies, arrange the unsalted cookies bottom-side up. Pipe the reserved frosting on each of the cookies and top with the salt-garnished cookies.