These Chocolate Dipped Espresso Shortbread Cookies are the perfect flavor combination of coffee and chocolate!

three half chocolate dipped cookies on a cooling rack

My red velvet shortbread cookies are dipped in white chocolate. I supposed these could be dipped in white chocolate too, but since espresso has always been an excellent pairing with all things chocolate… I’d stick with regular chocolate for these!

ingredients displayed for making chocolate dipped espresso shortbread cookies

🛒 Ingredients Needed:

  • unsalted butter
  • granulated white sugar
  • salt
  • all purpose flour
  • instant espresso powder
  • semi-sweet chocolate
  • shortening
four photos showing how to make espresso shortbread cookies

✏️ How to make Chocolate Dipped Espresso Shortbread Cookies:

*The complete, printable recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post.

BAKE THE COOKIES:

  1. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter, sugar and salt on low speed until the butter combines with the sugar but isn’t perfectly smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the flour and espresso and mix on low speed, scraping the bowl frequently, until the dough has just about pulled together, about 3 minutes (don’t over mix).
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick. Cut out desired shape (rounds, hearts, etc.) as close to one another as possible. Gather scraps together, roll out again and cut out more cookies. Arrange cookies on two parchment-lined baking sheets and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
  3. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 300°F.
  4. Bake cookies until tops look dry and color has darkened slightly, 12 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness of your cookies). Halfway through, rotate the baking sheets and swap their positions for even baking.
espresso shortbread cookies on a baking sheet

Don’t they look delicious? You can see the little flecks of espresso in each cookie.

👍 Where to buy espresso powder:

Instant espresso powder is sold in a jar near the instant coffee in your regular market. If you are unable to find it, you can buy it online.

dipping a cookie in chocolate

DIP THE COOKIES IN CHOCOLATE:

  1. When the cookies are cooled, set a sheet of parchment or waxed paper on a work surface.
  2. Put chocolate and shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted and smooth.
  3. Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate.

➡️ Tips and Substitutions:

  • It’s okay to drizzle the chocolate on top instead of dipping, if you’d like.
  • Milk chocolate may be used in place of semi-sweet chocolate.
  • For a more decorative look, edge the cookies in festive sprinkles or chopped nuts.
cookies half dipped in chocolate on a cooling rack

Set the cookies on parchment and let the chocolate set at room temperature, about 2 hours.

✔️ How to store:

These cookies can be stored at room temperature in a sealed container for a few days with wax paper in between layers. They can also be frozen for several weeks. Let the chocolate dipped cookies cool completely and then layer in a sealed container with waxed paper between cookie layers before freezing.

❤️ What I Love About This Recipe:

  1. They are pretty with and without an edge of sprinkles
  2. I love to gift these to the coffee lovers in my life.
  3. These are great cookies to have as a snack with coffee.
chocolate dipped espresso shortbread cookies on a platter

Favorite Cookies Dipped in Chocolate:

three half chocolate dipped cookies on a cooling rack

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Chocolate Dipped Espresso Shortbread Cookies

The perfect flavor combination of coffee and chocolate!

Recipe Details

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Chill Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 17 minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate, espresso, shortbread

Servings: 72 cookies (1 per serving)

Calories: 78kcal

Author: RecipeGirl.com (adapted from Fine Cooking)

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Ingredients

COOKIES:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces
  • ½ cup granulated white sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • cups (10 ounces) all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

DIPPING CHOCOLATE:

  • 9 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon shortening
  • sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

BAKE THE COOKIES:

  1. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter, sugar and salt on low speed until the butter combines with the sugar but isn’t perfectly smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the flour and espresso and mix on low speed, scraping the bowl frequently, until the dough has just about pulled together, about 3 minutes (don’t over mix).

  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick. Cut out desired shape (rounds, hearts, etc.) as close to one another as possible. Gather scraps together, roll out again and cut out more cookies. Arrange cookies on two parchment-lined baking sheets and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.

  3. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 300°F.

  4. Bake cookies until tops look dry and color has darkened slightly, 12 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness of your cookies). Halfway through, rotate the baking sheets and swap their positions for even baking.

DIP THE COOKIES IN CHOCOLATE:

  1. When the cookies are cooled, set a sheet of parchment or waxed paper on a work surface.

  2. Put chocolate and shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted and smooth.

  3. Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate. Edge in sprinkles, if desired. Set cookies on parchment and let the chocolate set at room temperature, about 2 hours.

Notes

  • These cookies can be frozen for several weeks. Let chocolate dipped cookies cool completely and then layer in a sealed container with waxed paper between cookie layers.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 78kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 17mg, Potassium: 34mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 84IU, Calcium: 4mg, Iron: 1mg

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