As I’ve mentioned before, when I want to bake with the ingredients I already have in my pantry, it usually ends up as shortbread.  I’m heading out of town for summer which means it would be nice use up some ingredients in the cupboard before I leave.  Among these ingredients: a stick of butter, unsweetened cocoa, instant coffee, and powdered sugar.  All leftover from past baking adventures.  What does that equal, you ask?  You guessed it:

Mocha Shortbread

From Martha (who else)

Yields about 8 cookie slices from cake pan

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 3 Tbs AP flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter room temp
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar (plus more for dusting garnish)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt.
3. Cream butter and sugar together then add flour mixture a little at a time.
4. Mixture will be crumbly.  Make sure you mix it until it’s relatively uniform and all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.
5. Press dough into the bottom of a round cake pan (8 or 9 inches).  No need to prepare the pan, cookies with this much butter don’t stick.
6. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  Allow to cool and slice like a pizza.

   

   These aren’t super sweet, I would say they’re more of a grown up cookie.  They would be great with some summer berries and a dollop of whipped cream, or paired with some after dinner coffee or tea.  I would even consider using this recipe as a cookie crust for a mousse/cheesecake/pudding type of cake.

   PS- I recently added this song to my workout playlist.  I am obsessed.