Espresso Cream Holiday Tree Cookies: A Bold and Creamy Treat for Coffee Lovers!
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
1 cup 226g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup 200g granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
2 cups 280g all-purpose flour
cup 40g unsweetened cocoa powder
teaspoon baking powder
teaspoon salt
For the Espresso Cream Icing:
2 cups 240g powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water
For the Decoration:
Melted dark or milk chocolate for drizzling
Edible gold sprinkles or sugar pearls
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Cookie Dough
Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350F 175C. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add Egg & Flavoring: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and espresso powder until combined.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet mixture until a dough forms.
Chill: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes for easier handling.
Step 2: Cut & Bake
Roll & Cut: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about -inch thickness. Use a tree-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
Bake: Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes. Let them cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 3: Make the Icing
Mix Icing: In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and dissolved espresso until smooth and thick but pourable.
Decorate: Dip the cookies in the icing or spread it on with a spatula. Let the icing set for about 10 minutes.
Step 4: Add Finishing Touches
Drizzle Chocolate: Use a spoon or piping bag to drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies.
Sprinkle: Add edible gold sprinkles or sugar pearls while the chocolate drizzle is still wet