Dark Chocolate Glazed Espresso Shortbread Cookies

Preheat oven to 300ºF and line 2 cookie sheets with a Silpat mat or parchment paper.

In a medium bowl whisk flour, salt, and espresso powder. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat softened butter and powdered sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer to low and add in flour mixture slowly. Beat until combined.

Form dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until it firms up enough for you to roll it out.

Generously flour a cutting board (or your counter) and using a floured rolling pin, roll dough out to about 1/2 inch thick. If dough is sticky and hard to work with, throw it back in the fridge for a bit. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until they are set. They will remain light in color but should feel firm when you touch the top of them. Remove pans from the oven and set them on a rack. Let cookies sit on cookie sheets for 2 minutes then move to a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat until scalding (but don’t boil). Remove pan from heat and stir in dark chocolate and corn syrup. Continue stirring until smooth. Let it sit for 1 minute to cool.

Drizzle over cookies or dip cookies into chocolate then let them sit on the parchment-lined pan to harden up. This is a chocolate ganache so it will not harden completely.

Sources: Cookies adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book Shortbread recipe. Dark Chocolate Glaze adapted from Mrs. Fields Best Ever Cookie Book Chocolate-Glazed Shortbread Cookies recipe.