Cookie Month: Spiced Espresso Meltaways

For the past few days I've been fighting an awful cough. This cough has kept me home from work (therefore kept me from my daily lunchtime Starbucks coffee run), it has kept me from exercising, it has even had the NERVE to wake me up every hour or so at night after taking a proper dose of cough medicine, the kind that's supposed to knock you out even!

So, today I decided I'd had enough of this silly cough. I woke up this morning, still didn't feel good enough to workout, but I took a shower, got ready and went into work. Surprisingly enough, I didn't do too badly, could it be the fresh air that cured me, or the lunchtime Starbucks coffee run had something to do with it? Nah... Probably not.

The one thing I certainly did enjoy while I stayed home sick were these yummy cookies. Which I managed to make before "The Cough" took over. They totally hit the spot,

Actually the powdered sugar did make me cough a little more but it was worth it!

Spiced Espresso Meltaways
Inspired from Martha Stewart's Buttered Rum Meltaways
found in Martha Stewart's Cookies

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon grated crystalized ginger
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup borghetti espresso liquor
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a bowl wisk together flour, cornstarch, spieces, and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixter fitted with the paddle attachment beat on medium speed butter and 1/3 cup of the confectioners' sugar until pale and fluffy.

Mix in espresso liquor and vanilla, reduce speed to low and gradually mix in flour mixture.

Divide dough in half. Cut two sheets of parchment paper, press and roll each piece of dough into 1 1/2 inch logs. Wrap each log with parchment paper.

Place logs in freezer to chill at least 30 minutes, they can remain in the freezer up to one month. (But, I doubt you'll want to wait that long).

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.



Remove parchment paper from logs and cut logs into 1/4 inch thick rounds, place onto cookie sheet spaced 1 inch apart.


Bake until golden brown for about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes, then while still warm gently toss a few at a time in a plastic resealable bag with the remaining 2/3 cup of confectioners' sugar.

These cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 weeks.