coffee and chocolate chip shortbread

"'Tis the season" in my book means "time to try new cookie recipes," and I've found one by Sarah Leah Chase that I think you'll enjoy.

I was first introduced to Sarah in July of 1988.  The Sister inscribed Sarah's The Nantucket Open-House Cookbook to me— "Have fun cooking, experimenting and pigging out ☺"  Happily, I'm still doing all three.  Then last Christmas, she gave me Sarah's follow-up cookbook, Cold-Weather Cooking, which has many lovely recipes.  This shortbread is one of them.  (The book was published in 1990; you'll have to ask The Sister why it took her twenty years to get it into my hands.)

After trying the Coffee Toffee Chocolate Chip cookie, I was pretty sure I would enjoy it in a bar version. What's not to like with a Toll House, Starbucks and Walker's shortbread combo?



Coffee and Chocolate Chip Shortbread
from Cold-Weather Cooking by Sarah Leah Chase

Printable Recipe

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
½ cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325ºF.

Place the butter, flour, coffee, sugar, salt and vanilla in a mixing bowl.  With the paddle attachment, beat the mixture together until smooth.  Add the chocolate chips and stir just to incorporate.

Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 8-inch square pan.  Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, score the dough into 16 squares.  Prick each a few times with the tines of a fork.

Bake just until the dough is set and beginning to color, about 30-35 minutes.  Let cool a few minutes, then retrace the scored lines with the tip of the knife.  Cool completely in the pan.  Remove from the pan and store in an airtight container up to 1 week.