Mocha Shortbread Cookies

These are an adult cookie; chocolaty with a nice coffee flavor.  The cacao nibs give them a good little crunch, and the cookies have that great shortbread crispness.  I liked them.

They were supposed to be cut into a bar shape, but I cut them the wrong way...dyslexic.     

I used a raw, organic cacao powder instead of unsweetened cocoa powder, but only because I had it and wanted to try it (a great Christmas gift from my sister).  Cacao nibs are tiny pieces of crushed cocoa beans.  They are unsweetened, but have a good, bitter contrast to the sweetness of the cookie.

I found this recipe in a Martha Stewart Living magazine.

Makes 4 dozen.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

1/2 cup cacao nibs

Mix together flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl.  In another bowl, beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Slowly add sugar, beating until mixture is very light, about 2 minutes.  Stir vanilla and espresso powder together in a small bowl; add to butter mixture.  Scrape down side of bowl and beat until combined and smooth, about 1 minute.

Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until dough just comes together, about 1 minute.  Beat in cacao nibs.  Press dough evenly into a 9 x 13 baking pan lined with parchment.  Cover with plastic wrap and smooth top with hands or the bottom of a dry measuring cup.  Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 350*.  Use a paring knife to cut dough into 48 bars, 8 across short side and 6 down long side.  Use a fork or skewer to poke holes in the top of each bar.

Bake until set, 30 to 35 minutes.  Let cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes, then recut bars. Let cool completely in pan before serving.  Bars can be stored at room temperature up to 3 weeks.