Tuesday was my second blogiversary.

Can you believe it? Two years!

Since two years of blogging deserves a special treat, I thought long and hard about what I wanted. After all, who do you think does all the work around here?

I’ve seen far too many extravagant and not to mention time-consuming layer cakes and other fancy desserts styled, photographed, and posted on other food blogs on their blogiversaries to know that that’s not the direction I wanted to go.

I love thinking up new recipes, testing them, and then sharing them here with you when they turn out well. However, I always try to keep things as simple as possible.

Let’s face it, if I post a recipe that contains twenty ingredients, requires special equipment, and takes all day to make, the likelihood that anyone is ever going to try that recipe out in their own kitchen is well, zilch.

So I thought about how I could make something that was special but also simple at the same time. It also had to contain the flavors I love the most (salted caramel, coffee, and chocolate).

After much consideration, I finally settled on these:

The reason that it took me so long to get this post up for you guys is because it took me all week to figure out what to call these cookies.

On their own, the shortbread cookies taste just like a cappuccino. If you fill them with chocolate and/or add a chocolate drizzle on top, they taste just like a cafe mocha. However, if you take it a step further (and you totally should) and add the salted caramel, the finished cookies taste like a Salted Caramel Mocha from Starbucks, only not as cloyingly sweet. So that seemed like the logical choice.

I love this shortbread recipe because the finished cookies are so buttery and light that they melt in your mouth. If you’ve ever had a Pecan Sandie, you’re already familiar with the texture. You could actually leave the espresso out and add chopped, toasted pecans and you’d have the best homemade Pecan Sandies you’ve ever had in your life.

You can also tailor the filling to suit your taste. You can go heavy on the chocolate and light on the salted caramel or vice versa, or you can leave either one out all together. Honestly, they’ll be delicious either way. Just make sure you let both the chocolate and salted caramel cool and thicken a bit before you fill your cookies or your tops will just slide off and you’ll have a mess.

These cookies are made in three parts but I’m going to break everything down for you. Don’t worry it’s easy. If you like cappuccino, salted caramel, and chocolate, you will love these cookies!

Cappuccino Shortbread Cookies

2 sticks of unsalted butter – at room temp

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups AP flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp instant espresso

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

The secret to these cookies is all the beating you’re about to do but don’t skip it! I’m telling you, it’s worth it.

Beat the butter using your hand or stand mixer on medium speed until it’s very light and fluffy. Should be about five minutes.

Add the egg yolk and sugar and beat for another five minutes. I know, just do it.

Add the salt and flour in one heaping spoonful at a time, making sure your mixer is on low so you don’t fling it all over your kitchen. Once all the flour is incorporated, beat another couple of minutes on medium speed for good measure.

Now add the remaining ingredients and continue beating until well combined.

Cover and refrigerate the dough for about an hour until chilled and firm.

Scoop the dough using a teaspoon measure, roll into balls, and place about an inch apart on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.

Cover the dough balls lightly with plastic wrap and use the bottom of a glass to gently flatten each one a little. You want them all to be about the same size because you’ll be matching them up later. Don’t stress about it though.

Gently peel off the plastic wrap and bake the cookies for 7-9 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.

The cookies are done when they are firm on top but have only browned a little around the edges.

Let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes before you move them to a cooling rack or they will fall apart.

While the cookies cool, you can make the caramel.

Salted Caramel Sauce

adapted from Domino Sugar

2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

In a deep microwaveable bowl or a measuring cup that holds at least 2 cups, melt the butter in the microwave completely.

Gently whisk in the heavy cream and sugar and microwave for two minutes, stirring gently after the first minute.

When the caramel sauce is amber-colored and there are no grainy bits of sugar left, add the remaining ingredients and set aside to cool.

Chocolate Filling

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Heat the cream in the microwave until it is scalding hot but not boiling.

Add the chocolate chips to the cream and let sit for a couple of minutes so that the hot cream can begin melting the chocolate.

Stir gently until the chocolate is completely melted and combined with the cream.

Put in the refrigerator to cool and thicken for a few minutes.

Once your salted caramel and chocolate filling have cooled a bit and thickened, you can assemble the cookies!

Spread some salted caramel or chocolate filling (or both) on the bottom (flat side) of each cookie and set aside. Be sure to leave a little room around the edges so that when you put the tops on, your filling doesn’t squish out.

Now this part is totally optional but I heartily encourage you to add 1/4 tsp of instant espresso to about 1/4 cup of melted semi sweet chocolate and then drizzle that over your cookies. This really puts the flavor over the top!

You can either leave the cookies out at room temperature until the chocolate sets or if you’re impatient like me, you can set your cookies on a tray and put in the fridge for about five minutes and they’ll be perfect.

You could also just shove them right into your mouth. Your call.

Enjoy!

Tags: chocolate, cookies, espresso, salted caramel