Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 0.5 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder , Optional
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. 1

   Sift together 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt; set aside.

2. 2

   Beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy; beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients in 3 separate additions, mixing until just combined after each addition, until a thick dough forms. Flatten dough into a large disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

4. 4

   Remove dough from fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Knead any dough scraps back together, re-roll, and cut out more cookies as needed. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on the lined baking sheets, and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

5. 5

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

6. 6

   Bake cookies in the preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until cookies are just set, about 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.