When Nestle Tollhouse sent me their espresso morsels to bake with, I was honestly stumped. The morsels literally taste like balls of coffee – with a chocolate texture. In other words, they’re delicious. But I couldn’t figure out how to showcase that flavor. I was inspired by another Tollhouse partner on Instagram who threw them into pumpkin cookies and decided to give my own version of pumpkin spice latte cookies a go. My pumpkin spice latte cookies are a shortbread slice and bake that are dipped into melted espresso morsels. SO GOOD. And perfect with tea! Or… a pumpkin spice latte.
Notes on the recipe:
- This recipe makes 24 cookies. However, I actually like to split the dough in half, then add different flavorings to each half. So you can make 12 pumpkin spice cookies and 12 something else! Maybe matcha? Just vanilla? Lemon zest?
- Logs of dough need to be chilled before baking! You can chill them overnight or freeze them to bring out on a rainy day… which, if you live in Seattle… could be any day.
- Use good quality butter. If you are using a strong spice mix, you may want to add a little more salt as well, to bring out more of the buttery flavor.
- You can substitute all purpose flour for the bread flour.
- These shortbread cookies are egg free! Perfect for your friends with egg allergies.
Pumpkin Spice Latte Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (two sticks) softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice mix (homemade or storebought)
- 8 oz Nestle Tollhouse espresso morsels (about a cup)
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugar, and salt.
- Add bread flour and pumpkin spice mix and mix until combined.
- Divide dough into two equal portions. Wrap in plastic wrap and roll each portion into a log about 6 inches long. Chill logs in the fridge until firm.
- When logs are ready to slice and bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Slice ends off logs. These ends can still be baked but will not have the nice flat shape of the other cookies. Then, slice each log into 12 equal pieces, approximately 1/2" thick.
- Arrange cookies on trays and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Let cookies cool.
- Melt espresso morsels. I put mine in a heatproof bowl and zap it in the microwave for about 15-20 second intervals until melted, but you can also use a double boiler to be extra safe.
- Dip each cookie halfway into the melted espresso morsels and place back on the parchment to dry.
- Let chocolate harden and they are ready to eat!
Notes
- This recipe can be split in half for one dozen cookies.
- For two different flavors of cookies, you can make the dough as directed, but do not add the pumpkin spice mix. Split dough in half and add half the pumpkin spice mix to one half and other mixins/flavorings of your choice to the other half.
- Logs of dough can be frozen. Thaw before slicing and baking.
Next time, I want to try finding some pumpkin sprinkles that match the PSL theme. Though if I’m being perfectly honest, I had my first pumpkin spice latte of the year from Starbucks last week and I found it sickeningly sweet. Maybe these cookies will be the only pumpkin spice I need in the fall from now on!