Dessert & Baked Goods › Chocolate Espresso Wafers

Makes About 50 Cookies

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup unsweetened (natural) cocoa powder
• 1½  tbsp instant espresso powder, such as Medaglia D'Oro
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 12 tbsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until creamy
3. Beat in the sugar and mix until fully blended
4. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla
5. With the beaters on low speed, mix in the flour mixture until fully incorporated and the dough starts to come together. The dough will be thick and heavy
6. Gather the dough into a ball, then divide it in half
7. Working with half of the dough at a time, place it on a clean work surface and use your hands to shape it into a log, rolling it back and forth to form a smooth cylinder about 7½" long and 1¾"  in diameter.  (The dough will feel like Play-Doh!)
8. Wrap up the log in plastic wrap and secure with a layer of foil.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  Refrigerate or freeze until very firm, about 2-3 hours.  (The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.)
9. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
10. Working with one log at a time, use a thin, sharp knife to cut the dough into ¼" thick slices, arranging them about 2" apart on the prepared sheet
11. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until the cookies feel almost firm to the touch.  (They'll crisp up as they cool.)  Don't overbake or else the chocolate will taste and smell burnt.  Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool