COFFEE WALNUT TEARDROP COOKIES

Mise en Place the Cookie Dough

• What is mise en place and how could it benefit you? See The Finer Cookie's post How to Mise en Place.
• In a food processor, pulse the flour, walnuts, sugar and salt until the walnuts are finely ground.

My favourite ground coffee will make great cookies.

• Add the ground coffee and process until combined well.
• Measure the butter and cut into small chunks. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.

Add ground coffee grounds directly into the dry mixture.

• Combine the brandy and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside. Optional: Wrap in plastic to keep from evaporating.
• Count the whole coffee beans and place in a small bowl. Set aside.

Assembling the Cookie Dough

• Add the cold butter to the flour/nut mixture in the food processor.
• Pulse until the mixture until crumbly.
• Add the brandy and vanilla and pulse until the dough begins to form and hold together when pinched between your fingers.
• Dump the dough onto a clean surface.
• Gather it into a ball and divide the dough in thirds.

Crumbly cookie dough is just the beginning.

• Form each third into discs and set in the fridge until firm, or overnight.

Cookie dough gathered together and ready for resting.

• Alternately, roll the cookie dough into a log, whatever diameter you prefer (1 inch - 2 inches) and wrap tight in plastic. Refrigerate until firm or overnight.

For Slice and Bake Cookies

• Remove the log from the fridge and set on a cutting board to allow it to soften slightly.
• Line two baking trays with parchment or a baking sheet.
• With a serrated blade, slice the dough into 1/8" to 1/4" thickness and place on your baking tray at least 1 inch apart.
• Press a whole coffee bean into each cookie.

For Roll and Cut Cookies

• Remove the two discs from the fridge to soften a bit before rolling.
• Line two baking trays with parchment or a baking sheet.
• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Ready the rolling pin and cookie cutter. I chose my teardrops.

The essential components for making Coffee Walnut Teardrop Cookies.

• Spread your pastry cloth, or plastic wrap, or two sheets of parchment paper/wax paper. The idea is to use as little flour as possible to keep the cookies crispy and tender.

I like using a pastry cloth, but I very often use plastic or parchment to roll cookie dough.

• Or roll the dough between the paper or plastic 1/8" to 1/4" thickness, then peel back the plastic or paper and cut out your shapes.
• Using an offset spatula, transfer the cookies to the baking sheet. Set about 1 inch apart.
• NOTE: The dough will continue to soften as you roll. If it becomes too soft, transfer the scraps to a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 10-20 minutes. Try to avoid overworking the dough as it will encourage gluten formation and produce a tough cookie.
• Press a whole coffee bean in the center of each unbaked cookie.

Bake the Cookies at 350F for 8-12 minutes

• In a 350F oven, bake the cookies for 8-12 minutes, depending on the thickness.
• Cookies are baked when the edges are toasty and light in the center. Over baking will produce bitterness.

Baked and crispy Coffee and Walnut Teardrop Cookies.

• Cool completely on a rack and store in an air tight container.

Abundant cookies ready for the family.