Bittersweet Mocha Cookies

By garciamoss

Extra chocolatey and laced with freshly ground coffee, these cookies are slightly crunchy on the outside and chewy within.

Ingredients

• One -third of a batch (about 12 ounces or 1-1/3 cups) freshly made Cocoa Cookie Dough
• 3 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped or pulverized in a food processor to the size of coarse crumbs
• 1/4 tsp. finely ground coffee beans, plus 28 whole beans (regular, not espresso roast), or as needed
• 1/4 About 1/4 cup granulated or coarse decorating sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Put the dough in a mixing bowl. Add the chocolate and ground coffee and mix them in thoroughly with a rubber spatula or your hands. Shape the dough into a log 14 inches long and about 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper or foil and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment.

Put the sugar in a small bowl. Cut the dough into 1/2-inch slices. Coat both sides with the sugar. Arrange the cookies 1-1/2 inches apart on the lined sheet and press a coffee bean into the center of each cookie. Bake until the cookies puff and show very faint cracks on the surface, 9 to 10 minutes (the cookies will feel soft to the touch). Slide the parchment onto a rack and let the cookies cool completely.