These peanut butter espresso cookies are made with a simple shored cookie dough infused with espresso powder and a touch of cocoa powder.
To celebrate National Peanut Butter Month, Peanut Butter & Co. challenged the Yum Squad with a #MysteryIngredient project.
Those who wanted to participate were given one of four mystery ingredients to showcase the versatility of peanut butter.
Last week, you might have seen peanut butter and sriracha recipes floating around Pinterest. This week is all about peanut butter and espresso!
Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches
Lucky for me, I am already a fan the peanut butter and espresso combination.
Two years ago I made this “hyper monkey” smoothie. The smoothie was a mixture of espresso, chopped dark chocolate, milk, frozen banana and peanut butter.
Espresso Shortbread Cookie
These cookies start with a simple shortbread cookie dough infused with espresso powder and a touch of cocoa powder.
The recipe makes for about 2 1/2 dozen cookie sandwiches, meaning you’ll have enough to keep for yourself and plenty to share with others.
Once you’ve baked the cookies, pair them together. I’m all about working quickly and efficiently.
Assembling Cookie Sandwiches
I find the best way to fill cookies/macarons/etc is by laying them out like the photo above.
Place one cookie right side up and it’s paired cookie upside down.
Filling all the upside down cookies and then use the remaining cookies to sandwich them together.
It’s much faster than making cookie sandwiches one a time, filling as you go.
These peanut butter espresso cookies could be done at this point… but, they look sorta naked to me. They need a little bit more.
I melted some white chocolate and drizzled it over the tops of the cookie sandwiches.
Before the chocolate set up, I sprinkled a little cacao nibs to emphasize the espresso flavors in shortbread cookie.
Now these cookies are done and ready to be eaten!
The espresso shortbread cookie is delicate yet full of espresso flavor, while the peanut butter filling is sweet and creamy.
Together they make a wonderful pair that’s perfect with your morning glass of milk or afternoon cup of tea!
Peanut Butter Espresso Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
Espresso Shortbread Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 3/4 cup + 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Filling:
- 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk together espresso powder, cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Add flour dry mixture to creamed butter mixture. Mix until almost combined. Add vanilla and continue to mix until there are no longer any dry streaks of flour.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/4-inch. Punch out rounds using a 1-1/2 inch circle cutter. Gather dough scrapes and press together. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness and continue to punch out additional rounds. Place rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet, spacing rounds about an inch apart.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool in pan for 2-3 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
- Peanut Butter Filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together peanut butter and butter until combined. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt. Mix until filling is smooth.
- To assemble: Pair together espresso shortbread cookies. Place about 2 teaspoons of peanut butter filling on half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies. If desired, drizzle melted white chocolate over the tops of the cookie sandwiches and sprinkle with cacao nibs.
I like peanut butter and banana: 1 Tbsp peanut butter per bite of banana.
Oh these look fantastic! I’m totally down with PB + coffee pairings. And I love sandwiches cookies because – obviously – you get TWO cookies! XO
These look so good! My favourite is Peanut butter and chocolate, duh! Nothung beats that!
So cute! I love sandwich cookies. And PB and coffee sounds delicious! And those cacao nibs? Yummmm
Favorite peanut butter combination would be cinnamon and honey or chocolate! These peanut butter shortbread cookies look amazing!
PB and chocolate (of course)!!! But next in line would be peanut butter & oatmeal.
Peanut butter and chocolate or with banana and marshmallow and jelly.
Peanut butter and coffee sounds like a great combo. These sandwich cookies are adorable!
peanut butter and chocolate or banana!
omg this is the perfect combination my husband and I would love. I should try this asap!
I like peanut butter and bananas.
Peanut Butter and Chocolate :)
Well of course, PB +Chocolate, perhaps some Banana too.
These look so perfect! I can’t believe I gave up peanut butter for Lent! These are on my Easter Sunday list for sure. I love a sandwich cookie and the pairing of peanut butter and espresso sounds like such a great grown up combination to me!
I like to make energy balls with peanut butter, oatmeal, and chocolate.
This might sound weird to some people, but I really love peanut butter and fresh spinach on pita bread. It’s especially awesome with a drizzle of sriracha. It’s kind of like a thai peanut butter sandwich lol.
My favorite combination is peanut butter and a spoon, but peanut butter and nutella in a crepe are a close second.
Peanut butter and banana, a perfect combo.
Pretty! These cookies are too cute to even eat!
I love the white chocolate wonderful PB! I can eat it with a spoon
My favorite combination is peanut butter and milk chocolate.
Classic PB&J!
Peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.
Yum pb and j
Totally have to try these, look awesome!
Peanut butter and bananas are my fave!
I love Peanut Butter and Banana, mashed with milk and honey and frozen to make ice cream pops!
I love peanut butter, chocolate and marshmallow….
Peanut butter & chocolate
Peanut Butter & Chocolate
Peanut butter and Marshmallow is a great combo!
PB and chocolate or PB and fig spread.
I’d make them without the espressos
I love peanut butter and granny smith appples
My favorite combination is peanut butter and bananas.
Absolutely peanut butter and chocolate!
Peanut butter and chocolate is definitely my favorite. This recipe looks delicious btw. can’t wait to try it out!
pb and banana fried sandwich…Elvis style
peanut butter and maple syrup
Peanut butter and chocolate are definitely my favorite combination!
Love apples and peanut butter together!
Only thing missing is the coconut!
Peanut butter and chocolate. HANDS DOWN!
Peanut butter and bananas
Peanut butter and raisins
Peanut butter and jelly donuts are really good.
Bananas and peanut butter
Peanut butter and banana
marshmallow fluff and lots of peanut butter….on bread :)
I’m into marshmallow fluff, white chocolate wonderful and grahams
Peanut butter and chocolate wins in my book every time.
Peanut butter and chocolate is my favorite!
Peanut butter and milk chocolate is my favorite combination.
Favorite combination is peanut butter and apple slices! @smilejoylove
Peanut Butter & Chocolate – nothing better!
pretzels with peanut butter and nutella
peanut butter with dark chocolate makes the best combo
I love to put peanut butter in my oatmeal. And of course the classic pb + chocolate!
Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
Peanut butter and chocolate of course! :)
PB & Jelly
I like peanut butter spread on a banana. It’s one of my favorite snacks. I’d love to try it with a flavored peanut butter like chocolate.
Peanut butter and banana is my favorite combo! So comforting.
peanut butter icing over angel food cake
Peanut butter & jelly sandwich on multigrain bread, GRILLED. Yum!
These sound delicious. Could they be frozen, with the filling inside?
Hi, I haven’t tested freezing these cookies yet.
I’m wondering if I should be using natural (runny) peanut butter, or the peanut butter that is thicker and has sugar/oil etc. added to it? Thanks! Really looking forward to these. :)
I find that the recipe works best with homogenous peanut butter (the kind that doesn’t need to be stirred before using).