MARTHASTEWART.COM

Mocha Shortbread

This not-too-sweet shortbread can also be rolled out and cut, but baking it in a pan and cutting while warm is faster and easier.
Martha Stewart Living, October/November 1993
  • Yield Serves 4 to 6
Add to Shopping List

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon finely ground coffee beans, preferably espresso
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for sprinkling

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir in coffee, and set aside.

  2. Beat butter until smooth. Add sugar, and beat well. Add flour mixture, and beat until combined.

  3. Pat dough into an ungreased 8-inch round pan. Bake until firm, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove shortbread from oven, let sit for 5 minutes, then cut into wedges. Let cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Recipe Reviews

Reviews (7)

  • lilbeautysmom
    17 Nov, 2011

    Actually the only thing that seems incorrect in this recipe is the amount of salt - 1 tsp is too much, 1/2 tsp would be far better. I had trouble during the mixing with it being crumbly but patience gave it a chance to come together. I thought that adding the powered sugar on the top balanced out any bitterness.

  • tsmcleod
    18 Oct, 2011

    I was really disappointed with this recipe. It turned into a big crumbly mess. I can't even lift a cookie from the plate and into my mouth without it falling apart. :(

  • cybrcook
    27 Sep, 2011

    ANOTHER DISASTER
    when will we all learn NEVER to trust these recipes??!!! There have been more terrible ones than good over many years. You'd think they'd test these before publishing but obviopusly MS is more interested in VOLUME than quality. Stay away from them-just use them for design--that's what I do! Not even worth attempting-a complete waste of time, ingredients. Known to be bad.

  • palassisdean
    27 Sep, 2011

    Oh my goodness.....so bitter! This was horrible! I had to lay them in powdered sugar and sift some on top and they are still bitter. Definitely will NOT be making this again.

  • AKittyJohnson
    27 Apr, 2009

    What do you expect? It's shortbread.
    Did crumble during mixing/assembly or rolling/baking/cutting?
    Could just be an issue of technique and not recipe.

  • SunshineBee
    8 Apr, 2008

    I just tried the recipe and I can't beleive that something this aweful is on this website. It crumbles, its very dry, and not very tasty either.

  • clth
    29 Dec, 2007

    being a recipe from Martha I trusted it......... big mistake!!! this stuff crumbles