Coffee Coated Pumpkin Spice Latte Snickerdoodles

Last fall, I made Pumpkin Spice Latte Snickerdoodles and I loved them, but the coffee flavor was very delicate, you almost had to know it was there - certainly not a bad thing, but what if the cookie just came out with the coffee right away to say, “BAM! I’m a coffee cookie!”

And that is precisely what these cookies do.  In the first version, I put instant coffee powder in the dough and coated in pumpkin spice (the spice profile, not the pie) and in this one, I put the spices in the dough and coated in a coffee-sugar mixture.

The coffee hits - immediately!  Dude, grab one and said, “Woah, are these those coffee cookies you were talking about?  They taste just like the latte!”

High praise indeed.  Now, when compared back to back with the one from last year, taste testers prefer the original, because the coffee can come across with a slightly bitter note.  But if you’re a coffee lover like Dude and me, they’re just right!

Recipe Note:

-Be sure to use instant coffee.  I found a finely ground instant coffee.  Instant espresso powder or regular instant coffee grounds in a mortar or spice grinder would also work.

Coffee Coated Pumpkin Spice Latte Snickerdoodles

Cookies

1 ½ cups sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup solid vegetable shortening

2 large eggs

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon  salt

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Coffee-Sugar Coating

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon finely ground instant coffee

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line several baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Beat the butter, shortening, and 1 ½ cups of sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, around 4 minutes.  Beat in the eggs until completely combined.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and spices.  Turn the mixer to low and mix until completely combined.  The dough will still be quite soft.

In a small bowl whisk together the remaining sugar and instant coffee.

Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop out dough balls.  Roll the dough balls through the sugar mixture and place at least 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes (8-10 for convection ovens) or until the edges of the cookies are just set and the middles look puffy and crackly (between the cracks may look underdone).

Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes then move to wire racks and cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies