Spelt flour’s earthy flavor is a good companion to the warm spices and molasses in these cheerful cookies. Play around with the glaze and decorations to vary the look of the batch.
Coffee Star Cookies
Spelt flour's earthy flavor is a good companion to the warm spices and molasses in these cheerful cookies. Play around with the glaze and decorations to vary the look of the batch.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup spelt flour
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ginger or allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 ½ tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze & Decorations
- 1 ½ tablespoons pasteurized liquid egg white
- 1 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar sifted
- 2 ½ teaspoons unsalted butter melted
- Warm water if needed
- Sprinkles dragées, sanding sugar, chocolate pearls, chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans and/or instant espresso powder for decorating (optional)
Instructions
- To prepare cookies: Whisk all-purpose flour, spelt flour, espresso powder, cinnamon, cardamom (or ginger or allspice) and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat 8 tablespoons butter, brown sugar and turbinado sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed), scraping the sides as needed, until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and beat for 1 minute. Beat in molasses and vanilla on low speed. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until the dough comes together. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface. Divide in half and pat each half into a disk.
- Working with one disk at a time, place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Stack the rolled dough in parchment on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour (and up to 3 months) or refrigerate for at least 3 hours (and up to 3 days).
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- If the dough has been frozen, let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Working with one piece of dough at a time and using a 2- or 2-1/2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can. Place them about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gather the scraps and roll and cut the remaining dough.
- Bake the cookies, one pan at a time, until golden and only just firm, 8 to 9 minutes. Let cool on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- To prepare glaze: Whisk egg white in a medium bowl until frothy. Add confectioners’ sugar and stir with a flexible spatula until incorporated. Stir in melted butter and mix until you have a smooth glaze that spreads easily, adding a drop or two of warm water if needed.
- Using a small offset spatula or a butter knife, spread the glaze over each cookie. If you’d like to add some sprinkles, a little chocolate pearl or three, or anything else you fancy, do it while the glaze is fresh. Let the cookies dry at room temperature for 1 hour.
Notes
To make ahead: Refrigerate dough (Steps 1-3) for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Freeze unglazed cookies airtight for up to 2 months. Store glazed cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Equipment: Parchment paper, 2- or 2-1/2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter
