Cinnamon Coffee Crisps are Full of Fall Flavor

Cinnamon Coffee Crisps speak in the language of fall flavors. Caramel tones of brown sugar sweeten the warmth of ground cinnamon and espresso powder to make these cookies deliciously flavorful. Topped with a quick embellishment, they are well dressed for most any occasion.

Fall Flavors Online

This week I watched a Smoked Coffee class online. Listening to an award winning barista from Onyx Coffee Lab talk about creating coffee drinks was fascinating. I enjoy drinking coffee and it is fun to think about making specialty drinks at home even if my equipment and follow through prove to be on the minimal side.

What I found most appealing (beyond the artfully chocolate-rimmed glass used to serve one of the espresso drinks) was the vivid language the Barista used. Her choice of words helped me to think about my favorite beverage in new ways. She described coffee as a very, very impressionable product. She told us that it pulls in the flavor of whatever it touches, be it boozy, smoky or spicy.

The Barista also encouraged us to consider not just the appearance of a beverage but the full sensory impact we desire when building a drink. I take that as good advice no matter the course. Visual cues allow us to eat with our eyes just as aroma adds another facet to the overall impression. All of these elements layer the level of satisfaction inherent in any thoughtful taste experience.

It was a good class. It was also a joy to be immersed in the language of fall flavors. I was reminded that aromas are closely associated with memory and that coffee, cinnamon and smoke are flavors that quite naturally speak in the husky voice of autumn. In them we feel the damp chill of autumn air, hear the fallen leaves crunch and are transported to hayrides and bonfires from our youth.

The Voice of Autumn

I must admit I struggle with transitions. I have a hard time making that seasonal leap from summer into fall before I feel overwhelmed by the holidays. Though I may already be late to the game this year, this coffee talk helped me get where I needed to go.

As I listened to our Barista build a drink with flavor forward layers of burnt caramel, cassia wood and infused cold brew, I began to engage with the season ahead. Honestly, I am unlikely to make a coffee drink at home with stacked cups of iced coffee and cinnamon smoke. I was, however, reminded of a favorite cookie recipe that communicates with a similar, though somewhat more subdued, vocabulary.

Cinnamon Coffee Crisps draw on the same flavor notes as that beautifully layered drink demonstrated in the class. Instead of burnt caramel, we use a little brown sugar. Rather than smoky cassia chips we include a spoonful of ground cinnamon. And, in the place of barrel-aged cold brew, we settle for instant espresso or coffee powder. For embellishment there is a drizzle of coffee infused icing and a chocolate coffee bean garnish.

Cinnamon Coffee Crisps

I usually think of these handsome golden crisps as a Christmas Cookie. Now I realize that label is too limiting. While their elegantly neutral form and unique flavor make them a welcome addition to any holiday cookie tray, they are also excellent on their own. The rich coffee flavor, with a hint of cinnamon and a pretty topping, makes each cookie a welcome bite to share at break time or as an after dinner treat.

The thing that makes this recipe especially nice is how easy it is to make. The dough goes together quickly with little sugar and no eggs. The recipe makes a fairly modest number of cookies but can easily be doubled if you like. Also, the dough doesn’t spread much so quite a few can be baked on one cookie sheet, keeping the baking time to a minimum. And don’t be tempted to skip the decoration. That little drizzle of icing on top is easy and adds another welcome layer of rich espresso flavor. 

Cinnamon Coffee Crisps

Course: CookiesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

32

cookies

Prep time

20

minutes

Chilling Time

4

hours

Baking Time

30

minutes

Spicy ground cinnamon, caramel tones of brown sugar, and the smoky intensity of espresso powder make these simple cookies deliciously flavorful.

Ingredients

• Cookies:

• 1 1/4 cups flour (6 ozs or 170g)

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water

• Coffee Icing:

• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

• 2 teaspoons hot water

• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (65g)

• 32 chocolate coffee bean shaped candies (optional)

Directions

• Cookies:
• In a small bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, and salt.
• In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer beat butter and brown sugar together until fluffy. Beat in dissolved espresso mixture.
• With mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture just until blended.
• Shape dough into a block about 8 inches long and 1 1/2 inches square. Wrap in waxed paper and chill until firm enough to slice. (About 4 hours.)
• When chilled, cut dough into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place slices 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350F for 12-14 minutes or until golden and firm. Cool on a wire rack.
• When cool, drizzle cookies with Coffee Icing (directions below). If desired, push a coffee bean candy on top of the icing before it sets.
• Coffee Icing:
• In a small bowl, dissolve espresso powder in hot water. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth.
• Spoon icing into a sandwich-size ziploc storage bag. Snip off no more than 1/4-inch of one lower corner of the bag. Using the ziploc bag as a piping bag, drizzle the icing in a zigzag pattern over each cookie. If desired, place a coffee bean candy in the center of each cookie before the icing sets.
• Allow icing to dry completely before storing between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.

Notes

• Recipe Source: A magazine clipping for “Mexican Coffee Crisps” from the 1980’s. Based on the format I’m guessing it was published in Woman’s Day.
• My favorite chocolate coffee bean garnish for these cookies is a mocha flavored chocolate candy that is shaped like a coffee bean. It is just the right size and the texture blends well with the cookie. It can be hard to find, however. As an alternate you can use a small chocolate covered coffee bean. Or you could use a single brown M&M to top each cookie.