Toffee Coffee Cookies

Tips: I ran across this title on a website and was immediately struck by it. I was looking for an easy cookie recipe at the time, and, while no recipe was given, it seemed a simple enough matter to adapt one. You’ll need thin, chocolate-covered toffee bars (such as Skor ™ or Heath ™) to make these rather flat, bumpy cookies. The biggest “hassle” in making these is removing them from the baking sheet; you’ll have to scrape off the edge of your spatula (even if it’s nonstick) after transferring every two or three cookies to a cooling rack. Be careful not to burn yourself on the melted toffee, as it’s extremely hot, and sugar burns are awful.

These are really best when freshly-made, but they can be stored airtight at room temperature for up to a day or two. For longer storage, freeze them, placing wax paper between each layer. Defrost, still in wrappings, at room temperature. Because of the toffee, these tend to be rather sweet, and do think twice about eating them if you have sensitive dental work!

Yeild: About 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

Using a cutting board and a large, heavy, very sharp, straight-edged knife, cut each toffee bar into chunks. If the chunks are too small, they’ll melt while the cookies bake, but if they’re too large, the dough will be difficult to portion out. I like to cut each bar into 24 pieces. Combine toffee chunks and semisweet chips in a small bowl; set aside. Into a separate small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a small cup, dissolve instant coffee granules in hot water; set aside.

In large bowl with large spoon, cream butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, a minute or two. Add egg and beat in thoroughly. Blend in dissolved coffee, then sifted dry ingredients (dough will be stiff). Add toffee chunks and semisweet chips and stir until evenly distributed (this will take a minute or two, as there is a large volume of chips and chunks).

Use a heaping teaspoon (not a measuring teaspoon) of dough for each cookie, mounding cookie dough high. I place 12 mounds on a 15-1/2 by 10-1/2 inch cookie sheet (these spread as they bake). Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, turning back-to-front once about halfway during baking time. During baking, cookies will flatten and spread. They’re done when they’re a light golden brown on the edges; some will be a light golden brown in spots on top. Do not overbake!

IMPORTANT: allow baked cookies to stand for a minute or two on cookie sheets before removing to cooling rack. Transfer with a broad-bladed metal spatula, preferably one that is nonstick (you can use nonstick cooling racks, but I haven’t had a lot of trouble with these sticking to the cooling racks). Serve just slightly warm, or cool completely before serving.

Store airtight at room temperature for up to a day or two; freeze for longer storage.

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