Espresso Truffle Cookies: Gifts From the Heart Blog With Friends

Today’s post is the next in our series of Blog With Friends themed collaborations. Each month a group of bloggers get together and each publish a project based on a theme. What I love about his partnership is that it's not bloggers with similar interests or strengths but a diverse group coming up with a variety of posts. In any given month we may a recipe, sewing tutorial, crocheting, crafts project, book review, and/or technology post all related to the theme of the month.

This month's theme is Gifts From the Heart.

There will be individual project pictures and links to what everyone else has to offer at the end of my post, but here's a peek at what we all came up with:

I made Espresso Truffle Cookies.

Espresso Truffle Cookies

I remember growing up our family receiving baked goods as gifts for the holidays. Two of them I specifically remember being excited for each year. My mom's friend Ann, who is Armenian, always brought us a platter of Armenian treats. These desserts were sweet and decadent and so interesting because I wasn't familiar with the flavors prevalent in her culture. The other was a plate of holiday cookies baked by our housekeeper. What I loved about this was the diversity of the sweets. There were probably 8 different cookies, a few of each, and what a decorative plate they made.

When the boys were little, at holiday time we would bring little gifts to their teachers, our friends and our neighbors. Initially it was either homemade cookies or bon bons, that came to an end when I ended up joining groups of friends in both cookie bakes and cookie exchanges. From then on, we'd bring platters of quick breads. I'd bake  about 6 different loaves, like my Apricot Almond Quick Bread, Blueberry Lime Bread, Caramel Topped Apple Spice Bread, Cinnamon Nectarine Quick Bread, Coffee Bread and Eggnog Bread. I'd then slice the loaves and add a few of each flavor to all of the platters. 

So despite the fact that I always include recipes in my Blog With Friends posts, there is also a rich history, among my friends and family anyway, of sharing homemade edibles gifts this time of year. The one I'm sharing with you today is Espresso Truffle Cookies. Whether you're making them to keep at home for visiting guests, bringing them to a cookie exchange or delivering them to friends and neighbors, these cookies marry bon bons with cookies for a decadent holiday treat. 

I first want to show you the baking chips I used in these cookies. They are specialty baking chips that I did find in a local mass retailer. I hope you can too. If not, they can be bought online. If you can't find them locally or want to buy them online, I've included alternatives in the recipe write up (below). Using the substitutions will alter the cookie flavors, but they'll still be delicious.

The cookie dough comes together quickly and simply in one bowl and with a whisk. It's not a tight dough, though so be sure to refrigerate for at least an hour. I refrigerated overnight.

You'll have to use wet hands to form the dough balls. Even chilled, the dough is sticky, more like a truffle than a cookie dough. Roll them in powdered sugar.

Then just bake. 

As always, any time you make one of my recipes, feel free to post a picture of it to my Baking In A Tornado Facebook Page. I'd love to see it!

Be sure to visit all of this month's other Blog With Friends projects:



  
Kia of The Ground Beneath My Feet shares My Cousin’s Magical Unicorn Wedding. 

 




Tamara of Part-time Working Hockey Mom shares Hooray for Free Hugs!







Minette of Southern Belle Charm shares Gifts of the Heart, Giving What You Can.







 
Dawn of Spatulas on Parade shares Gifts From the Heart, Sharing is Caring..

 



Lydia of Cluttered Genius shares DIY Wood Slice Ornaments.

Espresso Truffle Cookies

                                                                          ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients (makes 3 dozen):
6 TBSP butter
1 1/4 cups Espresso baking chips (can substitute 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips and 1 1/2 tsp instant coffee powder)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup Irish Cream baking chips (can substitute white chocolate chips)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
*In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and the Espresso baking chips (or dark chocolate chips and coffee powder) until completely smooth when stirred.
*Whisk in the sugar and brown sugar. Once completely incorporated, whisk in the vanilla and eggs. Last, whisk in the flour, baking powder and salt.
*Mix in the Irish Cream baking chips, then wrap completely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to overnight.
*Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 
*Using wet hands, roll the dough into 36 about 1 inch balls. Roll the balls in the powdered sugar and place on the baking sheets.
*Bake for 11 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit on the baking sheets for 2 minutes before removing them to cool completely.