Ingredients
For the cookies
- 110 g butter, softened
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 50 g brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 220 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 1 pinch salt
For the mascarpone topping
- 150 g mascarpone cheese, cold
- 100 ml heavy whipping cream, cold
- 30 g powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For finishing
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper. If you have two trays, line both so you can bake in batches without waiting.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and creamy. This usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture should look paler and fluffy. Creaming incorporates air, which helps give the cookies a tender texture.
Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix just until combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, instant espresso powder and salt. Whisking helps spread the espresso powder evenly so you do not get pockets of strong coffee flavor.
Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Stop mixing as soon as no dry flour remains. Overmixing develops gluten and can make the cookies tough.
Scoop the dough into equal portions, about one tablespoon each or slightly larger, and arrange them on the prepared tray. Leave space between each cookie because they will spread a little. Gently flatten each portion with your fingers or the bottom of a glass so they bake evenly and form a good surface for the topping.
Using a cookie scoop makes the cookies uniform in size, which helps them bake at the same rate.
Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft. They will continue to firm up as they cool. Avoid overbaking, as that will give you dry, crumbly cookies instead of tender ones.
Let the cookies rest on the tray for a few minutes, then move them to a wire rack and let them cool completely. This is important. Topping warm cookies will melt the mascarpone cream.
In a cold bowl, combine the cold mascarpone, cold heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat with a mixer until the mixture is thick and fluffy and holds soft peaks. Stop as soon as it reaches that stage. Mascarpone can quickly turn grainy or curdled if overbeaten.
Pipe or spread the mascarpone topping onto each cooled cookie. Piping with a large star or round tip gives a pretty, bakery-style swirl. For a quick, rustic look, simply spoon on the cream and spread it with the back of a spoon.
Dust generously with unsweetened cocoa powder using a fine-mesh sieve. Serve right away or refrigerate until you are ready to enjoy them.