Baking Obsession

These are fun to make but the shaping process takes some time. Start when you are not in a hurry and enjoy. The pretzels are pretty and delicious.  

Makes about 5 dozens

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp finely ground espresso beans
• 1 ½ tsp instant espresso or coffee powder
• 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 large egg white

Preparation:

Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 325 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats.

In a bowl stir together the flour, ground espresso beans, espresso and cocoa powder, and salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer on a low speed beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until creamy. Beat in the egg white, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula occasionally. Gradually beat in the flour mixture just until the dough forms.

Form a level tsp of the dough into a ball, with your fingertips roll back and forth on a work surface to form a 6-inch-long rope. Form each rope into a simple pretzel shape. Place the cookies on the baking sheets about ½-inch apart.

Bake the cookies in batches until firm when lightly touched, 15-18 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on racks 5 minutes, then transfer them with a spatula to the racks to cool completely.

The cookies can be stored for a week in an air-tight container.