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Coffee Liqueur Crinkles for Santa

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"Mom, we need to make cookies," declared the Precise Kitchen Elf. It was 9 o'clock on Christmas Eve.

Outloud: What?!? No...it's bed time. Past bed time. 
In my head: I have to wrap presents from Santa...and I don't want to be up past midnight.

 "But, Mom! We need to leave cookies for Santa."

Note - leaving cookies out is not a tradition in our house. We leave carrots and celery in the klompens I wore as a child in Holland. D already put the carrots and celery out for the reindeer.

"Santa doesn't eat those. He needs cookies. Mom, please," he begged. 

Okay, what kind do you want?

"Whatever is easiest." Small blessings...

How about I make them? And you go to bed.

"Deal."

The little elf heard the conversation - "I think you need to make some cookies with coffee in them. It's a long night for Santa. He was in Indonesia this morning. And he only have about three hours to get to California."

Cookies with coffee. Got it. Now, go to bed!

Maybe it's because this elf needed it...I made cookies with coffee and coffee liqueur!! And these are super duper easy. They took me all of 20 minutes from start to finish. Then I got back to my present-wrapping.


Ingredients
  • 1/2 C organic granulated sugar + 1 C, separated (I didn't have powdered sugar which make a more dramatic crinkle look. Oh, well!)
  • 1 2/3 C flour
  • 1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 t baking powder
  • 1/2 C butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 t instant espresso powder
  • 1/2 t vanilla extract
  • 1 t coffee liqueur

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Put 1/2 C sugar into a small mixing bowl and set aside. In another bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, instant espresso powder, and baking powder

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, 1 C sugar, vanilla extract, and coffee liqueur for about 3 to 4 minutes (until light and fluffy). Add eggs - one at a time - and beat till well-combined. Fold in the flour mixture with a spatula.

Using a tablespoon, scoop up dough. Roll the dough into a ball. Roll the ball in sugar until completely coated. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them out by at least an inch.

Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until crackled and puffed. Let cool.
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