Recipe: Black and White Mochachino Cookies (with coffee filling and white chocolate glaze)

BLACK AND WHITE MOCHACHINO COOKIES

3/4 cup plus butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, divided use
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
FOR THE COFFEE FILLING:
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. instant coffee granules
4 to 5 Tbsp. heavy (whipping) cream
FOR THE GLAZE:
6 oz. white chocolate
1 tsp. vegetable oil

In medium bowl, cream softened 3/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon and salt until evenly blended.

Lay large piece of plastic wrap on baking sheet pan; spoon dough onto plastic. Cover with another piece of plastic; press dough out with rolling pin until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Refrigerate 1 hour.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Unwrap dough. With 2-inch scalloped or round cutter, cut out sugar cookie shapes. Reroll and recut to use all dough. Set cookies on sheet pans.

Bake 10 minutes until lightly puffed. Transfer cookies to cool, flat surface. Cool completely.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
In medium bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons butter (melted), remaining 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, coffee granules and 4 tablespoons heavy cream until smooth. Add up to 1 tablespoon additional cream, if needed, to make spreadable filling.

Spread half of cookies with coffee filling. Top with remaining cookies to make sandwiches.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE:
In top of double boiler over hot water, melt white chocolate and vegetable oil. Stir until smooth.

Dip each cookie halfway into glaze; let excess glaze drip off. Set on wire racks to cool.

Makes 24 cookies
Source: the Sugar Association