Soft Sugar Cookies with Salted Caramel Espresso Frosting

Mood turned two this month and if you've been following along with the journey for a while, you'll know by now that I can go over the top sometimes. So I made two celebratory desserts this year to mark Mood's second birthday!

The first was a show-stopping Tiramisu Brownie which is two of the greatest desserts layered onto each other.

This one here is going to be the cookie of your dreams. You know those soft, frosted sugar cookies you get from the grocery store? Well this recipe lets you make them at home from scratch, which makes them infinitely better.

A soft sugar cookie topped with a salted caramel espresso frosting. Delicious, addictive, and the best cookie to mark a milestone like this. The espresso plays a supporting role here, tempering the sweetness of the caramel frosting just enough to make it a super sophisticated dessert.

I snagged the cookie recipe from Eric Kim and didn't change a single thing. When Eric makes a cookie, you know it's going to be a good one. And then I topped it with my own invention: a salted caramel espresso frosting. Chef's kiss!!

I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as I do!

Soft Sugar Cookies with Salted Caramel Espresso Frosting

Yield: About 15-18 cookies

Adapted from Eric Kim's Frosted Sugar Cookies

YouTube walkthrough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDC0fbY3JJo

Ingredients:

FOR THE COOKIES

• ½ cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
• 3 ounces/85 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups/285 grams cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Whole coffee beans, for garnish

FOR THE FROSTING

• ⅔ cup (150g) salted butter, room temp
• 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
• ⅓ cup (80ml) salted caramel sauce
• 2 tbsp freshly brewed espresso or strong coffee, cooled
• ½ - 1 tsp sea salt (adjust to taste - I like a salty caramel!)

Procedure

1. Make the cookies: In a large bowl, using a spoon, cream the butter, cream cheese, sugar and salt until smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk to incorporate some air and to dissolve the sugar crystals, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and baking powder until just incorporated.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees and line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper. Using a spoon, portion out 50-gram rounds spaced a couple of inches apart. (You should get about 7 to 8 cookies per sheet pan.) Place the sheet pans in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes until the dough is no longer sticky and easier to handle.
3. While the dough chills, make the frosting: Beat butter until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low until incorporated. Blend in caramel, cooled espresso, and salt. Beat again until silky. This will be spread on top of the cookies once they are baked and cooled.
4. Remove the sheet pans from the freezer. Roll the chilled dough into even balls and flatten them slightly with your fingers so they’re about 2 inches wide and 1 inch high. Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans and switching racks halfway through, or until they no longer look wet on top, are still light in color and spring back to the touch. They will puff up and crack slightly. Let cool completely on the sheet pan. (They will continue to cook as they sit.)
5. Using a butter knife or offset spatula, frost each cooled cookie with the salted caramel espresso frosting and top with a coffee bean.