Since the arrival of the new (well, it’s actually rather old, as in 60’s-era) cookie press, I’ve been on the lookout for holiday cookie recipes that will allow me to put it to use. A scrap of paper in my collection of magazine clippings and 3×5-inch notecards includes a recipe for Mocha Logs, copied from a 1997 holiday edition of Better Homes & Gardens. I adapted the recipe and renamed the cookies Mocha Twigs to better reflect their pretty appearance.
Mocha Twig cookie recipe
(makes about 72)
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tsp. instant espresso powder (note: these are strongly coffee-flavored, so use 1 Tbsp. of espresso powder if you want a gentler flavor)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chocolate chips, melted
1 cup finely chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir the butter around for a minute to soften it; add sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add espresso powder, salt and baking powder, mix until combined. Add egg and vanilla and combine. Add flour and blend until well combined.
Using the star plate on your cookie press, press dough into 3-inch-long strips onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are set and very lightly browned. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Dip ends of cookies in melted chocolate and sprinkle with chopped pecans.
