Mocha Shortbread {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

Mocha Shortbread1

This Mocha Shortbread combines the wonderful flavors of chocolate and espresso and then are dipped into a decadent chocolate ganache. They happen to be grain and gluten-free and are oh so very addictive!

So this week we caught up on all our favorite holiday movies- Elf, A Christmas Story, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. As you know Cricket loves to dress up so I made her the one-antler wonder (with help from my mom, thanks mom!), just like Max, from the Grinch! Between her costume and the holiday music on non-stop it’s definitely Christmasy around here!

Cricket as Max1

As you know I love chocolate but my other true love is coffee! Do you drink your coffee black? I am in awe of all you that do. It seems so cool and edgy to order a black coffee. I wish I could too, but I’m a coffee wimp! Don’t get me wrong I love my java, but I’ve got to add some sweetness and creaminess and make it more like a dessert. I’m addicted to my coffee creamer and I’ve been known to take it along with me to Dunkin Donuts, no joke 🙂  So here is my love of coffee, chocolate, and creaminess in cookie form! I’ve also sprinkled on some crushed candy cane on some, and coconut on a few others so a few incredible flavor combinations- any peppermint mocha lovers out there??

Mocha Shortbread4

Another great quality of these shortbread cookies is you can make the dough ahead of time. Just roll it into a log, wrap and freeze. When you’re ready to make your cookies, just thaw, slice and bake- and there you go- fresh and ready to serve!

Mocha Shortbread3

I hope you love these as much as I do!

Mocha Shortbread Cookies Collage

Mocha Shortbread {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

This Mocha Shortbread combines the wonderful flavors of chocolate and espresso and then are dipped into a decadent chocolate ganache. They happen to be grain and gluten-free and are oh so very addictive!

  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
  • 1/4 cup cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder (such as Medaglia D’Oro)
  • 1/4 teaspoon celtic or Himalayan sea salt
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup pastured raised butter (such as Kerrygold, softened or palm shortening)

Chocolate Ganche:

  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 + tablespoon coconut milk (full fat)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Combine and mix the almond flour, arrowroot powder, cocoa, espresso powder, salt and coconut sugar.
  3. Add the softened butter and mix into the dry ingredients until a dough is formed.
  4. Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper and roll into a 2″ log.
  5. Wrap the log up in the parchment and chill thoroughly in the fridge (or freezer), about 1/2 hour.
  6. Once chilled remove the log and slice into 1/2″ cookies and place them onto a cookie sheet.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, remove and let cool.
  8. Meanwhile in a double boiler (or in saucepan over a larger saucepan with water) melt the chocolate chips and coconut milk. Add more coconut milk if needed to reach desired consistency.
  9. Dip half of each cookie into the ganache and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, sprinkle with candy cane or coconut if desired, then chill in the fridge until the chocolate it set.