Cinnamon Coffee Krembo Cookies

I love coffee and cinnamon together in desserts. The scented, sweet cinnamon compliments the bitterness of the coffee, and the result is always surprising and delicious.

These coffee Krembo cookies are a traditional Israeli dessert, usually made with vanilla, but I wanted to make them more unique. So, I decided to add coffee and cinnamon to the cream and crunchy chocolate topping.

If you like the combination of coffee and cinnamon as much as I do – you’re going to love these Krembo cookies. They are surprisingly delicious and the texture is addictive!

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Photo: Natalie Levin

Cinnamon Coffee Krembo Cookies

For the coffee Krembo cookies:

50 grams (1/4 cup) cold butter (cut into cubes)
25 grams (2 tbps.) dark brown sugar sugar
100 grams (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. instant coffee powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2-3 tbsp. cold water

For cinnamon meringue:

3 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
200 grams (1 cup) sugar
50 ml. (3 tbps.) water
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

For chocolate coating:

200 grams dark chocolate (chopped)
1-2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Make the cookies:

Preheat oven to 175c degrees.
In a food processor with steel blade put butter, brown sugar, flour, coffee, vanilla and salt and blend until small crumbles form.
Add the water gradually and continue to process just until large clumps of dough are formed.
Transfer the dough chunks on a lightly floured work surface, combine with your hands and make a round disc shape.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 3 mm thick and cut out 5-6 cm circles.
Arrange the cookies on an oven pan lined with baking paper.
Bake the cookies for about 10-14 minutes or until golden. Cool completely.

Cinnamon meringue:

In a mixer bowl with whipping-attachment put egg whites and salt.
In a small saucepan put sugar, water and cinnamon and heat to dissolve the sugar until the syrup reaches a temperature of about 115-118c degrees. When the syrup reaches 105c degrees, begin whipping the egg whites and salt on medium speed.
When the syrup is ready remove from heat, increase the mixer speed to high and add in the syrup in a thin stream while whipping.
Beat meringue for 6-10 minutes or until it is very stable. Towards the end of whipping, add the vanilla.
Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a round 2-3 cm piping tip. Pipe a tall generous mound of meringue over each cookie.
Cool the krembos in the freezer for about an hour.

Chocolate coating:

Melt the chocolate and put in a tall glass.
Add oil and mix until incorporated.
Dip the frozen krembos in the melted chocolate, shake off excess chocolate and place on a pan to set. Cool for about 10 minutes in the freezer and serve.