Basque Sheepherder Cookies
Crumbly, coffee-flavored drop cookies made with vegetable shortening and chopped walnuts, a home-baking staple in northern Nevada's Basque communities. They keep well and travel easily, much like the sheep camps they're named for.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 27 min
- Servings
- 24
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 130 kcal
Equipment
- •Baking sheet
- •Mixing bowls
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 130 kcal
- fat
- 7
- carbs
- 16
- protein
- 2
- calories
- 130
Instructions
- 1
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
- 2
Beat the shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- 3
Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the dissolved coffee.
- 4
Slowly add the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
- 5
Gently stir in the chopped walnuts.
- 6
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Space them 2 inches apart.
- 7
Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until set but still pale.
- 8
Cool on the sheet pan for 5 minutes. Move them to a wire rack.
Chef's tips
Dissolve the instant coffee completely in the wet ingredients so the flavor spreads evenly through the dough.
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
Reheating
Not necessary; served at room temperature.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overbaking the cookies, which dries out their crumbly texture
- •Using brewed coffee instead of instant coffee, which adds too much liquid
Serving suggestions
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