1 1/2 Tablespoons Instant Coffee
1 Tablespoon Boiling Water
1 Cup (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter — At Room
Temperature 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 1/3 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2/3 Cup Confectioners’ Sugar, Plus Extra For
Dredging (Optional) 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Put the coffee in a small custard cup or ramekin. Pour the boiling water out of the kettle into your measuring spoon, then immediately pour it over the coffee. Stir with a spoon to dissolve the coffee. Cool for 5 minutes.
In a bowl, cream the butter with the vanilla extract. Blend in the dissolved coffee.
In another bowl, sift together the remaining ingredients (except optional confectioners’ sugar). Blend the dry mix, about one-third at a time, into the butter until evenly mixed.
Divide the dough in half. Place each half on a sheet of wax paper and shape into cylinders about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap them up in the wax paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days. You can also overwrap the dough in a plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Using a serrated knife, slice the cookies about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick and place them on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops feel firm to the touch.
Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool to room temperature. Dredge the cooled cookies in confectioners’ sugar if you like. Store in an airtight container.