Chocolate Espresso Bacon Spice Cookies

Ingredients

Featured ingredient: Elite Espresso

Cookies:

• • 2 1/4 C. sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 1 /2 tsp ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp cardamom
  • 3/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 C butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/4 C. flour
  • 1/2 C. dark baking cocoa
  • 2 Tbsp. Door County Elite Espresso, finely ground
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 12 strips of bacon, cooked crisp, drained & crumbled
  • 1 C. dark chocolate chips

Glaze (optional-not pictured):

• • 3/4 C powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tsp milk

Instructions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   2. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
   3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, black pepper and cayenne pepper.
   4. Remove a 1/2 cup of the sugar mixture and place in a shallow dish; set aside.
   5. Add butter to the remaining sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
   6. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
   7. In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, Door County Elite Espresso, cream of tatar, baking powder and salt.
   8. Slowly beat into creamed mixture.
   9. Gently stir in the bacon and dark chocolate chips.
   10. Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls.
   11. Roll into the reserved sugar mixture.
   12. Place cookies on the prepared cookie sheets, approximately 2 inches apart.
   13. Bake for 12 minutes until just set.
   14. Remove from the oven and place on cooling racks.
   15. To Prepare glaze (optional): In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and 2 tsp milk. Add more milk, if needed, to obtain the right consistency.When cookies have cooled, drizzle with the sugar glaze.

Makes: 3 dozen cookies.