1-Gathering Your Ingredients: First off, gather and measure all your ingredients precisely before you dive in this step keeps everything smooth and stress-free (no one likes scrambling mid-recipe). Preheat your oven to 140°C if it’s fan-forced, and line a light-colored baking sheet with parchment paper for even baking. If you’re adapting for dietary needs, like gluten-free options, get your alternative flour ready now.

2-Mixing the Batter: Next, place the 6 grams of instant espresso in a small bowl and combine the 35 grams of caster sugar with the 1.2 grams of fine salt in another. Heat the 32 grams of milk until it’s hot but not boiling, then pour about one-fifth over the espresso and the rest over the sugar-salt mix. Stir both until they’re fully dissolved and let them cool this trick makes the batter easier to work with and boosts that coffee flavor (it’s a game-changer for coffee butter cookies).

3-Mixing the Batter: Now, soften the 100 grams of unsalted butter to around 22°C, maybe with a quick microwave zap if needed. Whisk the butter vigorously until it’s smooth like toothpaste, then gradually add the cooled mixtures, whisking after each addition. Once that’s mixed, whisk in the ground almond after breaking up any lumps, and gently fold in the 125 grams of sifted cake flour with a spatula be careful not to overmix, as that can make your cookies tough (gentle hands lead to the best textures).

4-Shaping and Baking: Fit a close star tip into a sturdy piping bag and fill it with smaller amounts of batter for better control. Pipe small mounds about 2.5 cm wide on your prepared sheet, spacing them two fingers apart, and gently flatten the tops. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 18-22 minutes, rotating halfway through until they’re lightly browned but still buttery (patience here rewards you with perfect cookies). Let them cool on the sheet before moving to a wire rack.