Recipe: Caffeinated cookies

Total time: 1 hour

Servings: About 48 cookies

Note: If you want more chocolate flavor, add 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa with the flour. Espresso powder is sold at Italian markets and specialty stores.

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons espresso powder

1 egg

2 tablespoons Kahlua or other coffee-flavored liqueur

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cream the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy; scrape down the sides of the bowl often. Beat in the espresso powder, then the egg, then the Kahlua. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and whisk to blend. Gradually beat into the batter. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.

3. Drop the dough by well-rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake until firm around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. (Do not overbake.) Let stand 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool.

Each cookie: 100 calories; 52 mg. sodium; 12 mg. cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 1 gram fiber.