• In a bowl, sift or whisk together the sugar, flour and salt.
• Add the butter and mix at low speed using electric mixer or mix by hand.
• Once the butter is mixed in ( looks lumpy) , mix in the vanilla until dough comes together .
• Divide this dough into three portions ( doesnt have to be exact).
• To one portion , mix or knead in one tablespoon flour. This is the vanilla dough.
• To second portion, mix or knead in 1/2 tsp coffee powder and 2 1/2 teaspoons flour until the colour is a uniform light brown. This is the coffee dough.
• To the third portion, mix or knead in 1 tablespoon cocoa powder until the colour is a uniform dark brown. This is the cocoa dough.
• Divide each dough into 8- 12 pieces.
• Combine all pieces of all doughs together using your hands to form one dough ball ( so that all the colours are interpersed). There is no need to knead it !

If you want to roll out the dough

• Make a disc of the dough , wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F . Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment.
• Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment / plastic wrap to about 1/4 inch thickness. Its better not to use flour to dust the dough as the marbling wont be as visible.
• Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes .
• Transfer the cut cookie dough to the prepared pan leaving about 2 inches space between each cookies.
• Re roll the scraps and cut cookies until all dough is used up.
• Bake at 180 C/ 350 F for 12-15 minutes . The cookies will start to brown lightly around edges.
• Cool on pan for 3-4 minutes and then completely on wire rack.

To make slice and bake cookies

• Shape the dough into a log about 3 cm in diameter , wrap in plastic and refrigerate for atleast 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F . Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment.
• Unwrap the log and using a sharp knife , slice cookies about 1/4 inch thick.
• Transfer the cut cookie slices to the prepared pan leaving about 2 inches space between each cookies.
• Bake at 180 C/ 350 F for 12-15 minutes . The cookies will start to brown lightly around edges.
• Cool on pan for 3-4 minutes and then completely on wire rack.