Last week, as I was testing the cookie recipes that I later published here and taking photos for the posts, my brother came up with some advice. “Why don’t you make them coffee-flavored?“
Since we’re both huge coffee lovers, I was instantly hooked on the idea. So, I swapped my cup of coffee for the baking bowl, made a batter similar to the one I had used earlier for my chocolate chip cookies, and started baking again. I did some tests to be sure. In some of them, I used liquid coffee. In others, I incorporated instant coffee powder. The goal? To craft easy coffee cookies that would capture the authentic taste of espresso.
After a few rounds of mixing and tasting, these delicious cookies with an espresso twist came to life. Here’s how you can make them at home, too!
What you’ll need
All-purpose flour: or self-rising flour, if you prefer. You don’t need baking soda for this recipe, but a little amount of leavening agents can make your cookies softer in the middle. I’ve made tests with both options and the difference is not that big, so it’s up to you and to what’s in your staple right now.
Brown sugar: it’ll give your cookies a subtle caramel flavor. If you’re not really into brown sugar, most recipes that feature it work perfectly with the same amount of white sugar. And if you like doing experiments as much as I do, try making 3 different batches of cookies using white, brown, and a mixture of 50/50 white and brown sugar. I know that some people like to make their chocolate chip cookies with coconut sugar as well, but I haven’t tried it yet.
Unsalted butter at room temperature: this is very important, as you will need to whip it at the very start of the process. So, you want it to be as soft as possible. For best results, my advice is to take it out of the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before starting to make your cookies.
A big egg: For some types of cookie dough, it’s better to use only egg yolks. For this one, however, I recommend using the whole egg.
Chocolate chips: or chocolate chunks, if you prefer. Any type of chocolate will be perfect as long as you like it. My favorite option is dark chocolate chips, but feel free to use milk chocolate or any other alternative.
Room temperature espresso: or Instant espresso powder. I tried this recipe with both and I think that using real coffee gives the cookie a better texture and flavor. However, if you don’t have it at the moment, instant coffee powder will do. I’ll show you how to incorporate both in your cookie batter so that you can use your favorite one.
Cocoa powder (optional): you could use the ingredients listed above and make some delicious espresso cookies already. But if you’d like to boost their chocolatey flavor a little and give them a nice, dark color, try adding some cocoa powder to the batter.
As usual, you will find the precise amounts for each of the ingredients listed above in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. If you want, you can also add some cinnamon or vanilla extract to the dough while kneading, or toss in some crushed nuts along with the chocolate chips.
Required tools:
- measuring cups;
- a hand mixer or hand whisk;
- a rubber spatula;
- a cookie cutter (optional) and a baking dish.
- an oven.
Method
First, sift together the flour and cocoa in a medium bowl. If you’re using instant coffee powder, sift it in as well. Set aside for later.
Then, combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk until you get a smooth, uniform mixture. If the butter is at room temperature, a hand whisk will suffice, but you can opt for an electric mixer too.
Add the egg and gently blend it in, taking care not to overmix.
If you’re using room-temperature espresso instead of instant coffee powder, add it now. Next, incorporate the dry ingredients that you sifted before, initially mixing with a rubber spatula. Finally, add the chocolate chips and mix again.
Continue kneading with your hands until you create a dough ball. The consistency should be soft and not overly sticky. If it sticks to your hands, add a touch more flour.
Cover the chocolate chip cookie dough ball with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This step is vital as it reduces the dough’s elasticity and ensures that the butter melts more slowly in the oven, resulting in cookies that are soft, chewy, and with crispy edges.
After the resting period, preheat the oven to 356°F/180°C.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface and use a cookie cutter to shape your chocolate chip cookies. If you prefer a more rustic appearance, divide the dough into chunks and use your hands to flatten them.
Then, place the soon-to-be cookies on a baking dish or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange them in a single layer, and make sure to give each of them some space.
Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 minutes. Keep in mind that precise baking times may vary depending on your oven, so monitor them regularly without opening the oven door.
Finally, take the baked cookies out of the oven and allow them to cool. Serve them while still warm or store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Whether you’re looking to brighten your morning routine or seeking that perfect afternoon pick-me-up, these chocolate chip espresso cookies are your go-to option. Easy to make, delightful to taste, and a surefire conversation starter, they’re everything a cookie connoisseur could wish for!
Mortadella Head
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 20 Cookies 1x
Ingredients
10.5 oz self-rising or all-purpose flour1 (300 g)
5 oz brown sugar (150 g)
5 oz unsalted butter at room temperature (150 g)
1 large egg
1 cup chocolate chips
6 tsp room-temperature espresso (30 g)2
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (14 g)
(optional) vanilla extract to taste
Instructions
- Sift the flour and cocoa powder together. Set aside.
- Add butter and sugar to a large bowl, and whisk until it forms a smooth, even mixture. If the butter has reached room temperature, you can easily do this with a hand whisk. If you prefer, you can use an electric mixer.
- Add the egg and incorporate it. Be careful not to overmix.
- Add the espresso and mix.
- Next, add the dry ingredients you sifted before, and mix a little with a spatula. Add the chocolate chips as well and continue kneading with your hands until you get a dough ball.3
- Cover the dough ball with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This is important because it will make the dough less elastic. It will also make the butter melt a little more slowly in the oven, which will make your cookies softer, chewier, and crispy only on the edges.
- After the 30 minutes are up, start preheating the oven to 356°F/180°C.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface, and use a round cookie cutter to form your chocolate chip cookies. If you’d like to give them a more homey shape, divide the ball into chunks with a cookie scoop and then use your hands to roll and flatten them.
- Place the soon-to-be cookies on a baking dish covered with parchment paper.
- Bake for about 25 minutes until they start to brown. The exact baking times may vary depending on your oven, so check them often (but do not open the oven).
- Take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool off.
- Serve them while still warm, or store them in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
1 You don’t actually need any leavening agents for this recipe. However, if you use self-rising flour instead of all-purpose, your cookies will come out bigger and softer in the middle.
2 The ball should have a soft consistency and not be too sticky. If it sticks to your hands, add a little more flour.
3 If you prefer, you can use 1 tbsp instant espresso powder (14 g) instead of regular espresso. Sift it with the dry ingredients as in step 1.
4 Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is only an estimate generated with VeryWellFit’s online calculator. The accuracy of the facts listed is not and cannot be guaranteed.
- Prep Time: 40 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Category: Main courses
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cookie
- Calories: 105
- Sugar: 4.5
- Sodium: 11mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 1.9g
- Carbohydrates: 16.8g
- Protein: 2.6g
- Cholesterol: 11mg
