If you love the flavors of chocolate and coffee melded together you will love these chocolate coffee cookies. This coffee cookie recipe uses coffee extract to yield a substantial, yet not overpowering coffee flavor.
This big batch recipe is perfect for Christmas cookie exchanges or to make as gifts for co-workers and acquaintances. “Wrap” these espresso cookies in a coffee mug for a cute gift idea any time of year.
I’ve enjoyed espresso cookies in the past but it seems like I can never get the coffee flavor to be pronounced enough.
I’ve tried making espresso shots strong enough to grow hair on your chest and I’ve used espresso powder, but my coffee-flavored cookies always came out with the coffee flavor being rather…muted. If you’re making coffee cookies you want to actually taste the coffee!
Enter my new pantry staple: Coffee Extract.
Should I write a thank you note or a love letter to this amazing ingredient? Maybe I’ll write both because this lovely product added just the right amount of coffee flavor to my chocolate coffee cookies.
My official recommendation is to use the coffee extract to make coffee cookies since these cookies have just the right amount of both chocolate and coffee flavors, but…
Look what I found on the interwebs that I can’t wait to try next:
Coffee BAKERY EMULSION. Squee! More than 6,000 people are in love with it and a little goes a long way, even further than coffee extract it would seem. Word on the street is that it smells terrible but tastes amazing and when used in baked goods will knock your socks off.
I’m going to try it the next time I bake something coffee-flavored and let you know what I think.
For now, use my tried and true recipe with coffee extract so that your chocolate coffee cookies will come out just right. If you feel wild and crazy and want to experiment with the coffee emulsion though, do let me know how it goes.
How to Make Coffee Cookies
Note that even though the coffee extract is a liquid ingredient, you’ll want to add it last. It’s strong stuff and this will allow you to taste the batter (bonus!) and add or withhold the extract accordingly.
Chocolate Coffee Cookies Ingredients
- butter, softened
- light brown sugar, packed
- eggs
- heavy cream
- all-purpose flour
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- instant coffee granules
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- coffee extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Add heavy cream and fold in by hand.
In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, coffee granules, baking soda, baking powder, and salt)
Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture one cup at a time, blending between cups. The batter will be thick and brownie-like.
Gradually add the coffee extract and adjust for taste.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.
FAQ
You can try, but since 2003 I’ve been trying to encapsulate that bold, coffee flavor in a cookie, and espresso powder is the only way I’ve found to do it. Brewed coffeed just gets lost in the batter. Trust me on this one and save your time and money.
You want to be able to adjust the intensity of the coffee flavor. The good news is that you get to taste along the way! Perhaps you’re making these coffee cookies for yourself and want a deep, espresso flavor. Or perhaps you’re making them for a coworker who adds plenty of sugar and cream to their coffee. You’ll want to adjust the strengh of the coffee flavoring accordingly.
Yes! This is what makes these coffee cookies ideal for cookie swaps and exchanges or to bake ahead to save time on Christmas Day.
See the recipe card below to print out this coffee-flavored cookies recipe for easy reference.
Coffee Flavored Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups butter softened
- 4 cups light brown sugar packed
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup instant coffee granules
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon coffee extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare each cookie sheet with silicone liners or parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray.
- Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Add heavy cream and fold in by hand.
- In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, coffee granules, baking soda, baking powder, and salt)
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture one cup at a time, blending between cups. The batter will be thick and brownie-like.
- Gradually add the coffee extract and adjust for taste.
- Bake on prepared cookie sheets at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
- Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool before serving.
Notes
If you love coffee-flavored cookies but want to try a smaller batch recipe, check out my no-bake coffee balls. They’re easy-breezy!
Jan says
These cookies are delicious! I can’t wait for them to cool completely. I am eating them as soon as they come out of the oven! I made them exactly as instructed and they are perfect! Thank you for the recipe.
Jenn says
I’m so glad you like them! It can be hard to get a strong enough coffee flavor in a cookie as the chocolate seems to overwhelm it. These don’t have that problem. Enjoy!