These espresso cookies combine bold coffee flavor, chewy brown sugar dough, and pockets of melty chocolate, topped with flaky sea salt. The perfect sweet and salty dessert.
Your afternoon coffee just found its cookie soulmate: these espresso cookies are packed with bold coffee flavor, melty chocolate chunks, and chewy brown sugar centers. A little flaky salt on top brings everything together, so go ahead and pour yourself a cup!
Why These Espresso Cookies Are The Best
These cookies bring your coffee break and dessert together in one delicious bite!
- Coffee takes center stage. Three tablespoons of espresso powder give the dough a pronounced coffee flavor that stands up to the chocolate.
- Chewy centers with plenty of chocolate. Brown sugar and an extra egg yolk help create a rich, chewy bite, while chopped chocolate gives you pockets of chocolate throughout.
- No waiting for butter to soften. This dough starts with melted butter, so you can skip setting a stick on the counter ahead of time. Just let it cool before mixing!
Ingredients for Espresso Cookies
You only need a handful of pantry ingredients to make these coffee-forward cookies! A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Unsalted butter: Melt and let it cool until it is no longer hot before mixing. Melted butter adds richness, while cooling it helps keep the dough from becoming too warm and loose.
- Light brown sugar: The molasses adds a little caramel flavor and helps the cookies retain moisture.
- Granulated sugar: It balances the brown sugar and helps the edges develop a little crispness.
- Egg and egg yolk: The whole egg helps bind the dough, while the extra yolk adds richness without another egg white.
- Vanilla extract: This rounds out the coffee and chocolate flavors.
- All-purpose flour: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag.
- Instant espresso powder: It gives these cookies their bold coffee flavor. Choose a fine, soluble espresso powder intended for baking or making instant espresso.
- Baking soda: One teaspoon helps the cookies spread and brown.
- Chocolate chunks or chips: Chopped semisweet or dark chocolate creates irregular pockets of chocolate, while chips hold their shape more consistently.
- Fleur de sel or flaky sea salt: An optional finishing sprinkle adds a salty contrast to the sweet dough and chocolate.
How to Make Espresso Cookies (Step-by-Step)
Just follow these simple steps for your new favorite cookies!
- Prepare the oven and pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line light-colored baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Beat the butter and sugars. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer, beat the melted, cooled butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes, until well combined.
- Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the egg, additional egg yolk, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder, and baking soda, breaking up any clumps.
- Make the dough. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Fold in the chocolate by hand.
- Scoop the cookies. Portion the dough into ¼-cup mounds and arrange them about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a few extra chocolate pieces on top, if desired.
- Bake. Bake for 9–11 minutes, checking for set edges and centers that look soft but no longer wet. Use these visual cues along with the clock, since baking time varies with your oven and portion size.
- Finish and cool. Sprinkle with fleur de sel or flaky sea salt, if using. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet until firm enough to move, then transfer to a wire rack.
Chef Tips for Perfect Cookies
- Cool the butter first. It should still be liquid but no longer hot. Excess heat can leave you with loose dough that spreads too quickly.
- Measure flour gently. Too much flour can make the cookies dry and keep them from spreading properly. Spoon and level rather than packing the measuring cup.
- Break up espresso clumps. Whisk the powder thoroughly with the flour so you don’t get concentrated bitter spots.
- Stop mixing when the flour disappears. Fold in the chocolate by hand to avoid overworking the dough.
- Start each batch on a cool pan. A hot baking sheet starts melting the butter before the cookies reach the oven.
- Give the cookies time to set. Soft cookies can break if you move them too soon. Let them firm up on the baking sheet before transferring.
Storage and Freezing
Storage: Once completely cool, keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. For the best texture, enjoy within 3–4 days.
Freezing baked cookies: Freeze completely cooled cookies in an airtight freezer container, with parchment between layers, for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw covered at room temperature.
Freezing cookie dough: Freeze individual scoops on a lined tray, then transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container. Use within 3 months for best quality. Bake from frozen, allowing additional time and checking for set edges and soft centers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brewed espresso isn’t a direct substitute here. It adds liquid without providing the same concentration of flavor, which changes the dough’s consistency and can affect how the cookies spread.
Instant coffee can work in baking, but it isn’t an exact flavor match. Its intensity and granule size vary by brand. For the intended bold coffee flavor and smooth texture, use fine instant espresso powder. A specific instant coffee substitution amount has not been tested for this recipe.
Yes! With 3 tablespoons of espresso powder, coffee is a featured flavor. The brown sugar and chocolate balance its roasted notes.
Yes, regular espresso powder and chocolate both contribute caffeine. The amount per cookie depends on the products used and the number of cookies in the batch. Baking does not make them caffeine-free.
This recipe does not include a required chilling step. The dough should hold a scoop before baking. If it is very soft or warm, chill it until firmer and bake a test cookie to check the spread.
More Fun Cookie Recipes
Although I’m a lazy baker, there’s nothing I love more than cookies fresh from the oven! Here are some of my favorites.
Espresso Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter , melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 3 tablespoons espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips
- fleur de sel , for finishing, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line light colored cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer and a large bowl, beat together the melted 3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar and 1/4 cup sugar for 2-3 minutes. Add the 1 egg, 1 egg yolk and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk or sift together the 1 3/4 cups flour, 3 tablespoons espresso powder and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix together until the cookie dough is formed, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula occasionally. Do not over-mix.
- Fold in the chopped 1 cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips by hand.
- With a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, equivalent to 1/4 cup, scoop cookie dough into balls and place on the prepared cookie sheets. *Optional: press extra chopped chocolate on top.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and top with flaky sea salt (optional). Allow the cookies to cool the cookie sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Notes
Nutrition
