Made with instant coffee and filled with chocolate covered espresso beans, these crispy, chewy coffee cookies are sure to satisfy the strongest coffee craving. Not only are they incredibly flavorful, but also very easy to make. With just 15 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes in the oven, you'll have the bold taste of fresh homemade coffee cookies to perk you right up.
If you think there isn't anything better than coffee and cookies, than you need to try coffee in your cookies! When you need a caffeine boost, look no further than this easy cookie recipe.
Adding coffee to desserts is one of my favorite ways to dress up a recipe. I've made this rich chocolate coffee mascarpone tart, these sandwiched chocolate coffee mascarpone cookies, and soaked my homemade chocolate wafer cookies in coffee to make Argentine chocotorta. And I often add at least a teaspoon or two of instant espresso powder to my chocolate cakes to boost the chocolate flavor.
With this coffee cookie recipe, I set out to capture a bold coffee taste in an easy drop cookie. I put the eggs back into my eggless chocolate chip cookies and tweaked the recipe to include both instant coffee powder and rich chocolate covered espresso beans.
These coffee bean cookies have crispy edges and chewy, soft middles. They have a robust coffee flavor in the dough punctuated with the concentrated crunch of chopped coffee beans and soft, melty dark chocolate. They're a perfect afternoon pick-me-up that will delight coffee lovers.
You can also explore the entire collection of cookie recipes here, including these rich coconut chocolate chip cookies.
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Ingredients
Unsalted butter - Butter should be softened, but not melted.
Brown sugar - A heavier percentage of brown sugar adds rich caramel flavor and extra moisture, which makes these cookies nice and chewy in the center.
Granulated sugar - Adding a bit of granulated sugar helps ensure the cookies develop a nice crisp exterior.
Instant coffee granules - I use Café Bustelo Espresso Style Dark Roast Instant Coffee (affiliate link). While I sometimes use instant espresso powder in my recipes, I used instant coffee here as it's what I had on hand. See substitutions for notes on using instant espresso powder.
Chocolate covered coffee beans - Also called chocolate covered espresso beans, these are roasted, whole coffee beans that have been covered in a coating of dark chocolate. You can find them at Trader Joe's, in the bulk section of your grocery store, or in the fruit/nut aisle in bags. You can also buy chocolate covered coffee beans online (affiliate link).
* See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Learn how to make coffee cookies! These photos provide visual cues. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card.
Hold the side of a knife blade over a chocolate covered coffee bean. Rap your fist gently on the knife blade to break the coffee bean into pieces. Repeat with remaining coffee beans. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars on medium speed until well combined, 2-3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add vanilla, salt, egg, and instant coffee, and mix on medium speed until homogenized. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix on low speed until just a few flour streaks remain. Use a spatula to scrape down the bowl and incorporate the last of the flour.
Use a spatula to stir in the chopped chocolate covered coffee beans.
Using a cookie scoop, portion dough into 1½ Tablespoon scoops on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 8 cookies at a time for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Immediately after removing cookies from oven, place a round cookie cutter (affiliate link) or the rim of a wide drinking glass around each baked cookie and gently swirl. This will push the cookie into a uniformly round shape.
Hint: If you want the cookies to have a somewhat shiny finish on top, after portioning the dough scoops, roll the cookie dough balls until they are smooth. If you prefer slightly more matte, textured tops as shown here, just use the cookie scoop.
Substitutions
- Instant coffee granules - Feel free to substitute instant espresso powder. I recommend using less, as it is more concentrated than instant coffee granules. Start with 50% (1½ Tablespoons) and adjust up or down as desired.
- Chocolate covered coffee beans - If you don't have access to chocolate covered coffee beans, feel free to use a blend of chocolate chips and finely chopped espresso beans. I recommend about ½ cup chocolate chips and 2 Tablespoons of espresso roast coffee beans.
Variations
If you'd like to try a different twist on this coffee cookie recipe, try these variations:
- Chocolate chip coffee cookies - If chocolate covered coffee beans are too concentrated for your taste, omit them and add 3 ounces (½ cup) chocolate chunks or chips to these cookies instead.
- Nuts - Stir in ½ cup chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans when adding the chocolate covered coffee beans. For best flavor, toast the nuts in the oven on a sheet pan for 5-10 minutes at 350 degrees. Fully cool before adding to cookie dough.
Equipment
Items below contain affiliate links.
Cookie scoop - To bake these cookies, I use this medium cookie scoop which measures out 1½ Tablespoons of dough. It's a size 40. I love using a cookie scoop for drop cookies. It keeps them uniform in size, which also helps them to bake evenly.
Baking pans - I bake my cookies on rimmed half sheet baking pans (18 x 13 inches).
Parchment paper is great for lining the baking pan. The cookies won't stick at all if you use parchment paper underneath. Bonus: you don't have to use any grease, and can often simply wipe down the pan rather than needing to wash it after baking. One roll of this 15 inch x 164 foot (38 centimeter x 50 meter) non-stick paper lasts a LONG time! If you have access to a nearby Costco, the price is often a bit better in store.
Round cookie cutters - Use a round cookie cutter or the rim of an upside down glass to swirl the espresso cookies back into a round shape after baking. Do this as soon as you remove them from the oven while they are still hot and pliable. I've had this set for years, and I use it all the time.
Storage
Store: Store these coffee flavored cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Store baked cookies in a large zippered freezer bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months
Make ahead: Although these are super easy to whip up, it's always great to have extra cookie dough on hand.
To freeze unbaked cookie dough, place scooped dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for an hour or two. Once frozen, transfer dough balls to a zippered freezer bag. Label the bag as follows: coffee cookie dough. Bake from frozen at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes. Store for up to 3 months frozen, unbaked.
The cookies will likely need an additional few minutes in the oven since the dough is frozen. I always recommend baking one or two cookies first as a test to confirm the correct bake time for the rest of the batch.
FAQ
Each cookie contains approximately 74 mg of caffeine, or about ¾ of a cup of coffee. An average cup of coffee contains 95-100 mg caffeine.
This is an estimate. The true amount will vary depending on the type of instant coffee or espresso powder you use, the type of chocolate and beans in your chocolate covered coffee beans, and your accuracy in measuring ingredients. If you top your cookies with coffee beans, the amount of caffeine will also increase.
1 teaspoon of Cafe Bustelo Espresso Style Dark Roast Instant Coffee contains an average of 75 mg caffeine. These cookies contain 3 Tablespoons of instant coffee, or 9 teaspoons, for a total of 675 mg caffeine.
Dark chocolate covered espresso beans contain an average of 800 mg caffeine per 100 grams.
The total amount of caffeine in this recipe is 675 mg + 800 mg = 1475 mg. When portioned into 1½ Tablespoon dough balls, this recipe makes 20 cookies.
1475 mg / 20 = 74 mg
Instant coffee is made of dehydrated ground coffee. The coffee is brewed, then freeze dried to fully remove the moisture, creating small granules.
In contrast, espresso powder is much more concentrated. It is made of espresso beans that have been roasted, brewed, dried, and then ground again to make a fine powder.
If you use instant coffee granules in your recipes, you'll need about 50% more than if you use espresso powder.
More Cookies
Since you like this coffee cookies recipe, you'll want to explore these other cookies too!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ★★★★★ rating in the recipe card below, and scroll down to leave a review. Your comments, suggestions and adaptations are very helpful to other bakers. Thank you for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Coffee Cookies
Print Recipe Pin RecipeINGREDIENTS
- 100 grams (½ cup) chocolate covered coffee beans (plus about 10 extra for topping cookies, if desired)
- 113 grams (8 Tablespoons; 4 ounces) unsalted butter (softened)
- 150 grams (¾ cup) brown sugar
- 50 grams (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3 Tablespoons instant coffee granules (I use Cafe Bustelo)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
- 180 grams (1½ cups) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350° Fahrenheit (177° Celsius, Gas mark 4).
- On a cutting board, hold the side of a knife blade over a chocolate covered coffee bean. Gently rap your fist on the knife blade to break the coffee bean into pieces. Repeat with remaining coffee beans. Set aside.100 grams (½ cup) chocolate covered coffee beans
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.113 grams (8 Tablespoons; 4 ounces) unsalted butter, 150 grams (¾ cup) brown sugar, 50 grams (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- Add vanilla, egg, instant coffee, and salt and mix until fully incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 3 Tablespoons instant coffee granules
- Add flour, baking soda and baking powder. Mix on low speed until just a few flour streaks remain. Use a spatula to scrape down the bowl and incorporate the last of the flour.180 grams (1½ cups) all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Use a spatula to stir in the chopped chocolate covered coffee beans (if using, leave the additional crushed coffee beans out for topping the dough scoops).
- Using a 1½ Tablespoon cookie scoop (medium, size 40), portion 8 scoops of dough out onto a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. Top each dough ball with a few extra pieces of chopped chocolate covered coffee beans if desired.
- Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for 10-12 minutes.
- Immediately after removing cookies from oven, place a round cookie cutter or the rim of a wide drinking glass around each baked cookie and gently swirl the edges of the cookie. This will push the cookie into a uniformly round shape.
- Cool cookies on pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to fully cool.
Notes
The Floured Table
Recipe Author: Kathleen Culver
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