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These dark chocolate espresso cookies feature a chocolate espresso cookie dough base filled with chunks of dark chocolate, plus crunchy chocolate-covered espresso beans for an extra buzz.
Why Do I Love These Chocolate Espresso Cookies?
Espresso cookies? Yes, please!
Several years ago I made a large batch of chocolate bars for a family event. Afterward, I found myself with lots and lots of left over Trader Joe’s chocolate-covered espresso beans, a free afternoon, and a craving for coffee. The result? These bakery-style dark chocolate espresso cookies.
If you’re a chocoholic, a coffee fanatic, or both, you’ll love making this espresso cookie recipe. With a dark chocolate cookie base, espresso powder, chunks of dark chocolate, chocolate sprinkles, and plenty of chocolate-covered coffee beans, they’re an ultra-rich (and highly caffeinated!) dark chocolate treat. These cookies are best enjoyed with a mid-afternoon espresso…or a cup of strong black coffee, at any time of the day!
How to Make Espresso Cookies
To make this espresso cookie recipe, start by creaming softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then, add eggs and coffee extract (see notes below), followed by sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, sieve all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. Combine the dry and wet ingredients, then add chopped dark chocolate (or chocolate chips) and crunchy, chocolate-covered espresso beans. Chill the dough, scoop it into balls, and finish with a roll in chocolate sprinkles for a bit of extra fun. Bake for 12-14 minutes, cool briefly, and enjoy!
These espresso bean cookies smell heavenly while they’re baking. It’s almost like having a coffee shop in your kitchen.
Espresso Cookie Recipe Ingredients
For this recipe, I used 64% Valrhona Manjari bittersweet chocolate, Trader Joe’s dark chocolate espresso beans, Medaglia D’oro instant espresso powder, and Rodelle organic cocoa powder. Feel free to experiment with different coffees and chocolates for different flavor profiles.
I love adding a touch of instant espresso powder to any dark chocolate cake or cookie recipe. A little bit goes a long way to enhance the depth of the chocolate flavor, without tasting too coffee-like. For this recipe, I wanted to taste the coffee, so I upped the amount to two teaspoons. You could even add a bit more if you enjoy a very pronounced coffee flavor. And if you can’t find espresso powder (it’s not easy to locate here in the UK) you can substitute instant coffee granules instead.
Trablit is a highly concentrated coffee extract made in France. It’s a nice addition to many recipes, from cookies to pastry cream to buttercream frosting. (A bit on the expensive side, but the bottle lasts forever!) If you don’t have Trablit on hand, you can substitute another coffee extract or flavoring, or even use vanilla extract instead.
Tips and Tricks for Making Chocolate Espresso Cookies
- You’ll need a hand mixer or stand mixer for preparing the dough. You’ll also need a cookie scoop (I find it easier to use one with a release, like this) or a small ice cream scoop to divide the cookie dough into portions.
- To add an extra coffee element, try using a chocolate bar with coffee beans, like the Endangered Species Chocolate Tiger Bar, or Chocolove Coffee Crunch.
- For an Instagram-worthy bake, gently reshape your espresso cookies with a round metal cutter, just after baking.
- As written, this recipe will produce about 15-16 3-inch round espresso cookies. I suggest using a half-sheet rimmed tray, lined with parchment or a large silicone mat.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
You can prepare the chocolate cookie dough up to 24 hours in advance. Wrap in clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. Allow to come up to room temperature for a few minutes, until just soft enough to scoop.
These espresso cookies are softest on the day they are made, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
Dark chocolate espresso cookies can also be frozen. To freeze, layer between sheets of parchment or wax paper and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Other cookie recipes you might enjoy:
Lavender-Lemon Latte Cookies
Dark Chocolate Mint M&M Cookies
Bakery-Style Parsnip Cookies
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Dark Chocolate Espresso Cookies
- Total Time: 1 1/2 hours
- Yield: 15 cookies 1x
Description
A chocolate espresso cookie base filled with chunks of dark chocolate, plus chocolate-covered espresso beans for an extra buzz!
Ingredients
113 grams unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup / 1 stick)
200 grams granulated sugar (1 cup)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon high-quality coffee extract, such as Trablit
145 grams all purpose flour (1 1/8 cup)
60 grams cocoa powder (1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
175 grams chopped dark chocolate, or semi sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
150 grams chocolate-covered espresso beans (1 cup)
Chocolate sprinkles, for decorating (optional)
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and beat on high until smooth, about two minutes.
Add eggs and coffee extract to the butter mixture, and mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, sieve flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients into the wet mixture, and stir until well-combined.
With a wooden spoon, fold chopped chocolate and chocolate-covered espresso beans into the dough.
Wrap dough in clingfilm/plastic wrap and chill, at least one hour or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375° F / 190° C. Line a baking tray with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
Remove dough from the refrigerator and allow it to come up to room temperature for a few minutes, until just soft enough to scoop.
With a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop, form dough into golf ball-sized balls. (You should have about 15 cookies total.) Roll each ball in chocolate sprinkles (if using) and transfer to prepared tray, allowing space in between for the cookies to spread as they bake.
Bake cookies in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes. Do not overbake.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
Espresso bean cookies can also be layered between sheets of parchment and frozen in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chilling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
- Category: Biscuits and Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert