These Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies are next-level indulgence! Made with nutty brown butter, a hint of coffee, and gooey chopped chocolate, they’re rich, chewy, and absolutely irresistible. This is a twist on my classic chocolate chip cookies and the perfect treat for your next cookie craving along with a mug of hot coffee!
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I must admit I was never really a coffee flavored dessert lover. Then I created a chocolate coffee cake and incredibly moist coffee cupcakes and suddenly, I fell in love with the flavor (especially the chocolate coffee combo!). It surprised me that even my three kiddos are fans! So of course, I had to create and add these cookies (aka espresso chocolate chip cookies) to the mix.
First I tested these cookies with butter in its natural form. But I couldn’t resist trying them with brown butter, and it ended up being a clear-cut winner as it brought out a deep, nutty flavor. I used my brown butter chocolate chip cookies as the base and made a few tweaks for a bold coffee-inspired upgrade. These easy cookies will wow your family and friends!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No mixer is required! All you need is 10 basic pantry ingredients, and they can all be mixed by hand, similar to my easy toffee cookies.
- With a total prep and cook time of only 20 minutes, you can enjoy these delicious cookies without spending much time in the kitchen!
- Coffee and chocolate are the perfect match! Adding some espresso powder to baked goods intensifies the chocolate flavor but also adds a lovely coffee note to the overall flavor.
Espresso Powder vs. Instant Coffee
Espresso powder and instant coffee both add a coffee flavor to desserts like cookies and cakes, but they're very different! Espresso powder is stronger and more concentrated because it's made from dark roasted, brewed, and dried coffee beans. This makes it the better choice for chocolate chip cookies infused with coffee, giving them a richer flavor. Plus, its fine texture mixes smoothly into the dough, ensuring every bite has a balanced coffee taste. Instant coffee, being milder and more diluted, doesn't offer the same depth of flavor.
Ingredients Notes
- Butter - I always use unsalted butter for my baking. If you use salted butter for this recipe, reduce the amount of salt to ¼ teaspoon.
- Brown Sugar - Dark brown sugar adds an amazing caramelized flavor to these coffee chocolate chip cookies. You can substitute with light brown sugar if that’s what you have on hand!
- Egg - Bring your egg and yolk to room temperature. If you forget to set it out, you can place the eggs in a small bowl with warm water for about 5-10 minutes to warm up.
- Espresso Powder - For the best flavor, I use espresso powder (either the DeLallo or King Arthur brand). The brands labeled with “espresso instant coffee” don’t give as bold of a flavor to these cookies.
- Chocolate - I always splurge on a good quality chocolate bar. I much prefer to chop chocolate and add it to the batter than to use chocolate chips (which keep their shape and don’t melt). The chopped chocolate will create irresistible pockets of chocolate! You could also use chocolate chunks or chips if you prefer.
Please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1 - Brown the butter. Add the butter to a small pot and heat it over medium heat. I like to swirl the pan occasionally to evenly brown the butter. Cook it until it turns a dark golden brown with burnt-looking specks throughout. Immediately transfer to a large bowl to stop the cooking.
Step 2 - Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk everything together.
Step 3 - Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk the sugars and butter to thoroughly combine. Whisk in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until everything is evenly combined.
Step 4 - Fold in dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to mix until almost combined. I always stop mixing when there are just a few streaks of flour left. At this point add in the chocolate and mix until just combined to avoid over mixing.
Step 5 - Scoop and chill. I use a 1.5-ounce scoop for the cookie dough. I found that using a larger scoop causes the cookies to bake unevenly. Place the dough balls on a parchment covered plate or small sheet pan. I love pressing some extra chocolate into the top of each cookie.
Step 7 - Bake. Arrange the chilled cookies on two parchment-lined baking sheets (3 inches apart is plenty!). Bake each pan for about 12 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers are puffed!
Helpful Baking Tips
- As a professional pastry chef, I always recommend using a kitchen scale. Your measurements will be accurate (I add the gram measurements first in my recipes, but list the cup measurements as well in case you don’t have a scale!).
- Chill the dough overnight. All you need is 2 hours, but leaving the cookies overnight really develops the flavor. These cookies will also have a better texture with the overnight chill.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. Take the cookies out of the oven while the centers still look slightly underbaked. They will continue to bake outside the oven on the hot pan and you’ll have the perfect soft and chewy cookies!
- As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use a round cookie cutter to gently scoot and shape the hot cookies on the baking sheet into perfectly round cookies for a professional look.
Storage & Freezing
Storage: Keep these chocolate chip coffee cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you love warmed cookies, pop them in the microwave for about 10 seconds to soften and warm them (perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!)
Freezer: I always love freezing the dough to bake whenever the craving hits! Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and pop in the freezer to harden. Then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can bake the cookies straight from the freezer, just add 2-3 minutes to your baking time.
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Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Brown Butter)
- Total Time: 32 minutes + 2 hour chill
- Yield: 16 coookies 1x
Description
These Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies are next-level indulgence! Made with nutty brown butter, a hint of coffee, and gooey chopped chocolate, they’re rich, chewy, and absolutely irresistible. This is a twist on my classic chocolate chip cookies and the perfect treat for your next cookie craving along with a mug of hot coffee!
Ingredients
- 170 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter
- 228 g (1 ¾ cups) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 200 g (1 cup) dark brown sugar
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 170 g (1 cups) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to heat, while occasionally stirring, until the butter has brown specks throughout. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.
- Add the sugars, egg, yolk, and vanilla to the butter and whisk until smooth and combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and fold together until combined. Add the chopped chocolate and mix just until incorporated.
- Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the dough using a 1.5-ounce scoop, or about 2 heaping tablespoons, and arrange it on the cookie sheet (touching is fine). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Arrange the cookies on the baking sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart.
- Bake, one sheet at a time, for 11-13 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers are still light and slightly underbaked.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the hot sheet pan, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
Notes
Make-Ahead: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in advance.
Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Freeze unbaked cookie balls for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, allow the dough to come to room temperature and bake as directed in the recipe. If baking without thawing, allow for an extra 2-3 minutes of baking time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
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