Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Chocolate and coffee are a natural pairing. In fact, they share many of the same flavour compounds! Whether you are a coffee fan or not, I encourage you to try this and maybe leave out the espresso beans. BUT, if you love coffee then these will blow your mind! These rich and not-too-sweet Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies have a soft and tender texture thanks to 4 ounces of melted dark chocolate right in the dough, dark chocolate chunks and chocolate covered espresso beans. If you dip them in your coffee, then... WOW!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Easy to make - this cookie recipe is easy to make because you don't need an electric mixer. You can simply make them with a spatula in a large mixing bowl.

• Tender chocolate cookies - these chocolate cookies have a soft and tender texture.

• Double chocolate cookies - chocolate comes in two ways: melted dark chocolate in the cookie dough and dark chocolate chunks (plus chocolate from the coated espresso beans too!).

• Double coffee flavour - there's espresso powder right in the cookie dough and dark chocolate covered espresso beans.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO COOKIES

• Unsalted butter - soft butter adds incredible flavour and helps build some structure during the creaming step for a tender texture. Pull it out at least 2 hours before baking so it is softened to room temperature.

• Brown sugar - this recipe uses only brown sugar (no white sugar). The molasses in brown sugar gives these cookies a caramel-like flavour to complement the chocolate and it also gives them a soft and slightly chewy texture.

• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will elevate the chocolate and coffee flavours. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.

• All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour makes the best cookies.

• Espresso powder - it adds really nice depth and heightened roasted notes to these cookies which enhances the chocolate taste. See the FAQ section below to find out how you can substitute it if you are unable to source it where you live.

• Salt - don't leave out the salt! It really elevates the chocolate taste and balances the sweetness.

• Dark chocolate chunks - I like 60% or 70% chocolate for a rich chocolate taste to complement the bitter coffee. You can chop it up from a bar of chocolate or use these bittersweet chocolate chips

• Dark chocolate espresso beans - this is a special ingredient and makes these cookies super COFFEE-Y. You can easily replace them with more dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips and these cookies will still be wonderfully delicious.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Melt chocolate. Place chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with ½-inch of barely simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

• STEP 2). Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.

• STEP 3). Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, cream together butter with brown sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and somewhat fluffy using a wide rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

• STEP 4). Add chocolate. Stir in cooled melted chocolate until evenly combined and then mix in egg until well incorporated.

• STEP 5). Add dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients all at once and fold them in gently. Stir through chocolate chunks and espresso beans. The dough will be soft.

• STEP 6). Chill the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes so that it firms up enough to handle.

• STEP 7). Bake. Roll chilled dough into smooth balls and place onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly and bake for 8-10 minutes until cracked on top, set around the edges and still a bit soft in the middle. Do not over-bake. Transfer trays to a wire rack and let cookies cool completely on trays. This is important because these cookies are quite delicate when warm – a sign that they will be very tender!

TIPS FOR MAKING CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO COOKIES

• try using salted butter! It really makes a different when working with a chocolate cookie dough. It adds a richness that makes these taste ultra chocolaty. If you try this, just reduce the added salt in the recipe by half.

• use chocolate chunks instead of chips - if you like the melty "puddle" effect of the dark chocolate, then get you favourite dark chocolate bar or block and chop it up into rough chunks

• chill the dough - giving this dough just a bit of time to sit in the fridge will help the flour hydrate and chill the butter and chocolate to prevent excess spreading. It only needs about 20 minutes though! If you chill it too long then the chocolate will harden and will be difficult to shape the dough balls.

• use the correct amount of flour - measure the flour accurately to ensure you get the right texture. Too much flour will makes them dry and crumbly.

• let cookies cool on the tray - allow the baked cookies to sit on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring them. They are delicate while still warm due to all the chocolate in the cookie dough so they need a few minutes to set up.

RECIPE FAQ

What type of chocolate is best for chocolate espresso cookies?

I recommend dark chocolate with minimum 60% cocoa for this recipe, and it's best to use chocolate from a block because it melts more smoothly. Semisweet chocolate chips will be too sweet and may make the cookies spread too much.

What is a substitute for espresso powder?

Espresso powder adds really nice depth and heightened roasted notes to these cookies which complements the bitterness in the dark chocolate. If you don't have espresso powder, you can grind up instant coffee grounds.

Do I need to chill the dough?

This cookie dough is very soft due to the melted chocolate, however it will stiffen up quickly once the chocolate hardens. That's why it only requires 20-30 minutes in the fridge. If it is chilled any longer then the dough will become brittle and hard to scoop once the chocolate sets up completely.

How do I store chocolate espresso cookies?

These cookies are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

If you love cookies, check out these recipes!

Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Christina Marsigliese

Ultra chocolaty and tender chocolate cookies with espresso powder and melted dark chocolate in the dough, dark chocolate chunks and chocolate covered espresso beans!

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Servings 20 cookies

Ingredients

  

• 4 oz 113g dark chocolate (60% cocoa) coarsely chopped
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp 160g all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon espresso powder
• ½ cup 113g unsalted butter at room temperature
• ⅔ cup 145g packed light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 4 oz 113g dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa) chopped into chunks
• ½ cup 85g chocolate covered coffee beans or espresso beans

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with ½-inch of barely simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
• Sift flour, espresso powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter with brown sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and somewhat fluffy using a wide rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Stir in cooled melted chocolate and then stir in egg until well combined. Add dry ingredients all at once and fold them in gently. Stir through chocolate chunks and chocolate covered espresso beans. The dough will be soft.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes so that it firms up enough to handle. Roll chilled dough into smooth balls and place onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly and bake for 8-10 minutes until cracked on top, set around the edges and still a bit soft in the middle. Do not over-bake. Transfer trays to a wire rack and let cookies cool completely on trays. This is important because these cookies are quite delicate when warm – a sign that they will be very tender!

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