Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies are filled with Espresso Powder and dunked in more Espresso Powder before they are baked to perfection. Step-by-step photos teach you how to bake these espresso chocolate chip cookies.

There's nothing better than a warm chocolate chip cookie, okay maybe cheesecake or creme brulee or maybe all three are my dream?! Yes, all three.

Specifically, these cookies though. Damn Gina. I ain't a coffee lover but I love coffee-flavored things, and these hit the spot. To achieve that really deep coffee flavor you'll actually use espresso powder inside the dough and on top. It ensures you get a nice pinch of coffee.

Coffee and chocolate are a match made in heaven, I thought about incorporating cocoa powder into the dry ingredients but I felt it would too strongly overpower the espresso flavor.

Let's get to the recipe.

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• Ingredients
• Instructions
• How to freeze
• Can you double
• More cookie recipes
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Ingredients

For this cookie recipe you will need:

• Salted Butter. I personally use salted butter but you can use unsalted butter too. Just make sure the butter is at room temperature. You are going to brown half of the butter then add that to the remaining half of room temperature butter and leave it for a few minutes then you will end up with a thick liquid butter consistency.
• Sugar. For a chewy cookie recipe, I like to use a combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar. The granulated sugar ensures the cookie spread enough but the brown sugar adds more moisture and chew to the cookies.
• Large Egg. Your egg needs ot be at room temperature, but you can do this quickly by placing it in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes before using it.
• Vanilla Extract. Use the real stuff!
• All-Purpose Flour. Make sure to weigh your flour properly. Too much or too little flour will drastically alter the texture of these cookies. I use a scale to weigh my ingredients, which provides accuracy that measuring cups will never be able to.
• Salt. Just a pinch helps round out the flavors.
• Chemical Leaving Agents. My favorite texture comes from doing a combination of baking soda and baking powder.
• Espresso Powder. The star of the cookies! I use this Delallo Espresso Powder but there are other brands you can use. I imagine you could do the same with instant coffee granules but I have personally never tried it. You'll use some espresso powder in the actual cookie dough and you'll use some to garnish the cookie dough.
• Cornstarch. Adding a bit of this to your cookie dough helps tenderize the cookies for a better texture.
• Milk Chocolate Chips. I find using milk chocolate pairs well with the dark flavor of espresso but feel free to use semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips. In fact, white chocolate chips sound great too! I like using Callebaut Milk Chocolate Callets or taking a bar of chocolate and making my own chocolate chunks.

Sea salt is something I love to sprinkle on some of my cookies, you just can't beat sweet and salty! But if sea salt isn't your thing feel free to leave it off! Check out my kitchen sink cookies recipe next!

Instructions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt half of the butter, 2 ounces, watch carefully and brown the butter. The butter will begin to turn more of a golden color with brown flecks and become foamy, you will smell a nutty aroma. This is browned butter, take it off before it becomes burnt butter.

In the bowl of an electric mixer or large bowl with a handheld electric whisk add the brown butter and the regular butter let them sit for 5 minutes so they melt into each other.

Add the brown sugar and granulated mix and beat for 2 minutes. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly combined.

Then add the egg and vanilla extract and beat for 2 more minutes, the mixture will lighten in color.

In a separate bowl mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder, and cornstarch.

Slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Fold in chocolate chunks.

Place dough covered in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Keep in mind if you chill for longer than thirty minutes, you will need to let the cookie dough sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before baking, you may want to gently press them down as well before baking.

Preheat oven to 350F/180C and line a baking sheet with a Silpat line or parchment paper.

Use a medium cookie scoop to portion 1.5 tablespoons of dough balls. Then dip the top of the cookie dough in espresso powder and add an additional chocolate chip or two on top if desired.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until just set and lightly golden brown.

Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.

How to freeze

To freeze unbaked cookie dough balls: Scoop the cookie dough and place it on a parchment-lined sheet pan or large plate to freeze, once they are frozen (about an hour or two) place the dough balls into an air-tight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

When ready to bake the cookies, follow normal instructions but add a minute or two onto the bake time. The cookies may not spread as much from frozen, in that case when the cookies come out of the oven I bang the tray on the counter to encourage the cookies to spread.

To freeze baked cookies: Once you've baked the espresso chocolate chip cookies allow them to cool completely then place in an air-tight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat place cookies on the counter to thaw for an hour.

Check out this post on my Cookie Baking Tips

Can you double

You can totally double the recipe just press the 2X button on the recipe card below and make sure your mixer can handle all of the ingredients!

More cookie recipes

• These Chewy Lemon Cookies would be perfect to serve alongside these coffee chocolate cookies at a dessert bar or on a cookie plate!
• Who doesn't love a cookie with a filling? These Nutella Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies are bomb diggity!
• Guinness Chocolate Cookies are an intensly chocolte cookie everyon seems to love!

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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This post was originally published on August 27, 2016 as of January 8, 2021 the recipe has been updated.