Chocolate Espresso Cookies
These cookies are like little pieces of heaven. They have a rich, fudgy chocolate flavor with a strong espresso kick and a gooey chocolate core.
They’re soft and chewy, and coffee aficionados will enjoy them!
Also, they seem elegant yet are quite simple to build.
These will be a smash whether you’re making them for a holiday, a bake sale, or just because you need some chocolate in your life (we’ve all been there).
Let’s make some dough!
Ingredients
- ◯ 1 cup (2 sticks) of softened unsalted butter
- ◯ Three-quarters of a cup of sugar
- ◯ One big egg
- ◯ 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- ◯ Two cups of all-purpose flour
- ◯ ½ cup chocolate powder without sugar
- ◯ 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder
- ◯ ½ teaspoon of salt
- ◯ ½ teaspoon of baking powder
- ◯ 4 ounces of semisweet chocolate to use as filling.
- ◯ 1 tablespoon of heavy cream (for the filling)
Equipment
- Bowls for mixing
- Mixer by hand or mixer by stand
- Spoons and cups for measuring
- Spatula made of rubber
- Sheet for baking
- Paper for parchment
- A little pot for melting chocolate
- Little spoon (for putting cookies in)
Instructions
- In a big bowl, combine the softened butter and granulated sugar together until they are light and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well-mixed.
- Put the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, and baking powder in a different bowl and mix them together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture a little at a time, mixing until they are barely mixed in.
- Put the dough balls (approximately 1 inch wide) on a baking sheet coated with parchment paper. Press an imprint in the middle of each one with your thumb or a spoon.
- Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Melt the semisweet chocolate and heavy cream together until they are creamy.
- Put the melted chocolate in the middle of each cookie.
Tips
- Use butter that is at room temperature. This makes the dough come together better and makes the cookies soft.
- Chill the dough. If your kitchen is warm, put the dough in the fridge for 15 minutes before rolling it out so it doesn’t stick.
- Don’t bake them too long; they should be just set. They will get firmer as they cool.
- Re-indent after baking; the thumbprint may puff out, so press down again lightly while they are still warm.
- Let the chocolate filling harden. If you want a harder center, wait 30 minutes before eating the cookies (if you can wait!).
Variations
- No espresso powder? Use coffee that has been ground very finely, although the flavor will be milder.
- Want it to be even richer? Instead of semisweet, use dark chocolate.
- No dairy? Replace butter with plant-based butter and heavy cream with coconut cream.
- A nutty twist? Instead of chocolate filling, use a drizzle of hazelnut spread.
Storage & Serving
You may make the cookie dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to three days. You may also freeze the dough balls that haven’t been baked yet and bake them right from the freezer. Just add a minute or two to the baking time.
You can keep cookies at room temperature for up to four days in an airtight container. Put them in the fridge if you want a firmer center! You can also freeze the cookies for up to three months, either before or after baking them.
Final Thoughts
These cookies are rich, delicious, and full of espresso flavor. They go great with coffee or milk. Give them a try and tell me in the comments how they turned out. Have fun baking! 🍪☕