Chewy Coffee Cookies

The ultimate soft and chewy chocolate chip coffee cookies made with espresso. They are sweet, gooey, easy to make, and coffee flavored. Seriously, the best cookies ever!

the best chewy espresso chocolate chip cookies

I love coffee. You can catch me having two or three cups a day. That’s why I needed to make one of my favorite drinks into a cookie, because who doesn’t love a soft and gooey chocolate chip cookies?!

Anyways, these coffee cookies are incredible. They are chewy, soft, and sweet. They taste like a warm cup of coffee but don’t worry, the flavor isn’t too intense.

The best part about these chocolate chip cookies is that you can use instant espresso powder, instant coffee, or instant decaf coffee. They are super customizable, and I even leave instructions below on how to make them dairy-free and gluten-free.

These coffee cookies are perfect all year long. They are the perfect sweet and cozy treat for Fall and Winter. They seriously taste like a deliciously brewed cup of coffee. I cannot wait to hear what you think!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• We use real coffee to flavor these cookies.
• These espresso chocolate chip cookies are soft, chewy, and sweet.
• Quick and easy to make for any level baker.
• You can make them gluten-free and dairy-free.
• These cookies are perfect for coffee lovers.
• A great cozy dessert for the Holidays and cold weather.
• They can be made with decaf coffee!
• Try these super chewy classic chocolate chip cookies next!

The taste and texture

These coffee cookies are sweet, buttery, and coffee flavored. The primary flavors come from espresso powder and chocolate chips.

Once baked, these espresso chocolate chip cookies have a soft and chewy texture. Each bite melts in your mouth! They have that classic chewy chocolate chip cookie texture.

Ingredients needed

Trust me when I say these are the BEST coffee cookies you’ll ever eat. These homemade coffee cookies call for very basic baking ingredients. You need flour, butter, brown sugar, instant coffee or espresso powder, and a few other pantry staples. Here is a list of everything you need so you are prepared:

• Butter: First up, you need butter to make these cookies soft and delicious. I used unsalted butter, but you can use salt if needed (just don’t add any extra salt to the dough). I left instructions below on how to make these cookies dairy-free.
• Dark Brown Sugar: This not only sweetens the cookies, but it also gives them that classic chewy texture. Keep reading for ingredient substitution suggestions.
• Granulated Sugar: You also need a little white sugar.
• Egg: You need an egg and an egg yolk to make these coffee cookies extra chewy. I have not tested this recipe without eggs.
• Vanilla Extract: For flavor!
• Flour: I used all-purpose flour. I left instructions below on how to make these cookies gluten-free.
• Instant Coffee or Espresso Powder: You can use any kind of instant espresso powder you want – I love the Trader Joe’s version! You can even use decaf if you want, but make sure it is super fine. I left some baking tips for you below.
• Baking Soda: To help these cookies rise.
• Chocolate Chips: Optional, but boy, do I love adding chocolate chips to these coffee cookies. The chocolate coffee combination is heavenly. You can use chips, chunks, or a cut-up bar.

Kitchen tools required

Coffee cookies are very easy to make. Here is a list of kitchen utensils you will need so you are prepared:

• Two Rimmed Baking Sheets
• 2 Mixing Bowls
• Electric Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
• Parchment Paper
• Measuring Tools: 1/2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, 1 Tablespoon, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup.

How to make the chewy coffee cookies

Coffee cookies are very easy to make. They come together in six simple steps, but let’s walk through the process together. Here are step-by-step directions with pictures for visual reference. The full recipe and ingredient measurements are at the bottom of this page in the recipe card.

Step one:

First, preheat the oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Then, set to the side.

Step two:

Next, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, instant coffee, baking soda, and salt. Make sure there are no lumps, then set it to the side.

Step three:

In a stand mixer (with the paddle attachment) or using an electric handheld mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fully combined and creamy. It should take about 1 – 2 minutes. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom. Then, add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and mix until combined, be careful not to overwhip.

Step four:

Gradually add in the flour mixture and mix until the dough is combined and slightly “sticky.” Then, mix in the chocolate chips BY HAND with a spatula and chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. I like placing a small plastic wrap on top of the cookie dough.

Step five:

Next, using a cooking scooper, portion out about 1.5 – 2 Tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Use your hands to roll them into balls and evenly space them out on your lined cookie sheets, and press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each dough ball. This recipe makes about 22 – 26 cookies.

Step six:

Finally, bake for 10 – 12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. They will puff up and looks a little underdone and soft (that is ok!) – they collapse as they cool.

Let your espresso chocolate chip cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. They should be slightly crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Enjoy!

Expert baking tips for chewy coffee cookies

Use fine instant coffee or espresso powder. All brands of instant coffee are different, and some have larger pieces of coffee. If the instant coffee has big chunks, I recommend throwing it into a food processor and blending until it is a fine powder. I like this brand or the Trader Joe’s instant coffee.

Spoon and level your flour. Measuring your flour this way is very important so that you don’t add too much flour. Don’t scoop the flour out of the bag with your measuring cup, or your cookies may be dry.

Use room temperature ingredients. Use room-temperature butter and eggs because using cold ingredients straight out of the fridge will result in longer baking times, and the cookies might flatten out.

Chill your cookie dough for at least 30 minutes. Chilling the cookie dough is so important in this recipe! This ensures your cookies are super chewy and thick. If you skip this step, the cookies will flatten too much.

Make sure your baking soda is NOT expired. If your baking soda is expired or open for more than six months, your chocolate chip cookies will flatten and spread out. Check the expiration date! To avoid this problem, I always write the date I opened a new container on the box.

Ingredient substitutions:

Here is a list of the best ingredient substitutions for these chewy coffee cookies. I only recommend swapping 1 – 2 ingredients so the original recipe doesn’t completely change.

• Dark Brown Sugar: You can use light brown sugar or coconut sugar.
• Unsalted Butter: You can use salted butter but don’t add extra salt to the dry ingredients.
• Instant Coffee: You can use espresso powder, decaf, or grind your own coffee. Just make sure to measure it for the recipe.
• Chocolate Chips: Leave them off or use peanut butter chips.
• Gluten-Free: If you want to make these chewy chocolate chips gluten-free, use this 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Don’t use almond flour, oat flour, or coconut flour.
• Dairy-Free: You can use dairy-free vegan butter sticks. Earth Balance Sticks are best for baking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are coffee cookies high in caffeine?

There is less than one shot of espresso in the entire recipe. There is not a lot of caffeine split between 26 cookies. So no, coffee cookies are not high in caffeine. However, if you are sensitive to caffeine but love the taste of coffee, you can use instant decaf coffee.

Can I use instant decaf coffee?

Yes, you can! That is an easy substitution.

Do I need to add chocolate chips?

Easily leave the chocolate chips out of the recipe if you don’t like chocolate.

Can I add the dry espresso powder directly into the dough?

Yes! That is what the recipe calls for. Most coffee cookie recipes ask you to mix the instant espresso powder with hot water, but that’s just another step for you. My recipe is quick and easy, so you can add it directly to the dry ingredients.

What’s the best substitute for dark brown sugar?

You can use coconut sugar instead of dark brown sugar in this recipe. You can also use light brown sugar.

Why are my cookies flat?

Make sure to chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. If your cookies are flat and too crispy, then the butter in the cookie dough was too warm when baked, and the butter melted out.

Can I make them gluten-free and dairy-free?

Yes, you can make these chewy coffee cookies both gluten-free and dairy-free. To make them gluten-free, use this 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. I have not tested it with any other brand or type of flour. Don’t use almond flour, coconut flour, or oat flour. To make these cookies dairy free, substitute the butter with vegan butter sticks – Earth Balance is the best!

Can I make these cookies extra thick?

To make these cookies extra thick and chewy, don’t flatten the cookie dough balls with your fingers before they go into the oven. That will make these cookies extra tall. You can also freeze or chill the cookie dough balls for 10 minutes on the baking tray before baking.

Can I freeze the cookie dough and bake later?

Yes, portion out the dough, roll them into balls, space them out in a single layer in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. You can bake them straight out of the freezer, but the bake time will likely increase by 1 or 2 minutes.

How to store and freeze:

Storing: For best results, store them in either a sealed, airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing: Add your cooled coffee cookies to a freezer-safe plastic bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.

If you love this recipe, try these next!

• Chocolate Chip Cookies (no brown sugar)
• Healthy Coffee Cake
• Best Monkey Bread
• Peanut Butter Almond Flour Cookies
• Snickerdoodles (no cream of tartar)

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don’t forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!

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