There’s something magical about the smell of chocolate and coffee mingling in the kitchen, especially during the holidays. I love recipes that feel like a warm hug, and these Chocolate Espresso Cookies are exactly that—a deeply fudgy, boldly flavored treat that’s surprisingly simple to make. If you’re planning your holiday baking and need some standout Christmas dessert ideas, let me tell you, these cookies are a perfect choice. They come together with just one bowl and fill your home with the cozy aroma of a coffee shop, making them ideal for your list of Christmas baking ideas.
I created these for those moments when you want unique Christmas cookies that wow everyone at the dessert table. They’re a sophisticated, grown-up twist on classic holiday treats, thanks to a generous spoonful of instant espresso that makes the chocolate flavor sing. Whether you’re looking for easy Christmas treats to gift to neighbors or you need impressive Christmas sweets for a festive gathering, this recipe has you covered.
Really, this is more than just a cookie; it’s a luxurious comfort food recipe that brings a little elegance and a lot of joy to your holiday table. I hope you love baking them as much as I do.
Looking for Chocolate Espresso Cookies inspiration? You'll love what we have! Explore more Christmas Cookie recipes or discover our Dinner Ideas favorites.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Espresso Cookies
- Fudgy texture: Crisp outside with a soft, brownie-like center.
- Sophisticated flavor: Deep chocolate and coffee notes for a grown-up taste.
- Amazing aroma: Fills your kitchen with warm, inviting scents.
- Simple to make: One bowl, no special skills required.
Ingredients & Tools
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 100 g light brown sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 125 g all-purpose flour
- 60 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1-2 tbsp instant espresso powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 150 g dark chocolate chunks or chips
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional, but highly recommended)
Notes: Dutch-processed cocoa gives a deep color and rich flavor. Don’t skip the extra egg yolk—it adds fudgy tenderness.
Tools: A medium mixing bowl, a whisk, a spatula, a baking sheet, and parchment paper.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 180 kcal |
| Protein: | 2.5 g |
| Fat: | 8 g |
| Carbs: | 26 g |
| Fiber: | 1.5 g |
Serves: 18 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 10-12 minutes | Total Time: 27 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Why Dutch-processed cocoa? This type of cocoa is treated with an alkali, which neutralizes its natural acidity. The result is a darker color and a smoother, richer chocolate flavor that pairs beautifully with coffee. Using natural cocoa can work, but the flavor will be sharper and less deep.
- What kind of espresso powder should I use? Look for a fine, dry instant espresso powder, not granules. It should dissolve easily in the dough. My favorite brands are Medaglia d’Oro or King Arthur Baking’s espresso powder. Avoid using ground coffee—it won’t dissolve and will leave a gritty texture.
- The butter temperature is crucial. You want your melted butter to be warm, not hot. If it’s too hot, it will start cooking the eggs when you mix them in, which we don’t want. Let it cool for a minute or two after melting until it’s just warm to the touch.
- Don’t skip the extra egg yolk. That single extra yolk adds a significant amount of fat and emulsifiers, which gives the cookies a richer flavor and a denser, more fudgy texture. It’s a small step for a huge payoff.
How to Make Chocolate Espresso Cookies
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Now, melt your butter. You can do this in a saucepan on the stove or in short bursts in the microwave. The goal is to have it fully liquid but not sizzling hot. Pour the warm, melted butter into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Step 2: To the melted butter, add both the granulated and light brown sugars. Use a whisk to mix them together for a good minute or two. You’ll notice the mixture will become thick and paste-like as the sugars dissolve into the butter. This initial creaming (even with melted butter) helps create a slightly chewy texture.
Step 3: Now, whisk in the whole egg, the extra egg yolk, and the vanilla extract. Keep whisking until the mixture is smooth, well-combined, and has lightened in color just a bit. It should look glossy and emulsified. At this point, switch from your whisk to a spatula—this prevents over-mixing the flour later on.
Step 4: It’s time for the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, baking soda, and salt directly into the wet mixture. Sifting is important here to break up any lumps in the cocoa and to ensure the espresso powder is evenly distributed. Use your spatula to gently fold everything together. Stop as soon as you no longer see dry streaks of flour.
Step 5: Once the dough is just combined, fold in the dark chocolate chunks or chips. The dough will be quite thick and sticky—this is exactly what you want. It’s this high moisture content that gives us that fudgy center. Try not to eat all the dough at this stage, I know it’s tempting!
Step 6: Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, portion out mounds of dough, about 1.5 tablespoons each, onto your prepared baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches of space between them as they will spread. If you’re using it, now is the time to lightly sprinkle the tops with a tiny bit of flaky sea salt. It creates an amazing sweet-and-salty contrast.
Step 7: Bake for 10-12 minutes. The trick is to pull them out when the edges look set and the tops are crackly, but the centers still appear soft and under-baked. They will continue to cook on the hot baking sheet after you remove them. Don’t wait for them to look completely firm, or you’ll lose that fudgy texture.
Step 8: This is the hardest part: let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before you try to move them. They are incredibly fragile when hot and need this time to set up. After that, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely… or, you know, just eat one warm and gooey. I won’t judge.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Not recommended; store at room temperature for best texture.
- Freezer: Freeze baked cookies up to 1 month, or dough balls up to 3 months.
- Reviving: Warm in microwave for 10 seconds or oven at 300°F for 3–5 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- A simple scoop of vanilla bean ice cream — The cold, creamy vanilla is a classic partner that tempers the intensity of the dark chocolate and espresso beautifully, creating a perfect affogato-like experience.
- A small plate of sharp cheeses and dried fruits — For a more sophisticated platter, the saltiness of an aged cheddar or gouda and the sweetness of dried figs or cherries create a wonderful flavor contrast.
- Fresh berries like raspberries or strawberries — Their bright, tart acidity cuts through the richness of the cookie and cleanses the palate, making each bite feel new again.
Drinks
- A glass of cold whole milk — It’s a timeless combination for a reason. The cold, creamy milk is the ultimate soothing counterpart to the rich, deep flavors of the cookie.
- A shot of espresso or a strong Americano — Double down on the coffee notes! Enjoying a cookie with a coffee drink enhances the espresso flavor in the cookie and turns it into a real coffee break ritual.
- A rich, dark red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon — The tannins in the wine interact wonderfully with the dark chocolate, making both the cookie and the wine taste even more complex.
Something Sweet
- A dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream — It’s simple, elegant, and adds a cloud-like texture that melts into the warm, fudgy center of the cookie. A little dusting of cocoa on top looks gorgeous.
- A warm chocolate lava cake — For the ultimate chocolate indulgence, serve a cookie alongside a small, molten-centered cake. It’s decadent, celebratory, and a true chocoholic’s dream.
- Candied orange peel — The bright, citrusy bitterness of candied orange peel is a fantastic foil for the deep chocolate and coffee, creating a flavor combination that is both classic and exciting.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Using hot, just-melted butter. If your butter is too hot, it will cook the eggs on contact, leading to a weird, grainy texture in your dough and potentially flat, greasy cookies. Let it cool down first.
- Mistake: Over-baking the cookies. I’ve messed this up before too—it’s so tempting to wait for them to look “done.” But these cookies set up as they cool. If you bake them until the centers are firm, they’ll be dry and cakey instead of fudgy.
- Mistake: Using ground coffee instead of espresso powder. This is the number one texture-ruiner. Ground coffee will not dissolve, and you’ll be left with gritty, unpleasant bits in every bite. Instant espresso powder is a must.
- Mistake: Skipping the sifting step. Cocoa powder is notoriously lumpy. If you don’t sift it with the flour, you risk having dry pockets of cocoa in your finished cookies, which is not a pleasant surprise.
Expert Tips
- Tip: Chill your dough if your kitchen is warm. If your butter seems like it’s making the dough too soft or your kitchen is particularly hot, pop the bowl of dough in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before scooping. This prevents excessive spreading and helps develop a slightly chewier texture.
- Tip: Use a cookie scoop for uniformity. Not only does it make the process cleaner and faster, but it ensures all your cookies are the same size, which means they will bake evenly. No more half-burnt, half-underdone batches!
- Tip: Gently press a few extra chocolate chunks on top. Right after the cookies come out of the oven, you can press a few reserved chocolate chunks onto the hot surface. This gives them a professional, bakery-style look with beautiful, melty puddles of chocolate.
- Tip: For an extra crackly top, roll the dough balls in sugar. Before baking, you can roll each portion of dough in a little extra granulated sugar. This creates a delightful, sparkly, and slightly crisp exterior that contrasts wonderfully with the soft interior.
FAQs
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can prepare the dough, scoop it into balls, and freeze them solid on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a zip-top bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, just place the frozen dough balls on a parchment-lined sheet and add 1-2 minutes to the baking time. It’s the best way to have fresh, warm cookies on demand.
My cookies didn’t spread much. What happened?
This usually points to the flour being over-measured. The most accurate way to measure flour is to spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife, rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can pack it down. Too much flour creates a stiffer dough that can’t spread properly. Also, double-check that your baking soda is fresh!
Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of Dutch-processed?
You can, but be aware that the flavor and color will be different. Natural cocoa is more acidic and has a lighter, fruitier chocolate taste. Because it’s acidic, it reacts with the baking soda to create lift. Your cookies might be a bit puffier and cakier, with a less intense chocolate flavor compared to the rich, dark result you get with Dutch-process.
How should I store these cookies?
To keep them soft and chewy, store the completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. A piece of bread tossed into the container works wonders—the cookies will draw moisture from the bread, staying soft for days (though they rarely last that long!). You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to a month.
Can I reduce the amount of espresso powder?
Of course! Start with 1 tablespoon if you’re unsure. The coffee flavor should enhance the chocolate, not overpower it. You can always add more to the next batch. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, you can even seek out a decaffeinated instant espresso powder, which works just as well for flavor.
Chocolate Espresso Cookies: An Easy One-Bowl Recipe
Chocolate Espresso Cookies are a sophisticated, fudgy treat with a bold coffee kick. This easy cookie recipe is perfect for your holiday baking and makes a unique, grown-up Christmas dessert.
Ingredients
For the Ingredients & Tools
-
115 g unsalted butter
-
150 g granulated sugar
-
100 g light brown sugar
-
1 large egg
-
1 egg yolk
-
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
-
125 g all-purpose flour
-
60 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder
-
1-2 tbsp instant espresso powder
-
1/2 tsp baking soda
-
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
-
150 g dark chocolate chunks or chips
-
Flaky sea salt (for sprinkling (optional, but highly recommended))
Instructions
-
First, preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Now, melt your butter. You can do this in a saucepan on the stove or in short bursts in the microwave. The goal is to have it fully liquid but not sizzling hot. Pour the warm, melted butter into a medium-sized mixing bowl.01
-
To the melted butter, add both the granulated and light brown sugars. Use a whisk to mix them together for a good minute or two. You’ll notice the mixture will become thick and paste-like as the sugars dissolve into the butter. This initial creaming (even with melted butter) helps create a slightly chewy texture.02
-
Now, whisk in the whole egg, the extra egg yolk, and the vanilla extract. Keep whisking until the mixture is smooth, well-combined, and has lightened in color just a bit. It should look glossy and emulsified. At this point, switch from your whisk to a spatula—this prevents over-mixing the flour later on.03
-
It’s time for the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, baking soda, and salt directly into the wet mixture. Sifting is important here to break up any lumps in the cocoa and to ensure the espresso powder is evenly distributed. Use your spatula to gently fold everything together. Stop as soon as you no longer see dry streaks of flour.04
-
Once the dough is just combined, fold in the dark chocolate chunks or chips. The dough will be quite thick and sticky—this is exactly what you want. It’s this high moisture content that gives us that fudgy center. Try not to eat all the dough at this stage, I know it’s tempting!05
-
Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, portion out mounds of dough, about 1.5 tablespoons each, onto your prepared baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches of space between them as they will spread. If you're using it, now is the time to lightly sprinkle the tops with a tiny bit of flaky sea salt. It creates an amazing sweet-and-salty contrast.06
-
Bake for 10-12 minutes. The trick is to pull them out when the edges look set and the tops are crackly, but the centers still appear soft and under-baked. They will continue to cook on the hot baking sheet after you remove them. Don't wait for them to look completely firm, or you'll lose that fudgy texture.07
-
This is the hardest part: let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before you try to move them. They are incredibly fragile when hot and need this time to set up. After that, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely… or, you know, just eat one warm and gooey. I won't judge.08
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