As with chocolate espresso shortbread cookies, these espresso chocolate chunk cookies are cause for celebration among lovers of coffee as well as chocolate. Both freshly ground coffee beans and chocolate-covered espresso beans contribute to these soft and chewy chocolate chunk cookies being the perfect afternoon (or anytime, really) pick-me-up. Although kindly note, you may get a little jolt of caffeine, so perhaps rethink having them at night.
*How to chop chocolate-covered espresso beans
Some of us found that coarse chunks of chocolate-covered espresso beans were a touch too much of a bitter jolt in these chocolate chunk cookies. So we suggest smashing them into smallish pieces in varied sizes rather than leaving them in massive chunks. We also found that rather than attempting to chop the roly poly chocolate-covered espresso beans on a cutting board with a knife, it’s vastly easier (not to mention safer!) to dump them in a resealable plastic bag and smash them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan—that cast-iron skillet you inherited from your grandma will do quite nicely. You could instead toss them in a mini food processor and pulse, though it lacks the emotional release that comes with banging something hard.
Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 9 tablespoons (4 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely ground dark roast coffee beans
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (6 oz) good-quality milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate broken into 1/2-inch (1-cm) chunks
- 1 cup walnut pieces, toasted if desired
- 1/2 cup finely chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans*
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on high speed until well blended and light, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the ground coffee beans, vanilla, and egg and mix on medium speed until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, 1/3 at a time, mixing until almost completely incorporated before adding the next addition. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate, walnuts, and chocolate-covered espresso beans. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 3 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it warm a little at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Scoop the dough out by well-rounded tablespoonfuls or a 1 1/2-tablespoon scoop onto 1 of the prepared baking sheets, spacing the blobs of cookie dough about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Wet your palm and use it to flatten the mounds into discs that are about 1/2 inch high. Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, until slightly puffed in the center and browned at the edges.
- While the cookies are baking, scoop the dough onto a second baking sheet for the next batch, bake, and repeat again with the remaining dough on the third baking sheet.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack. The cookies will flatten somewhat as they cool. (You can store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Wowee! These cookies are really going to blow your socks off if you love chocolate and coffee—and who doesn’t love both? I’d say they are like Tollhouse with the amp turned up. Way up. Basically a more adult or mature version of a household staple. They’re cakey in consistency with some great crunch from the chopped espresso beans and the walnut pieces. And the ground coffee beans plus the chocolate-covered espresso beans ensure that the flavor is as advertised. I doubt kids would dig the coffee flavor, so you just might be able to fend them off and savor a special adults-only treat!
I personally prefer dark chocolate, and for me, that pairs better with coffee, so I opted for Guittard extra-dark chocolate chips. I’d recommend taking a few extra minutes to toast the walnuts, too, because raw walnuts can come off a little “green” and bitter in flavor. I weighed out 1-ounce dough balls for baking after the dough was refrigerated. I baked off 2 cookies after the dough chilled for 2 hours in the refrigerator and I baked off the rest after 1 day of refrigeration. I couldn’t tell any difference. If you bake 2 sheets at same time as I did, swap the sheets on the bottom and top racks midway through. Because the cookies don’t spread a ton, you can easily bake them 12 to a tray. I got a yield of 26 cookies.
I loved enjoying them right out of the oven but they are also great cooled the next day.
These are a nice chewy cookie loaded with nuts, chocolate, and espresso in every bite. The espresso gave the cookies wonderful flavor and mellowed the sweetness of the chocolate. The coffee aroma was lovely and filled the air from the moment it was mixed into the dough through baking. These are a very satisfying cookie thanks to the coffee, the crunchy nuts, and the melting chocolate.
I was a bit concerned that I wouldn’t be able to incorporate all the espresso beans, nuts, and chocolate chunks into the dough but they mixed in easily. I left some of the espresso beans in larger chunks and I would chop them up smaller for a nicer texture. Also, I would probably use semi-sweet rather than milk chocolate for personal preference.
If you already have chocolate-covered espresso beans in your pantry (like me), then this recipe is unquestionably for you! These are delicious, chocolatey, bold espresso cookies. The texture is so nice with tiny bits of ground beans and nuts offering a slight crunch.
This is a special little cookie that will wake you up and change your day. I used Starbucks Caffe Verona and Callebaut chocolate. I also combined confectioners sugar and Vietnamese cinnamon to dust the tops and dress them up a little after they’d cooled.
These espresso chocolate chunk cookies taste like love. And, unfortunately, for me, these cookies make me feel loved. Before you think I have a problem with food, I can explain. When I was growing up, until I started attending school, I stayed with my great grandmother. Every day, she fed me breakfast and a cup of strong, black coffee. At about the age of six, I finally kicked my caffeine habit, but one thing remained: Every time I smell coffee beans, I think about my Granny and I smile. When I take a bite from these cookies, the same feelings overtake me and I can’t help smiling and eating another one.
If you like coffee, you’ll absolutely love these cookies! Although I was nervous that the espresso would keep me awake at night, don’t worry, I slept quite peacefully and I rarely indulge in eating or drinking caffeinated foods or beverages. The only thing you need to worry about is becoming addicted to these delicious cookies! They disappear fast, and the taste is simply divine.
I used a finely ground dark roast coffee beans, Swiss chocolate almond, for the fresh coffee portion. And with Guittard milk chocolate chips and walnuts, this recipe went from simply amazing to outstanding! Whether for a pick-me-up at breakfast, lunch, or an early dinner, these cookies make a fabulous treat when you’re looking for a bit of love—to keep or share. The cookies kept fairly well inside an airtight container and maintained their crunch and chewiness until they were consumed, which for me was 3 days. My one bit of confusion about the recipe were the chocolate-covered coffee beans. This may only be me, but I didn’t even know they sold such things until I mentioned it to my mom while I was in the store purchasing my ingredients. Next time I make this recipe, I’ll use a few of the cookies to make homemade ice cream sandwiches.
Homemade cookies are a staple in our household. The perfect treat to pair with a glass of milk or a cup of tea or coffee. They can be grabbed on the go, slipped into a lunch bag or enjoyed while stealing a moment home alone curled up with a good book. Always looking for a derivation from the basics (chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, sugar), I found that the addition of freshly ground coffee and chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans really grabbed my attention. While one might be tempted to pair the coffee beans with dark chocolate chunks, the milk chocolate tempered any residual bitterness from the coffee and left a velvety-smooth mouthfeel. The espresso beans and walnuts offer a nice textural contrast.
The cookies crisp nicely around the edges while maintaining a nice chewiness in the center. They could probably be stored in an airtight container for up to a week, but they didn’t make it that long. My family is powerless to resist the siren call of a freshly baked cookie. I scooped the dough into balls prior to refrigerating. It’s easier to work with the dough when it’s soft and it won’t be hard on one’s wrist. It’s also not necessary to bring the dough to room temperature if the dough balls are created prior to refrigeration.
