Chocolate espresso cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with semisweet dark chocolate chunks and a shot of espresso powder. Browned butter gives them a nutty depth. An extra egg yolk keeps them velvety. Sea salt on top pulls it all together.
These are the cookies I make when a regular chocolate chip cookie is not enough. The espresso does not make them taste like coffee. It makes the chocolate taste richer.
Why These Chocolate Espresso Cookies Work
Browned butter is worth the extra ten minutes. It gives the cookies a nutty, toasty depth that plain melted butter cannot touch.
Dark brown sugar has a deeper, more caramel-like sweetness than light brown. It pairs with the espresso and semisweet chocolate in a way light brown sugar cannot.
One whole egg plus one extra yolk makes the texture. The whole egg gives structure. The extra yolk adds fat and richness. Together they make a cookie that is chewy in the middle with crisp edges.
Espresso powder is not the same as instant coffee granules. Espresso powder is finer and more concentrated. A quarter cup folded into the dry ingredients deepens the chocolate flavor. If you only have instant coffee granules, use a third of a cup instead.
Chill the dough for at least thirty minutes. Browned butter is liquid when it goes in. Chilling solidifies the fat so the cookies do not spread into puddles. Chill overnight if you want. Let the dough sit on the counter for fifteen to twenty minutes before scooping.
Flatten the dough balls with the back of a spoon before baking. Press chopped semisweet chocolate onto the tops. The chocolate melts into glossy pools across the surface.
Sea salt goes on right when the cookies come out of the oven. A light sprinkle cuts through the richness and makes the chocolate and espresso pop.
How to Make Chocolate Espresso Cookies
Brown the butter first so it has time to cool. Melt it over low heat, bring to medium-low, and stir constantly once it foams. When brown bits form and the butter smells nutty and turns caramel-colored, pour it straight into a heat-safe bowl. Stick it in the freezer for a few minutes to speed up cooling.
Beat the cooled brown butter with dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg, the extra yolk, and vanilla until frothy. Do not overbeat.
Sift the flour, espresso powder, salt, and baking soda together. Add the dry mix to the wet in thirds, beating until just combined after each addition. Stop as soon as the flour disappears.
Fold in the semisweet dark chocolate chunks. Scoop with a number 40 cookie scoop, about one and a half tablespoons each. Chill for at least thirty minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place dough balls two inches apart. Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. Press chopped semisweet chocolate onto the tops.
Bake for ten to twelve minutes until the edges are golden brown and set. The centers will look slightly soft. They firm up as they cool. Sprinkle with sea salt the moment they come out of the oven. Cool on the sheet for ten minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Quick Tips
- Brown the butter first. It needs time to cool.
- Use dark brown sugar, not light brown. Dark brown sugar makes a richer cookie.
- Do not skip the extra egg yolk. It makes them velvety.
- Chill the dough at least 30 minutes or the cookies spread.
- Espresso powder is stronger than instant coffee. Swap at your own risk.
- Sea salt goes on the second they come out of the oven.
Make Ahead and Storage
The cookie dough freezes for up to three months. Scoop it, chill it, then freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet before transferring them to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen and add a minute or two. Or let the dough thaw on the counter for about twenty minutes first.
Baked cookies keep in an airtight container for up to a week. Tuck a slice of bread in the container to keep them soft.
More Cookie Recipes
For more cookies, browse my cookie recipes. My brown butter sugar cookies use brown butter too. My toffee cookies are crisp, buttery, and loaded with toffee bits.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Espresso Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour - spooned & leveled
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter - browned and cooled
- 1 cup dark brown sugar - packed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk - room temp
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup espresso powder
- dark chocolate baking chunks
- 2 oz Semisweet baking bar - coarsely chopped
- Sea salt for garnish
Instructions
Make the Brown Butter
- Brown the butter by melting it in small skillet over low heat..
- Gradually bring heat up to a medium-low and stir frequently.
- The butter will start to foam and small bits of brown will start to form on the bottom of the skillet.
- Constantly stir until the butter has a nice caramel color to it and immediately pour the browned butter into a heat safe bowl. This step is important as it will burn quickly if left in the hot skillet.
- Allow the butter to cool before making the cookie dough.
Make Chocolate Espresso Cookie Dough
- Beat the cooled brown butter together with the granulated and brown sugars. Beat until creamy.
- Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until frothy.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, espresso powder, salt, and baking soda together and slowly beat it into the cookie dough. Mix the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Over mixing will create a firm and dense cookie.
- Fold in the dark chocolate baking chunks.
- Use a #40 cookie scoop (or roughly 1.5 tbsp) to scoop the cookie dough.
- Place the scooped cookie dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. This will prevent the cookies from spreading.
- Preheat the oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared cookie sheet and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. Press coarsely chopped semisweet baking bar into the tops of the cookies.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and set.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle sea salt on top of the cookies.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container for maximum freshness.
Notes
- Brown the butter first so it has time to cool. Pour it out of the skillet as soon as it turns caramel-colored or it will burn.
- Dark brown sugar, not light brown. Dark brown sugar makes a richer cookie.
- Do not skip the extra egg yolk. It makes them velvety.
- Chill the dough at least 30 minutes. Browned butter is liquid and warm dough spreads.
- Espresso powder is stronger than instant coffee granules. If swapping for instant, use ⅓ cup instead of ¼ cup.
- Makes 27 3-inch cookies using #40 cookie scoop.Cookie dough can be frozen for up to three months. If baking from frozen, allow the cookies to come to room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
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Let us know how it was!Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
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I love the combination of coffee and chocolate. These are perfect for my afternoon latte. I would have a hard time eating just one!!
These cookies look fab! I love added espresso for flavor. I have to make them today. Can't wait.
Oh my gosh! The combination of espresso and chocolate in these was a total winner. Made them and loved them!
This is the yummiest pick-me-up I can think of! Perfect with my cuppa!
I never thought of adding espresso to cookies before but it really helps to bring out amazing chocolate flavor! Loved these cookies and can't wait to make them again!
These cookies sound delicious! Pairing of my two favorites together!
Is there a way to make them non dairy what can I substitute for the butter?? If I use margarine can I brown that or is there a better substitute?
Unfortunately, I have not found a suitable replacement for browning butter. The milk solids in butter are what help create that deep browned butter color and flavor.