Seattle may not have gifted me a daily coffee habit, but it did inspire these deeply satisfying cookies.

I first made them for a Super Bowl LX party in February when the Seattle Seahawks took on the New England Patriots and won 29–13. Since I was already leaning into a Seattle theme (thanks to some consultation with Elisabeth R), it felt only right to make something coffee-inspired. That idea led me to rework a recipe for Pink Cookies—traditionally made with chocolate-covered candies—into a chewy, chocolate-studded cookie with plenty of coffee flavor.

While my Chocolate Chip-Pecan-Oatmeal Cookie remains my signature cookie, these are absolutely worth making. Still, these are absolutely worth making. They have a rich coffee flavor, generous chunks of dark chocolate, and that irresistible combination of cozy and just a little sophisticated.

One of the keys is dark brown sugar. I used it instead of light brown sugar because I wanted a deeper caramel flavor and darker color. Since dark brown sugar contains more molasses, it also gives the cookies a slightly bolder flavor and a chewier texture.

I also used coffee extract—specifically Nielsen-Massey’s—along with vanilla extract and espresso powder. I like to stir the extracts and espresso powder together first so the espresso dissolves before it goes into the dough. No coffee extract in the pantry? No problem. Replace it with an extra 2 teaspoons of espresso powder and 2 extra teaspoons of vanilla extract. Easy fix.

These cookies are also flexible in other ways. You can make them gluten-free with a good-quality cup-for-cup flour blend, and the cookies freeze beautifully, which is always a bonus when entertaining or baking ahead.

For anyone who loves coffee-flavored desserts, these really hit the spot. I’m not a coffee drinker, but I do love coffee in baked goods, and these deliver. And who knows—perhaps they brought Seattle just a little extra luck that day.

Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Seattle-inspired coffee cookies
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 7 dozen

Ingredients
  

  • 1-1/4 cup (2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons coffee extract see Notes
  • 1 tablespoon espresso powder
  • 1-1/3 cups dark brown sugar packed
  • 1 cup superfine white sugar
  • 2 eggs refrigerator cold
  • 2 egg yolks refrigerator cold
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
  • 20 dark chocolate chips see Notes

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Cut butter into pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on medium heat in 30-second intervals for 2 to 4 minutes until melted. Let cool for 10 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, mix vanilla, coffee extract and espresso powder until the espresso powder dissolves (see Notes).
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl and hand mixer), combine brown and white sugars. Pour the butter over the sugars and mix until well combined, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the vanilla-coffee mixture, eggs and egg yolks, and mix until well combined, about 2 minutes. The batter will be creamy with a caramel color.
  • Slowly mix in flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until just blended.
  • Slowly mix in the chocolate chips.
  • Refrigerate dough for at least an hour before baking. If you refrigerate it much longer or overnight (both are fine) you'll need to leave it out for a half hour or so as it will be too hard to scoop.
  • Shape into rounded tablespoons and drop 1-1/2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes. Remove them from the oven when they look almost cooked and the edges are slightly golden, as they will continue to cook a bit on the warm cookie sheet.
  • Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Notes

Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies