Cappuccino Coffee Cookies Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the full disclosure here.
These soft and chewy coffee cookies are studded with creamy white chocolate chips for the perfect balance of bold and sweet. You can also find this recipe on page 23 of my cookbook.
COFFEE LOVERS: You will love this Coffee Cookie Recipe
I have a big problem, guys. A big one. I always say my “desert island dessert” (a.k.a. the one dessert I would take with me if I could only have one dessert for the rest of my life) is chewy oatmeal raisin cookies, but these cappuccino cookies are a very close favorite.
As a coffee lover myself, I know my fellow lovers out there will probably agree: if you’re going to label the flavor “coffee,” it better pack a giant flavor punch and not leave your tastebuds trying to detect a subtle essence of coffee.
No, we want that bold, rich coffee flavor to kick us in the mouth, so to say, and that’s exactly what this cappuccino cookie recipe does.
USE INSTANT COFFEE FOR MAXIMUM FLAVOR
Over the years of making these cookies (they were first published in 2015), I have alternated between instant coffee granules and espresso powder, to no preference whatsoever.
I will say that the ones I make with espresso powder (pictured below, left) tend to be a little more fully brown than ones made with instant coffee granules (pictured below, right) which turn out a little more speckled.
You can see that comparatively, espresso powder is much finer than instant coffee, so this makes sense. You may be able to detect a slight difference in them aesthetically in the photos in this post, but I mixed and matched them for this photoshoot, and I can guarantee you when they’re in your mouth, they taste and feel exactly the same. So use whatever you have on hand or prefer!
For more recipes made with espresso powder, give my coffee cheesecake and coffee whipped cream a try!
Coffee Cookie Recipe ingredients
You likely have all of the ingredients already on hand to make these coffee cookies, except maybe the espresso powder or instant coffee. You can find espresso powder in the baking aisle of your grocery store, and instant coffee will be with the coffee.
For these coffee cookies, you will need:
• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• salt
• instant coffee granules or espresso powder
• unsalted butter
• granulated sugar
• large egg
• vanilla extract
• white chocolate chips
How to make Coffee Cookies
STEP #1
Start by whisking together the flour, baking soda, salt, and instant coffee or espresso powder, then set this mixture aside.
STEP #2
Next, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer, add the egg, and beat again until fluffy, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl, add the vanilla, and beat again until incorporated.
STEP #3
With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until everything is incorporated.
STEP #4
Using a spatula, fold in white chocolate chips, then cover the dough and chill it for at least 1 hour.
STEP #5
When you are ready to bake the cookies, roll the chilled dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheets, then bake. You can also roll into balls before chilling and chill the cookie dough balls covered on a plate or platter.
Coffee Cookies substitutions and additions
CHOCOLATE CHIPS: while the white chocolate chips are not totally necessary, I like the creaminess they bring to the cookies to complement the coffee flavor. You can omit them completely or change them to semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips instead.
COFFEE: while you can use instant coffee granules or espresso powder, just make sure you aren’t using coffee grounds. If you want to use coffee grounds in a cookie, be sure to check out my compost cookies!
These cappuccino cookies are a coffee cookie masterpiece, and I think you need to make them happen in your kitchen ASAP. They are the perfect piece to a dessert spread, and if you are looking to make them a little less sweet, leaving out the chocolate chips changes them ever so slightly and they are still an absolute delight.
How to serve Cappuccino Cookies
These cookies are perfectly paired with a cup of coffee or tea, and especially delicious dunked into a cup of milk or warm cup of coffee or crumbled over some coffee ice cream! Consider adding any one of my homemade coffee creamers (like French vanilla or peppermint mocha!) to your cup for an even more enjoyable experience!
How to store this Coffee Cookies Recipe
Store these coffee cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. They will soften as they sit. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months, and rolled cookie dough can be frozen up to 2 months.
Cappuccino Cookie Recipe FAQs
More coffee flavored recipes for your coffee loving heart (much like my own): how to cold brew coffee, coffee rolls, coffee Jell-O parfaits, tiramisu brownies, coffee brownies, and mocha cake.
Cappuccino Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons (135g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons (12g) instant coffee granules or espresso powder1
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature2
- 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (128g) white chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and instant coffee or espresso powder. Set aside.1 cup + 2 Tablespoons (135g) all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 Tablespoons (12g) instant coffee granules or espresso powder1
- In another medium size bowl with a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Stop the mixer, add the egg and the vanilla, then beat again until fully incorporated, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- With the mixer still on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until everything is incorporated. Using a spatula, fold in the white chocolate chips until evenly dispersed. Cover dough and chill at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.¾ cup (128g) white chocolate chips
- When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Roll the chilled dough into balls (I use this #50 cookie scoop for all of my standard size cookies) and place 8 balls of dough per cookie sheet. If you like, you can press a few more chocolate chips on top/sides of the dough balls for aesthetic purposes.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until edges just start to turn brown. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container up to 5 days. Baked cookies may be frozen up to 2 months. You may also freeze rolled cookie dough up to 2 months. Bake frozen for 12-13 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Instant coffee or espresso powder: I have used both of these ingredients and do not prefer one over the other. With the instant coffee, you tend to get a lighter brown cookie with dark speckles, and with espresso powder, you get more of a dark brown uniform color. The taste is exactly the same. You can use decaf of either of these ingredients, if you prefer.
- Room temperature ingredients: it is best to use room temperature eggs when using room temperature butter, as it makes for smoother incorporation into batter.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Hi, I would like to make the cookies without any chocolate chips. I prefer to dip one-half in chocolate. Should I adjust the other ingredients to compensate for the missing 3/4 cup of chips?
Also, the recipe says it makes 18 cookies, but the instructions say to put 8 cookies on each baking sheet. I took that to mean that I should eat two as raw cookie dough – just kidding !!
Hi, Leah– you can omit the chips without adjusting anything else in the recipe! 🙂
Five stars are not enough! These cookies are INCREDIBLE! I needed a quick, easy recipe for a cookie swap that still felt unique. I love coffee and was eager to try – but these far exceeded my expectations! Recipe was very easy to follow and they came out perfect to many rave reviews. Will be bookmarking for sure!
Thank you so much, Rachael! I’m so happy you liked them so much 🙂
Can I make these with gluten free flour?? <<3
Hi, Anna! Yes, you can. Make sure it is a 1:1 all-purpose sub. No other substitutions are necessary. Enjoy!
Do the baked cookies have a very strong coffee flavor? Have read several recipes for cappuccino cookies and the amount of espresso powder to add seems to vary quite a bit. Thank you.
Hi, Dot– yes, these are very coffee-y.
Hello, I made the cookies, they taste good but they flattened out. Do you know what I did wrong?
Hi, Maria– did you weigh your flour or use the spoon-and-level method?