Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Rich chocolate cookies with a kick of espresso. These cookies are perfectly soft and chewy!

I'm one of those weird people that doesn't really like coffee, but LOVES espresso. I'm kind of a snob about it. I blame it on Paul. He's the one with the espresso machine, and I'm the one with the addiction. Well, we both are, really. 

I've never really been a coffee fan. My parents don't drink coffee, and I've always thought it tasted like burnt toast. That is until two Christmases ago. Paul got an espresso machine and introduced me to homemade macchiatos and lattes. The real ones. The rest, is history.

I still don't like coffee. I went from thinking it tasted too strong, to now thinking it tastes too watery! Funny how things change.

People think I'm joking when I say I went to Paris and Rome mainly for the food, but I believe those are some of the strongest memories you create when traveling.

When I think about Rome, I think about all the wonderful espresso we had there, and the coffee culture. It was so different than anything I've had here, and I reallllly wish I had brought home some espresso beans from Rome. I guess I'll just have to go back again some day! ;)

These cookies, along with much macchiato intake, are helping me cope with missing Rome. 

They are a rich chocolate cookie with the added kick of espresso powder. They're soft and chewy, and full of strong chocolatey espresso flavor. They're so decadent and rich that I can only eat two at a time!

Luckily, this recipe only makes about 18 cookies. I like to roll all the dough into balls after refrigerating, and divide it into 3 batches, and freeze two of them for later. Batches of 6 cookies are perfect, especially when they're as rich as these. It's always nice to have a stash of cookie dough ready to go in the freezer too.

Enjoy!

***One thing to note while making these, you must use espresso POWDER, and not ground espresso. This is the "instant" stuff you buy in a jar. Ground espresso is not ideal for baking with, but the instant granules are perfect. Make sure that's what you're using when you make these.

Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Recipe by Julia Hampton

Rich chocolate cookies with a kick of espresso, these cookies are perfectly soft and chewy.

Yield: 18 cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tea. espresso powder
• 1 large egg
• 1 tea. vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tea. salt
• 1 tea. baking soda

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugars on high for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
2. Slowly mix in the cocoa powder and espresso powder on low, adding a little at a time.
3. Mix in the egg, and vanilla.
4. Add the flour, salt, and baking soda, and mix until combined.
5. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour, or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350 F, and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick spray.
7. Roll dough into balls 1-inch thick, and place 6 at a time on a cookie sheet.
8. Bake at 350 F for 9-12 minutes. Remove when they still look slightly under-baked, and let them cool COMPLETELY on the cookie sheet, about 20 minutes. (This method lets them continue to bake and keeps them soft and chewy).