Crisp edges, fudgy middles, and a true espresso kick one bowl, no mixer, baked in 10–12 minutes (plus low-sugar and low-carb options).
Warm butter, dark chocolate, and fresh espresso bloom together so every bite tastes like a bakery cookie and a café latte had a delicious little secret.
Why You’ll Love It
- Real coffee flavor: We use both instant espresso and brewed espresso for bold, aromatic espresso cookies—not just “coffee-ish.”
- Easy method: One bowl, no stand mixer, short chill (or bake right away) for weeknight baking sweets.
- Dial the sugar: Clear pathways for low-sugar chocolate dessert and healthy no-sugar cookie recipe (with monk fruit or allulose).
- Low-carb friendly: Almond-flour variant delivers chewy low-carb chocolate cookies without sacrificing chocolate puddles.
- Freezer-ready dough: Bake a few now and stash the rest—because you should eat dessert when it’s fresh.
Ingredients (notes only)
Base (the dough)
- Unsalted butter: Melted and slightly cooled = shiny, crackly tops. Brown it for extra toffee notes (optional).
- Brown sugar + granulated sugar: Brown adds moisture/chew; granulated adds crisp edges. See “Low-Sugar” swaps below.
- Egg + yolk: The yolk boosts tenderness and fudgy centers.
- All-purpose flour: Scoop and level (or 210 g by weight). For low-carb, use fine almond flour (see Variations).
- Instant espresso powder: Dissolves into the butter for concentrated coffee flavor.
- Brewed espresso (or strong coffee): A tablespoon wakes up the cocoa notes and perfumes the dough.
- Vanilla + fine sea salt: Essential balance.
- Baking soda: Spread + lift for that wrinkly cookie texture.
Mix-ins
- Dark chocolate chips/chunks (60–70%): Larger chunks give melty pools.
- Optional: A few cacao nibs for crunch; flaky sea salt for finish.
Smart swaps (by interest)
- Low-sugar chocolate dessert: Reduce sugars by 30% or use ½ cup brown sugar + ¼ cup allulose.
- Healthy no-sugar cookie recipe: Replace all sweetener with granulated monk fruit–erythritol blend or allulose; use sugar-free dark chocolate.
- Low-carb cookie recipe: Use the almond-flour formula in Variations; pick 85–90% chocolate or sugar-free chips.
Step-by-Step Instructions (Oven, 10–12 min bake)
- Bloom the espresso: In a large bowl, whisk ¾ cup melted butter (170 g) with 2 tsp instant espresso powder until dissolved and fragrant.
- Whisk in sugars: Add ½ cup brown sugar + ⅓ cup granulated sugar (or approved low-sugar substitutes). Whisk until glossy.
- Add eggs & flavor: Whisk in 1 large egg + 1 yolk, 1 Tbsp brewed espresso, and 2 tsp vanilla until smooth.
- Dry ingredients: Sprinkle over 1¾ cups AP flour (210 g), ¾ tsp baking soda, and ¾ tsp fine sea salt. Fold just to combine.
- Chocolate time: Fold in 1 cup dark chocolate chips/chunks. Dough will be soft and shiny.
- Chill (optional but great): Chill 20–30 minutes for thicker cookies and deeper flavor, or bake immediately for thinner, crinklier cookies.
- Scoop & bake: Heat oven 350°F/175°C. Scoop 2 Tbsp mounds onto a parchment-lined sheet (8 per tray). Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set and centers still soft.
- Finish: While warm, nudge stray chips back on top for “bakery” looks, then sprinkle flaky sea salt. Cool 5–10 minutes so centers set.
Air fryer (small batch): 320°F/160°C for 7–9 minutes on parchment-lined tray; keep dough balls tall so they don’t over-spread.
Pro Tips
- Bloom espresso in fat. Dissolving in melted butter intensifies flavor more than stirring into dry flour.
- Reserve a few chips. Press on top after baking for glossy puddles in photos and pins.
- Measuring by weight = consistency. 210 g flour is the sweet spot for chewy-gooey texture.
- Under-bake slightly. Pull when centers look a hair underdone; carryover heat finishes them.
- Stash-and-bake. Freeze scooped balls; bake from frozen at 350°F adding 1–2 minutes.
Variations (mapped to your interests)
- How To Make Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies (classic): Use the base formula; chill 30 minutes for maximum wrinkles and thickness.
- Low-Sugar Chocolate Dessert: Use ½ cup brown sugar + ¼ cup allulose (or ¾ cup monk fruit erythritol). Expect a slightly lighter color and softer set—cool fully.
- Healthy No-Sugar Cookie Recipe: Sweeten entirely with allulose (¾ cup). Use sugar-free dark chocolate; bake toward the longer end as allulose browns slower.
- Low-Carb Cookie Recipe / Low-Carb Chocolate Cookies: Swap flour for 2 cups (200 g) fine almond flour, add 2 Tbsp coconut flour, keep espresso the same, sweeten with ¾ cup erythritol/monk fruit. Chill 45 minutes; bake 9–11 minutes. Texture = soft-chewy.
- Espresso Cookie (extra bold): Increase instant espresso to 1 Tbsp and add ½ tsp espresso extract; finish with cacao nibs.
- Cookies Recette (FR-friendly): Provide metric: 170 g beurre, 100 g sucre brun, 70 g sucre blanc, 210 g farine, 2 c. à c. café instantané, 1 c. s. expresso, 1 gros œuf + 1 jaune, 1 c. à c. vanille, ¾ c. à c. bicarbonate, ¾ c. à c. sel, 170 g chocolat noir.
How to Serve
- With a small cappuccino or cold milk; crumble warm cookies over vanilla gelato; sandwich two around coffee ice cream for “affogato” vibes.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Dough: Chill up to 48 hours or freeze scooped balls 3 months.
- Baked cookies: Airtight at room temp 4–5 days. Refresh with a 10-second microwave burst for gooey centers.
Troubleshooting FAQs
Why are my cookies flat?
Butter too warm or flour under-measured. Chill dough 20–30 minutes and weigh flour (210 g).
Can I skip the brewed espresso?
Yes, keep the 2 tsp espresso powder and replace liquid with 1 Tbsp milk. Flavor will be slightly lighter.
My sugar-free batch isn’t browning.
Allulose/erythritol brown less. Bake to edge set; color will be paler—texture still great.
How strong is the coffee flavor?
Classic version = balanced mocha. Boost with espresso extract or extra powder for coffee lovers.
Simple Nutrition (estimate, per classic cookie; 22 cookies)
Calories 165 | Carbs 20 g | Protein 2 g | Fat 9 g | Sugar 12 g
(Low-sugar/low-carb values vary with sweetener and chocolate.)
Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies
Café-style chocolate chip cookies with real espresso flavor—crisp edges, gooey centers, and easy options for low-sugar or low-carb bakes. Uses melted butter + espresso powder for bold flavor and tender chew.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Whisk melted butter with espresso powder until dissolved.
- Whisk in brown and granulated sugar until glossy; add egg, yolk, brewed espresso, and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- Fold in flour, baking soda, and salt just until combined (do not overmix).
- Stir in chocolate. Chill 20–30 minutes (optional) for thicker cookies.
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C); line baking sheets with parchment.
- Scoop 2-tbsp dough balls, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges set and centers look slightly underbaked.
- Cool 5–10 minutes on the sheet; finish with flaky sea salt if desired, then transfer to a rack.
Nutrition
Notes
Low-Sugar: Replace granulated sugar with allulose or monk fruit blend; reduce total sweetener by 25–30%.
No-Sugar: Use 3/4 cup allulose + sugar-free dark chocolate.
Low-Carb: 2 cups almond flour + 2 tbsp coconut flour; sweeten with 3/4 cup erythritol/monk fruit; chill 45 minutes; bake 9–11 minutes.
Gluten-free: Use 1:1 GF flour; dough may need 1–2 tsp milk.
Air Fryer (small batch): 320°F (160°C) for 7–9 minutes on parchment.
Chill Option: Chill dough 20–30 minutes (or up to 24 hours) for thicker cookies and deeper flavor.
Equipment: Bowl, whisk, cookie scoop, parchment, baking sheets, kitchen scale recommended.
No-Sugar: Use 3/4 cup allulose + sugar-free dark chocolate.
Low-Carb: 2 cups almond flour + 2 tbsp coconut flour; sweeten with 3/4 cup erythritol/monk fruit; chill 45 minutes; bake 9–11 minutes.
Gluten-free: Use 1:1 GF flour; dough may need 1–2 tsp milk.
Air Fryer (small batch): 320°F (160°C) for 7–9 minutes on parchment.
Chill Option: Chill dough 20–30 minutes (or up to 24 hours) for thicker cookies and deeper flavor.
Equipment: Bowl, whisk, cookie scoop, parchment, baking sheets, kitchen scale recommended.