Easy Espresso Cookies

How To Make Espresso Cookies

Once you try these chocolate chip espresso cookies, you’ll want to make this recipe over and over—thankfully, it’s so easy, that you can! Check out the full detailed instructions for this recipe below, but here’s the gist:

Soften the Dough

Grab your Pillsbury™ Cookie Dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature to soften slightly, about 10 to 15 minutes. This makes it easier to blend other ingredients into the dough.

Make the Espresso-Chocolate Mixture

Mix cocoa powder, espresso powder and milk together in a small bowl until a loose paste forms. Once mixed, knead the mixture into the softened dough until everything is blended.

What is instant espresso powder? Instant espresso powder is brewed espresso that been dehydrated into water-soluble granules that dissolve in liquid. We highly recommend using instant espresso powder for this recipe rather than brewed espresso or espresso grounds, which will alter the texture and flavor of the cookie.

Shape and Bake

Roll the dough into balls and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time, leaving the second baking sheet in the fridge so the dough doesn’t get too soft before baking. Once the first batch is done baking, pull the second batch from the fridge to bake.

Top with Chocolate

What’s better than coffee and chocolate? Coffee and chocolate with more chocolate! Once the espresso cookies have cooled, top them with a drizzle of melted semisweet chocolate. Let the chocolate drizzle set completely, about one hour, before eating the cookies. (We know it’s hard, but it’s worth the wait.)

What Does Adding Espresso do for Cookies?

You might think that adding espresso to this espresso cookie recipe is to add a coffee flavor to the cookie, and you’d be half-correct—it definitely adds a layer of bold coffee taste to each bite, but espresso has another superpower: It makes chocolate taste more... chocolatey!

Just as salt enhances the flavor of savory dishes, the richness and acidity of espresso enhances the classic flavor notes of chocolate in baked goods. This is why you might see a classic chocolate cake recipe that calls for espresso powder in its ingredient list—it’s because the espresso powder makes the chocolate flavor more flavorful, not because you want the cake to taste like coffee.

In this recipe, we added enough espresso powder to bring out the chocolate notes but also add a hint of coffee taste, so you get the best of both flavors in these easy espresso cookies.

How to Store Espresso Cookies

Espresso cookies are just as easy to store as they are to bake. Whether you want to eat them right away or freeze them for later, here’s how to store these cookies for the best results.

At Room Temperature: You can store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.

In the Refrigerator: If you like to eat cold cookies, or you want to keep these coffee cookies for a little bit longer, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

In the Freezer: Place fully baked and cooled cookies in a resealable food-storage plastic bag or airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.