Espresso Dark Chocolate Cookies
Day one after daylight savings feels ok. Maybe I’m just distracted and delighted by the lighter evenings but initially the change doesn’t make seem to make much of an impact.
And then, without fail, a couple days go by and I’m dragging, reaching for a diet Coke at 2pm and wondering why I can’t stop yawning. Come bedtime, I’m not all that tired (is it the afternoon caffeine or constantly telling myself its actually an hour earlier than the clock reads. It’s a great mystery, we’ll never know).
I stay up later than planned, reading or watching TV and you guessed it, the next day I’m tired again. This cycle repeats itself for a few days before my brain and body seem to catch up to each other and settle in.
I get that even mentioning a small one hour time change is a bit dramatic but somehow a special treat with a little hit of espresso flavor seems like just what this week calls for. I’ve always loved chocolate and espresso together. The espresso actually deepens and accentuates the chocolate flavors and the two make a great pair.
This cookie itself is butter and chewy with a lovely coffee flavor but its not at the forefront. It’s a nice subtle nod without overpowering the cookie. I repeat, this is not a coffee cookie. This is a decadent chocolate chip cookie with a hint of espresso flavor.
The dark chocolate happens to be my preference but you could always use a semi-sweet chocolate bar or milk chocolate chips if that’s more your jam. Regardless, this recipe is the perfect pick-me-up, making a lovely snack with a steaming cup of Joe or a cold glass of milk. And, if you just don’t love the flavor of coffee or espresso, you can certainly skip the addition of espresso powder completely. I’m all for tweaking recipes to make them your own but don’t skip the sprinkle of flaky salt when you pull the warm still soft cookies from the oven, that’s a non-negotiable.
Espresso Dark Chocolate Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon espresso powder
2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
16 ounces dark chocolate chips or crushed dark chocolate bars
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt for garnish
In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on high until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix again until creamy.
In a separate bowl, combine the espresso powder, flour, cornstarch, baking soda and Kosher salt. Use a wooden spoon to give a quick stir. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two batches, mixing gently until a dough forms. Stir in the chocolate and gently mix one more time until the chocolate is incorporated into the dough.
Use a cookie scoop to make dough balls. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the dough balls on the baking sheet, not worrying about spacing. Place the tray in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to an hour before baking.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper and separate the cookies into two trays with about a dozen cookies evenly spaced per tray. Bake one tray at a time in the preheated oven for 10 to 11 minutes or until the cookies are slightly golden along the edges. They can be slightly soft in the middle still. Remove the tray from the oven and sprinkle the cookies with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for at least five minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Repeat the process with the other tray of cookie dough until all the cookies are baked. Recipes makes roughly 24 cookies.