Coffee Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Recipe:

Ingredient Notes:

• Coffee: This recipe calls for instant coffee. Instant espresso powder is ideal if you have it. If not, regular granulated instant coffee will work just fine. To use it, place the granules in a sturdy bag or between two sheets of parchment paper and gently roll over them with a rolling pin to grind them into a finer powder. You don’t need to buy a whole jar for one recipe; many supermarkets sell single-serving packets of instant coffee near the checkout. If you strongly prefer using natural coffee, you may use it – 1 tablespoon of very finely ground coffee will be enough.
• Cocoa Powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder. Products like “Nesquik” or other sweetened cocoa drinks are not suitable as they contain additives and sugar. I prefer using Dutch-processed or alkalized cocoa powder for its darker color and more intense chocolate flavor, but natural unsweetened cocoa powder will also work; your cookies will simply be a slightly lighter shade.
• Sugar: While the recipe specifies brown sugar, you can absolutely use granulated white sugar here without impacting the final flavor. The strong flavors of coffee and chocolate in the cookies will mask the subtle caramel notes of brown sugar anyway. It’s crucial not to significantly change the amount of sugar called for in the recipe, as it plays a vital role in the dough’s consistency and the cookies’ final texture. Reducing the sugar by even a third will likely result in a different outcome
• Eggs: Use medium-sized eggs, which typically weigh around 55g each. For best results, ensure your eggs are at room temperature. If you’re short on time and didn’t leave them out, you can quickly bring them to temperature by placing them in a bowl of hot tap water for about 15 minutes
• Butter: Use unsalted butter with a fat content of 72% or higher. Like the eggs, the butter should be at room temperature – soft enough to easily dent with your finger, but not melted or greasy
• Flour: Standard all-purpose flour with a protein content of around 10% is perfect for this recipe. Avoid using strong bread flour, as it will result in a different texture
• Chocolate: Use chocolate with a cocoa content of 50% or higher. I typically use chocolate with 56% cocoa for these cookies, as it provides a good balance of flavor.

Let’s start cooking.

Gently melt the chocolate using a double boiler or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until combined. Don’t worry if the sugar doesn’t fully dissolve; this is normal.

Beat in the egg until the mixture is smooth. Pour in the melted chocolate and coffee, mixing until everything is well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined to form a soft dough.

Transfer the dough to a plastic bag or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Place it in the freezer until it’s firm enough to easily roll into balls (usually about 40 minutes).

Once chilled, roll the dough into balls roughly the size of walnuts (about 30g each). Roll each dough ball generously in powdered sugar, ensuring it’s completely coated.

Place the coated balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 4-5 cm (1.5-2 inches) apart. Gently flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (355°F) for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops have characteristic cracks. Be careful not to overbake if you prefer a fudgier center.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy your delicious chocolate coffee crinkle cookies!

This Coffee Chocolate Crinkle Cookies recipe was checked, prepared and approved by Chef Tatyana Nazaruk - author of FlavorIt.com.
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