Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
TASTE: Rich chocolate cookie base with a subtle coffee flavor, chocolate chips throughout, topped with a slightly boozy drizzle of coffee liqueur icing.
TEXTURE: Soft and chewy cookie with a slight crunch from the chocolate chips, and a little subtle crinkle from the drizzled glaze.
EASE: Super easy!
PROS: Ready in under an hour and a big hit with any martini fans.
CONS: None.
WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN? These will definitely be on my Christmas cookie platter this year!
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These Espresso Martini Cookies take your favorite adult beverage and turn it into chewy, gooey double chocolate chip cookie form. Heaven in every bite!
I’ve been on a bit of an espresso martini kick lately. Ever since I had an incredible espresso martini at Carbone in New York City with my best friend Ashley (aka Baker by Nature), I’ve been craving them!
So when I was brainstorming fun cookie ideas for the holiday season, the idea hit me: why not combine my go-to adult beverage with my go-to dessert!?
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My team was so excited to try this recipe that I barely got the words “Espresso Martini Cookies” out before they were in the kitchen, testing the recipe to try for themselves!
The cookies received rave reviews from all friends and family who tried them. Even non-drinkers and coffee haters enjoyed these cookies.
Perfect for a girls’ night, a Christmas party, or New Years Eve Celebration. They shine on a cookie platter with other festive favorites like crispy Gingersnap Cookies, soft and chewy Christmas M&M Cookies, and pretty Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Espresso Martini Cookies
What is an Espresso Martini?
Though not technically a martini, espresso martinis are as popular as the James Bond classic! Served cold, an espresso martini is an alcoholic beverage typically containing vodka, coffee liqueur, and freshly brewed espresso. These are shaken with ice, strained, served in a martini glass, and usually garnished with three coffee beans placed on top.
Tips for Chewy Cookies (& How to Avoid Hard, Dry Cookies)
- Weigh your ingredients. To avoid dry, hard, or cakey cookies, use a digital kitchen scale to measure your ingredients – especially your flour and cocoa powder. If you don’t have a scale, use the spoon and level method.
- Don’t overbake. Remove these cookies from the oven when they’re just set. Overbaking even a little can make cookies hard.
- Use the right baking pan. I don’t recommend using a dark-colored pan as this can cause cookies to bake too quickly or even burn on the bottom. Learn more about the best and worst baking pans here.
- Don’t reduce the sugar. It may seem surprising, but sugar actually does much more in baking beyond sweetening. Learn more about all sugar does in baking here.
The Cocoa Powder
Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a perfectly rich chocolate flavor. Don’t use natural (aka unsweetened) cocoa powder here as it works differently on a chemical level. You can learn more about the difference between Natural vs Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder here.
The Chocolate & Chocolate Chips
I opted for bittersweet chocolate in the cookie dough to achieve a decadent chocolate flavor, paired with semisweet chocolate chips mixed in. Feel free to experiment with different chocolates in the base or alternative chocolate chips mixed in, but note that this will alter the sweetness of the final cookies.
The Espresso Powder
- I always have espresso powder on hand for baking. I like King Arthur Espresso Powder, but brands like Ferrara Instant Espresso, which are widely available in supermarkets, will work, too.
- Be sure to use instant espresso powder, not instant coffee, as they are different in flavor and texture and won’t bring much flavor to your cookies.
- Similar to spices, espresso powders can lose their potent flavor if left to sit too long. If your espresso powder is older, you may need to add an additional teaspoon. Also, check your espresso powder is not expired – if it is, toss it and purchase a new container.
- Feel free to also add extra espresso powder if you like a bolder coffee-forward flavor.
- Alternatively, allow the dough to chill in the fridge for 24-72 hours before baking, as this allows the flavor to develop more (and this makes the cookies ultra chewy, too!)
- Don’t like coffee? Try my Soft Batch Double Chocolate Chip Cookies instead!
The Coffee Liqueur
I recommend using Mr. Black or any coffee liqueur without a super high sugar content. Kahlua and Tia Maria will work just fine, but they have a high sugar content, so your icing will be even sweeter.
If you only have the sweeter brands on hand, feel free to use a little flaky sea salt on top of the just-glazed cookies to help offset the sweetness and give the cookies a salty-sweet flavor.
Do I Have to Use Liqueur in the Icing? Can I Skip the Alcohol?
Sure! For an Espresso Mocktail cookie, skip the coffee liqueur in the icing and simply use 3-4 tablespoons of coffee or espresso, or use 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder (add more to your preferred strength)+ 3-4 tablespoons of water in addition to the powdered sugar.
You can also skip the glaze entirely if preferred, for a simple yet delicious mocha cookie.
How to Glaze Espresso Martini Cookies
To make beautiful cookies, transfer the glaze to a sandwich baggie or small piping bag. Snip a small hole (smaller than you might think!) in one corner and pipe the glaze on top of the completely cooled cookies in stripes.
Alternatively, simply use a spoon or a fork to drizzle the icing across each cookie.
Shaping the Cookie Dough
Our team couldn’t decide which way we preferred to bake these cookies, so when we were in the studio, we decided to experiment with this. We pressed some cookies down to slightly flatten prior to baking and left others in a ball. The resulting cookies speak for themselves – check out the picture below!
I recommend skipping pressing these cookies down before baking for the prettiest, thickest cookies with a fantastically chewy texture.
However, if thick cookies aren’t really your thing, go ahead and slightly flatten each dough ball before baking for slightly thinner cookies. This would work particularly well if you plan to use coffee ice cream to turn these into ice cream sandwiches!
Can I Halve This Recipe? Can I Double This Recipe?
Absolutely! Simply halve all ingredients to yield approximately 12-13 medium cookies or 7-8 large cookies. Double all ingredients to yield 50 medium cookies or 30 large cookies. No other modifications needed.
Do I Have to Chill This Cookie Dough?
These cookies can be baked right away – but if you have time, I recommend covering the portioned dough balls well in plastic wrap and allowing them to sit in the fridge for 24-72 hours before baking. This creates a thicker cookie and allows the flavor to develop more, creating an incredible depth of flavor. Learn more about chilling cookie dough here.
How to Store Espresso Martini Cookies?
Once the icing has fully set, the cookies can be stored between layers of parchment paper and placed in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Add a tortilla to the container to keep the cookies softer for longer.
Can You Freeze Espresso Martini Cookies?
Sure! Freeze the portioned Espresso Martini cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed below. Alternatively, bake directly from frozen, lowering the oven temperature to 325°F and adding a few minutes to the total baking time. Get all of my tips for freezing cookie dough here.
We have not tried freezing the baked, iced cookies, but note that the freezing and thawing process may cause the icing to weep.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love:
Espresso Martini Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 3 ounces (85 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/4 cups (156 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (28 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2-3 teaspoons instant espresso powder*
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
For the glaze:
- 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 to 4 tablespoons (35-47 grams) coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua or Mr. Black**
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate in 20-second bursts until melted, stirring between each burst. Set aside to cool until just warm (about 80°F).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the cooled, melted chocolate and beat until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat until completely smooth and combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Slowly beat in the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Dough will be sticky.
- Using a medium spring-loaded scoop, drop 1 1/2-tablespoon balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Wet your hands slightly, then roll each dough ball between your palms to smooth.
- Bake for about 10 minutes or until set. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
Make the glaze:
- In a small bowl, use a small whisk or a fork to combine the powdered sugar and coffee liqueur until a thick but pourable glaze forms. Place a sheet of parchment paper underneath the cooling racks to catch the glaze for easier clean-up. Drizzle glaze all over cooled cookies. Allow to set.
- Store the cookies between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes
Photos by Joanie Simon.
Are these cookies soft or crispy? Thank you! They sound amazing,!
In the texture part of the synopsis, it says, soft & chewy, bit of crisp from the chips, and a crinkle with the icing.
Hi Donna! These cookies are soft and chewy with a slight crunch from the chocolate chips 🙂 Can’t wait for you to try them. Let us know what you think!
Hi, I would like to make the glaze without using liquor. You stated Espresso powder plus 3- 4 tablespoons of water. Question……how much Espresso powder?
Thanks for catching that, Diane! We’ve added the instructions now. Start by mixing 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder into the water and powdered sugar. You can gradually add more espresso powder to adjust the strength to your liking.