Coffee Cookies

A simple cookie that’s filled with coffee flavor and makes for the perfect dipping cookie for your afternoon coffee or tea. These cookies are quick to make and taste absolutely delicious!

coffee cookies stacked on parchment paper

There’s nothing better than a hot cup of coffee mid afternoon. Except, of course when it’s accompanied by the perfect cookie. And these coffee cookies really are one of the best to have alongside your favorite cup of joe.

Personally, I’m not a big coffee drinker but my husband probably drinks too much of the stuff. My kids love all things coffee flavored too, so I guess they’ve inherited their Dad’s tastes in things.

Despite my lack of fondness for coffee, these cookies are actually one of my all-time favorites, alongside my other coffee favorite – my homemade no churn coffee ice-cream. If you’re not a big coffee drinker, these cookies taste equally delicious with a steaming cup of milky black tea as they do with coffee.

Why This Recipe Works

two plates stacked with coffee cookies next to a cup of black coffee

I always love cookie recipes that come together quickly and bake up in a jiffy. These are the type of cookie you can quickly whip before your neighbor drops over for a chat!

They have the perfect amount of coffee flavor, they are crisp and buttery with just the right hint of salt to set everything off. They really are the perfect coffee cookie.

Since there’s no baking powder in this recipe, these cookies don’t spread and hold their shape extremely well, making them a good candidate for different shaped cutters.

Plus, they make for a great gift!

Coffee Cookie Ingredients

ingredients for the coffee cookies recipe

A simple cookie base of all-purpose flour, sugar, butter and egg are amplified with the addition of instant coffee granules, vanilla extract and salt.

Variations

two coffee cookies on a plate next to a cup of coffee with  more cookies in the background
  • If you don’t have instant coffee on hand, you can substitute with 1 tablespoon of espresso powder.
  • Add mini morsel semi-sweet chocolate chips for a mocha flavored cookie!
  • On that that, this recipe has been extensively tested so I can’t guarantee results if you start making other swaps!

Coffee Cookie Recipe Instructions

process shots for the first four steps of the coffee cookies recipe
  1. Place the instant coffee into a small bag and crush with the back of a spoon to break up any large granules. It doesn’t need to be a perfectly fine powder, but you don’t want any large lumps to remain.
  2. In a medium sized bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and instant coffee until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as necessary.
  3. On low speed, mix in the egg and vanilla extract until well incorporated.
  4. Add the dry ingredients and continue mixing until the dough comes together and none of the flour mixture is visible any longer.
process shots of the coffee cookie dough being rolled out and cut
  1. Divide the dough in half and flatten into a disc.
  2. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours (and up to overnight). Alternatively, pop it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes (which is what I usually do because I’m impatient!). When ready to cut out the cookies, preheat the oven to 350F.
  3. Lightly flour your work surface (or a silicone mat) with flour, dust your rolling pin and very lightly dust the top of the cookie dough, before rolling it out to about 1/8 inch thick.
  4. Cut with 2 ½ inch round cookie cutter (I like one with a fluted edge).
cookies on baking sheet
  1. Transfer cookies to an unlined and un-greased baking sheet and bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until the edges just start to brown.
coffee cookies cooling on a wire rack
  1. Immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool.

TIP

If you bake these on a lined or greased cookie sheet, they will not crisp up correctly – you will be left with a softer more chewy cookie. After testing both methods, the unlined baking sheet (no parchment paper) gives a crisper cookie that is better for “dunking” in coffee!

Storage

Store at room temperature for up to one week in an airtight container.

stack of coffee cookies on a white plate

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the baked cookies be frozen?

Yes, they freeze really well! You can eat them directly from the freezer ow allow to come back to room temperature first.

Can the recipe be doubled or tripled?

Absolutely! Use the slider in the recipe card to easily scale the recipe.

Can decaf instant coffee be used?

Definitely! The coffee granules just add flavor, so the caffeine content is not needed – especially if your kids like these as a treat!

stack of coffee cookies with baker's twine tied neatly around them

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this coffee cookie recipe! If you love them as much as I do, please take a minute to give them a rating in the recipe card below! Thank you!

Coffee Cookies

coffee cookies recipe
A simple coffee cookie with crisp edges and chewy middle that make for the perfect sweet treat to accompany your afternoon cup of joe.
Jenna Shaughnessy
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chill 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 22 minutes
Serving Size 18

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temp
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons instant coffee
  • 1 large egg room temp
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Instructions

  • Place the coffee granules in a small bag and crush with the back of a spoon to break up any large chunks.
  • In a In a medium sized bowl, cream the butter, sugar, instant coffee until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as necessary.
  • On low speed, mix in the egg and vanilla until well incorporated.
  • Add the salt and flour and continue mixing until the dough comes together.
  • Divide the dough in half and flatten into a disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (and up to overnight). Alternatively, pop it in the freezer for 20 minutes.
  • When ready to cut out the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Lightly flour your work surface (or a silicone mat) with flour, dust your rolling pin and very lightly dust the top of the cookie dough, before rolling it out to about ⅛ inch thick.
  • Cut with 2 ½ inch round cookie cutter (I like one with a fluted edge).
  • Transfer cookies to an unlined ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until the edges just start to brown.
  • Immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  • Store at room temperature for up to one week.

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