With just a hint of instant espresso mixed in the batter, these soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies are a gourmet treat for the grown-up palate. They're easy to make and can be ready in just about half an hour.
The dark chocolate offers an intense flavor in these cookies. And when combined with the espresso powder and just a hint of ground cinnamon, the intense flavor is mellowed and balanced.
In order to be labelled as dark chocolate, the chocolate bar must be made of at least 60% cacao or more. For the best results in these chocolate chip cookies, use a 65 to 75 percent cacao bar. Good choices include Ghirardelli Twilight Delight 72% Cacao bar, Ghirardelli Espresso Escape 60% Cacao bar, Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa Extra Fine chocolate bar, and Lindt Excellence Origins Madagascar 65% Cocoa Extra Fine chocolate bar. There's no need to go to a specialty chocolate shop for these bars. Most large grocery stores carry them in the baking or candy aisles.
These chocolate chip cookies make a wonderful adult afternoon snack with a nice hot cup of coffee or tea. Or if you want to serve them to your kids, simply use decaffeinated instant espresso, available in the coffee aisle of your local supermarket.
Espresso Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. instant espresso
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 3.5 oz. bar of good-quality dark chocolate
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. With an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugars, egg and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture. Chop the chocolate bar into chip-sized pieces. Fold the chocolate bar chips into the cookie dough.
Drop by rounded tablespoons-ful onto a cookie sheet lined with a silpat mat or parchment paper. Bake 13 to 15 minutes on the middle rack of the oven, until the cookies are golden brown around the edges. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Makes 18 chocolate chip cookies.
For more terrific chocolate chip cookie recipes, see also:
- Intense Orange Lindt Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies with Lemon
- Heart Healthy Chocolate Chippers
- Strawberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
 |
