Coffee Bean Cookies

Perfect, bite-size cookies that are enriched with coffee – it’s not just a coffee addict’s dream. It is a dream come true!

These coffee-infused cookies in the shape of a roasted bean are the best-flavored caffeine kick we all have been waiting for. They’re pretty adorable, too.

Who doesn’t love a cup of coffee in the morning? Now you can pair your morning brew or your afternoon pick-me-up with delicious, compatibly themed cookies.

As I am a coffee addict, I just had to make these coffee cookies. They have a perfect flavor with chocolatey notes to complement the coffee taste, come in really cute shapes, and most importantly, they are made with real coffee.

I personally recommend serving them with a mocha in the morning or even as a light evening dessert. Don’t worry, you won’t get over jittery with caffeine! When I say they have coffee, I don’t mean they’re like an edible espresso shot! They have a minimal amount of coffee – but enough to get that rich flavor.

If you’re ready to take your coffee consumption to the next level, let’s get started!

Coffee Cookies With Coffee Grounds – Complete Guide

You can go ahead and drink this morning’s leftovers that are hanging out in your brewer. For this recipe, you will need instant coffee.

But which type of instant coffee is best? I am sure we have all stood in the coffee aisle at the supermarket, wondering why are there so many types of coffee, and why the prices are so radically different!

The Best Coffee Grounds For Coffee Cookies

There is a huge variety of instant coffee, and talking about all of these would be just too much. I will explain just a few important ones. 

Instant Coffee

Instant coffee is pre-made coffee. It comes from whole coffee beans, which have been ground up to a fine consistency, brewed by means of high pressure, piping hot steam.

This creates a very thick and viscose syrup which is then dehydrated. After being dehydrated, it is broken into smaller pieces which we know as instant coffee.

My favorite instant coffee for coffee cookies is Nescafe Gold. 

Freeze-Dried Instant Coffee

This is the best variety of instant coffee, in my opinion. This type of coffee is often made from higher quality coffee, especially Arabica beans.

It’s not quite the same as the classic instant coffee. With freeze-dried instant coffee, the coffee extract is frozen and cut into granules. These granules will not break under your fingers but instead will keep their shape.

Because the freeze-dried coffee is made from Arabica beans and uses a different process, it can be on the pricier side. Still, the flavor of this coffee is pure.

A great bulk option for instant coffee is Woolworth’s Instant coffee.

Spray-Dried Instant Coffee

This is the cheaper type of instant coffee. The flavor is not exactly amazing, so I don’t personally recommend it, for drinking or baking. However, it will work if it’s all you can find.

This type of coffee is made from cheaper coffee beans, and by spraying technique. The method of spray drying includes hot steam to evaporate fluid. The coffee is pulverized under high pressure in a tube that streams hot air through. A popular type of spray-dried coffee is Nescafe Classic. 

As a note, you will want to get regular instant coffee for this recipe, not instant white coffee, which typically refers to coffee with milk added.

A Decaf Alternative To Coffee Beans

If you are making these cookies for the kids, I recommend that you use decaf coffee.

As mentioned these cookies have only a very small amount of coffee, but if you want the peace of mind when cooking for young ones, or prefer to limit your own caffeine intake, you can always opt for decaf.

You can also use chicory coffee. Chicory coffee is made from chicory root and has a flavor similar to coffee, with woody and nutty aromas as well. 

How To Make The Best Coffee Bean Pastry Dough

Making a good cookie dough with the right consistency is a must. Whipping up a batch of cookies may not be the same kind of challenge that making a soufflé is, but you still have to take some care when you do it.

Baking is a bit of a science, really! No one wants a runny or too-sticky cookie dough.

Here is how to get your coffee bean cookie dough perfect, step by step:

1. Beat the butter with sugar first. This is the first and initial step in many baking recipes. The sugar should dissolve as much as possible in the butter, taking on a creamy consistency.
2. After the butter and sugar have the right consistency, then you can add the egg and whisk until smooth.
3. Dissolve the instant coffee into a paste before you add it. I like to add my coffee dissolved rather than in granule form. I combine coffee with just a little water, to get a nice paste-like texture, then I pour it over butter and beat it again. But you can also add the coffee with the dry ingredients. 
4. Once you have a creamy mixture, fold in the flour and cacao, mixing them by hand. You must avoid the electric mixer at this step, and do it all by hand. With the electric mixer, you may over mix the dough and make it too stretchy. That is why I like to fold ingredients by hand. Once the dough is combined, it is chilling time.
5. Chill the dough. The dough may feel sticky at first. That is why it needs to be chilled. 30 minutes in a fridge will be enough.
6. Shape the cookies with gloves. Yes, it may sound silly, but when shaping cookies, I wear gloves. This prevents the heat from my hands from melting the butter inside cookies. The longer the cookie stays solid, the less the cookies spread. Then it’s baking time.
7. Bake the cookies and chill again before serving.

How To Make Coffee Bean Cookies

Step 1: Gather your ingredients. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.

Step 2: Add the egg yolk and beat until smooth. Combine coffee and hot water to create a sort of paste.

Step 3: Drizzle paste over butter. Beat until well combined.

Step 4: Fold in flour, cacao, a small pinch of salt, and corn starch. Stir until the dough comes together.

Step 5: Chill the dough for 30 minutes.

Step 6: Preheat the oven to 340 Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 7: Shape the dough into 18 small oval shapes and place them on the sheet.

Step 8: Using a toothpick, press a line on each oval cookie along the center to make it look like a coffee bean. 

Step 9: Bake the cookies for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

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