Coffee Cookies with Brown Butter and Espresso

Name: Coffee Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup salted butter, melted, see instructions for how to brown the butter (highly recommended); 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed; 1/4 cup white sugar; 2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 egg; 1 2/3 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum; 1/4 cup instant coffee or espresso powder, finely ground; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt, add an extra pinch if using unsalted butter; 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

By:

Ruby Bennett

Published:

July 31, 2026

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What Are Coffee Cookies?

If you love the bold flavor of a fresh espresso and the comfort of a chewy chocolate chip cookie, coffee cookies are about to become your new favorite treat. These large, bakery style cookies combine browned butter and instant espresso for a deep, toasty coffee flavor that pairs beautifully with sweet chocolate in every single bite.

Coffee cookies are a gluten free twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie, made with brown butter and instant espresso for a rich, caffeinated bite.

The dough comes together in one bowl, needs no chilling, and bakes up in about 30 minutes from start to finish. Each cookie has crisp caramelized edges, a soft and chewy center, and pools of melted mini chocolate chips throughout.

What makes these cookies special is the double coffee moment. Browning the butter gives a nutty, caramel like base, and a generous amount of finely ground instant espresso pushes the coffee flavor front and center.

Together, they create a cookie that actually tastes like coffee, not just a cookie with a faint coffee hint. With about 84 mg of caffeine per cookie when made with Nescafe Gold Instant Espresso, they are a fun afternoon pick me up alongside a glass of cold milk or a hot cappuccino.

For a different spin on the same flavor idea, try these Chocolate Coffee Cookies, which lean even more into the mocha side of things.

Jump to:

What Are Coffee Cookies?
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Substitutions
Step by Step Instructions
Part 1: Brown the Butter (optional but recommended)
Part 2: Make the Cookies
Serving, Storage, Expert Tips, and FAQs
Can you use instant coffee or espresso powder in coffee cookies?
How long do coffee cookies need to bake?
Can you freeze coffee cookie dough?
How should you store baked coffee cookies?
Coffee Cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
Last Step:
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This is the kind of cookie recipe you will come back to again and again because it is fast, flexible, and ridiculously tasty.

Everything happens in one bowl, there is zero chilling time, and you can pull a tray of warm, gooey coffee cookies out of the oven in about 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights, last minute guests, or a quick batch when the cookie craving hits.

One bowl, no chill. Whisk, fold, scoop, and bake. No stand mixer and no waiting around.
30 minute total time. From browning the butter to the first bite, you are looking at about half an hour.
Big coffee flavor. Instant espresso powder delivers bold taste without watering down the dough.
Gluten free and nut free. Safe for many common allergies right out of the gate.
Easy dairy free and vegan swaps. A few simple switches make them friendly for more diets.
Large, bakery style cookies. A 3 tablespoon scoop gives you thick, satisfying rounds.

I love baking a batch on a Sunday afternoon when the house smells like a coffee shop, then packing a couple into lunchboxes for the week. They also disappear fast on a holiday cookie tray because they look impressive and taste even better.

Ingredients

Here is everything you need for one batch of 10 large coffee cookies. All ingredients are easy to find at a regular grocery store, and the swaps below make this recipe friendly for many diets.

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Salted butter	1/2 cup	Melted and browned for best flavor, see step by step method
Brown sugar	3/4 cup, packed	Adds moisture and a soft, chewy texture
White sugar	1/4 cup	Helps create those crisp caramelized edges
Vanilla extract	2 teaspoons	Balances the coffee and brings out the chocolate notes
Egg	1 large	Room temperature works best
Gluten free all purpose flour	1 2/3 cups	Must contain xanthan gum, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour
Instant coffee or espresso powder	1/4 cup	Finely ground, such as Nescafe Gold Instant Espresso
Baking powder	1/2 teaspoon	Helps the cookies rise gently
Baking soda	1/2 teaspoon	Adds spread and that classic chewy bite
Salt	1/4 teaspoon	Add an extra pinch if using unsalted butter
Mini chocolate chips	1/2 cup	Enjoy Life mini chips work great for a dairy free option

A note on the espresso: Use instant espresso powder that is already a fine powder, not granules. Granular instant coffee can leave gritty bits in the dough, so if you only have granules, pulse them in a clean coffee grinder or small food processor until powdery.

Substitutions

This recipe is forgiving and easy to adapt. Whether you need dairy free cookies, want to skip the coffee, or just want to play around with flavors, here are simple swaps that work.

Gluten free flour: Any gluten free all purpose blend with xanthan gum should work, not a single flour like almond or coconut on its own.
Dairy free butter: Swap in dairy free butter sticks or refined coconut oil. Dairy free butter does not brown well, so skip the browning step and just melt it gently.
Chocolate: Use dairy free dark chocolate chunks or dairy free mini chocolate chips to keep the recipe dairy free or vegan.
Nuts: Fold in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds for extra crunch and a nutty flavor that loves coffee.
Extracts: Add about 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract or caramel extract alongside the vanilla for a fun flavor twist.
Skip the coffee: Leave out the espresso powder and you will get a beautiful chewy brown butter chocolate chip cookie instead.

For a buttery, less coffee forward version that still keeps that nutty browned butter flavor, these Coffee Butter Cookies are another wonderful option to try.

Step by Step Instructions

These cookies come together in two simple stages: browning the butter, then mixing and baking the dough. Read through both parts before you start so everything moves quickly once the butter is hot.

Part 1: Brown the Butter (optional but recommended)

Cube 1/2 cup of salted butter and place it in a light colored saucepan over medium heat. A light pan helps you see the color change.
Stir occasionally as the butter melts, bubbles, and foams. Watch it closely because it can go from golden to burned very fast.
After about 6 to 10 minutes, the butter will turn a deep amber color and smell nutty. Immediately pour it into a heatproof bowl, scraping every last brown bit from the pan.
Let the browned butter cool for about 10 minutes while you get everything else ready.

Part 2: Make the Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line 1 to 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla extract, and egg until smooth and glossy.
Add the gluten free flour, instant espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt right into the same bowl. Use a rubber spatula to gently bring the dough together.
Fold in the mini chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed.
Use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough into 10 large balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets with plenty of room to spread.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should look set but the middles will still look soft and a little underdone.
Right out of the oven, wearing oven mitts, lift the baking sheet and slam it on the counter a few times. This helps the cookies spread into thick, even rounds.
Immediately take a large cookie cutter or a glass and gently swirl it around each cookie to shape perfect circles.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes so they finish setting up, then move them to a wire rack or enjoy them warm.

Pro tip: Press a few extra mini chocolate chips on top of each dough ball before baking for that picture perfect bakery style look.

Serving, Storage, Expert Tips, and FAQs

Can you use instant coffee or espresso powder in coffee cookies?

Yes. This recipe uses 1/4 cup instant coffee or espresso powder, and it should be finely ground so you do not get gritty bits in the dough. Brewed coffee is not a good substitute because it adds too much liquid and can throw off the texture.

How long do coffee cookies need to bake?

Bake the cookies at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should look set, but the centers will still appear soft when you take them out. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes so they finish setting without overbaking.

Can you freeze coffee cookie dough?

Yes. Shape the dough into balls, flash-freeze them for 10 minutes, then store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Bake the frozen dough balls for 1 to 2 minutes longer than the original bake time.

How should you store baked coffee cookies?

Store baked coffee cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. If you want that fresh-baked texture again, warm them in the microwave for about 10 seconds. For longer storage, wrap them tightly and freeze them for up to 3 months.