Browned Butter Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Coconut
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That is a mouthful isn’t it…and these chocolate chip cookies with espresso and coconut certainly are! Given enough time though I will always brown butter for my chocolate chip cookies. Ever since I made these chocolate chip cookies with browned butter I was sold. It adds another layer of richness to the finished cookies without adding additional ingredients. I call that a win win!
This project started because I simply wanted to combine chocolate chips and coconut in a cookie; you know, a baked version of a Mounds Bar which remains one of my favorite over the counter treats. Searching to see if there was anything similar that others had already made (duh) resulted in lots of recipes including one with espresso. Sounded good and I even tried it. But I thought it was lacking; well, at least in my expectations. I will often add dried espresso to chocolate dishes as the coffee really is a magical ingredient in combination with chocolate. It can elevate the chocolate taste without really being evident on its’ own. Problem was I wanted it to BE evident. Back to the drawing board.
Ultimately I found a good mix for me. I think what I really wanted was a richer cookie base and some subtle variations on the norm gave me what I wanted. More brown sugar than granulated. A touch of molasses. More espresso powder. Even chopping chocolate made a difference; that dust that comes from that effort actually saw more chocolate flavor permeate the entire cookie; that I was lucky enough to have a bar of Green & Black’s Espresso Dark Chocolate on hand did not hurt. This cookie really tasted like coffee and I do think I might have squealed YES!
To tell you the truth, I don’t bake as much as I would like; now that my kids are both on their own I can’t be having too many pies and cakes and cookies in residence. But every now and then I’ll get a hankering for something sweet and cookies do a great job of filling that urge. Especially since I discovered something that is so simple I can not believe I didn’t do this years ago. I scoop out an entire batch of cookie dough and typically bake just one tray. The rest of the cookies are put into the freezer on that tray until the individual bits of cookie dough are frozen and then I remove them from the freezer and store the little bundles in a Ziploc bag. When I get the urge for a couple of cookies I don’t have to make a whole batch and they’ll last for awhile this way. Or at least a bit longer. 🙂
Can I just mention something that has nothing to do with this recipe but just the equipment that helped me make it. See that mixer? Why I have never named it is beyond me but I just call it ‘my old girl.’ I love that mixer; it’s a KitchenAid circa 1985. The days it goes I will probably frame it there are so many memories attached to it. Seems silly huh but I just love that old thing!
Anyway, we now return to our regularly scheduled program; these cookies. They really are great…it’s like having a cookie and a cup of coffee at the same time. Umm umm good!
Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter, browned
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs I made these twice; once the eggs were a bit smaller and the dough did not hold together as well as it should have so I added an extra egg; do the same if you need to
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp molasses
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons instant espresso
- 1 cup chopped chocolate - I had a bar of Green & Black's Espresso Dark Chocolate which was amazing but use any good dark chocolate or chocolate chips
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
Instructions
- Melt the butter on the stove-top in a skillet. It will foam which makes it difficult to see what is going on with the solids underneath that you want to brown but keep stirring and once you start to see some browning appear in the foam, remove from heat. DO NOT WALK AWAY while it is cooking. It can go fast and you don't want black butter!
- Pour the butter into a container and refrigerate until cold.
- One the butter is cold and has firmed up; preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cream together the browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and molasses and mix well until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and instant espresso until combined. Add in two batches to the butter mixture; scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix only until all ingredients are combined.
- Stir in the chocolate and coconut by hand.
- Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets (small ice cream scoops are so perfect for cookies!). Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool on rack.
Nutrition
These cookies look absolutely divine!
Thanks Mirian. They are…I mean um, were. 🙂
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It might take 5 minutes to say the name but my goodness these cookies look fantastic. Winner!
Quite the tongue twister; truth is I suppose the butter thing doesn’t HAVE to be in the title but then…maybe it does? 🙂
The cookie sound great Barb! Love the freezer idea. I have my grandma’s Kitchen Aid that must be at least 1980 or before. Love it, too! Sat for years in my garage before I brought it out of hiding. Once it threw out the dust it was good to go. Even fell off the counter and broke the tile on my kitchen floor. It never stopped running!
The machine appears to be running fine; it’s the parts that seem to be leaving me. I used to have a grinder attachment that I haven’t seen in years; then this last move saw the whisk go bye bye. Even that hurts but maybe more the pocketbook than anything!
Yes the name may be a mouthful but as I read it I knew my mouth would LOVE every single flavor in each bite. These cookies leave nothing to be desired… except for the desire to have them at my house right now!
I own you…as soon as I perfect Twitter Twansport I’ll be sending you goodies. 🙂
We have a KitchenAid just a bit older than yours that started to die several months ago (it’d still work, but the noise of the motor became intolerable). We just assumed we’d buy a new KitchenAid, but discovered the brand had changed hands several times over the years (it used to be owned by Hobart, which makes most of the mixers found in commercial kitchens). Our impression is a couple of years ago they were having real problems with quality control, but it seems they’re improved lately. We opted to buy something else, however. Anyway, I know what you mean about how you feel for your KitchenAid! Such a great mixer. And such a great cookie! We just bake the whole batch of cookies and then freeze what we can’t (shouldn’t!) eat immediately, but should try your idea of freezing portioned raw dough. Good post — thanks.
You’re right and I know that my machine with a Hobart motor will not be easily replaced; certainly not with the likes of the new KA machines I’m afraid. Everyone cites planned obsolesence as the cause today. Horrible methodology if you ask me! Dying to know what you bought (but hoping I won’t have a need for awhile!).
Barb, these cookies have my name all over them. I love every single ingredient on the list. Coffee is such a great secret ingredient. I add a cup of strongly brewed coffee to my banana bread (an adaptation of a Mollie Katzen recipe) and I make biscotti with instant espresso powder. I will make these ~ or I may have my daughter make them, as her cookies always come out much better. Thanks for the inspiration.
I’ve inspired you? My job is done. 🙂 I’m reading your latest book now deciding what to make. It is beautiful Domenica!
I’d devour a dozen of these! They look incredible, Barb. Great flavor combinations!
Thanks so much Georgia; it is somewhat of a kitchen sink mix but they all worked together beautifully.
The brown butter makes all the difference, doesn’t it!? Well worth the little extra time. Essential in my bacon chocolate chip cookie recipe!
It does. I just love making it; one of the best smells ever! Did you say bacon chocolate chip? Want to share that recipe with me? I tried one once and was underwhelmed so am game to try again.
I know for sure these are great! We got to taste some and the teen who usually does not like coffee, LOVED these. Thanks for the recipe. She will be thrilled when I bake these.
I made these after the ones you took home because I didn’t think the dough was ‘coffee’ enough. Still not overpowering at all but if there is any concern about the teen? Cut that espresso back a notch to 2 Tablespoons! I’m eating some with coffee; I’ll be wired this afternoon! 🙂