Bittersweet Coffee Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Finding the perfect cookie that feels special enough for the holidays but easy enough to make on a regular weekend can be tricky. Most homemade cookies require complicated techniques or hours of chilling time, and things get even more difficult when you’re craving something that looks impressive without all the fuss.

Luckily, these coffee chocolate crinkle cookies check all the boxes: they’re rich and flavorful with a double dose of chocolate and espresso, simple to whip up in about an hour, and they naturally create that beautiful crackled look that makes them seem way more complicated than they actually are.

What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use?

For these coffee chocolate crinkle cookies, you’ll want to use good quality bittersweet chocolate since it’s one of the main flavors in the recipe. Bittersweet chocolate typically has a cacao content between 60-70%, which gives you that deep chocolate flavor without being too sweet. If you can’t find bittersweet, semisweet chocolate is a solid substitute and will work just fine, though your cookies will be slightly sweeter. You can use chocolate chips in a pinch, but I’d recommend using a chocolate bar that you chop yourself – it melts more evenly and gives you a better texture in the final cookie.

Options for Substitutions

These cookies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need them:

• Bittersweet chocolate: You can use semisweet chocolate instead, though your cookies will be a bit sweeter. Dark chocolate chips work too, but chopped chocolate bars tend to give you a better texture.
• Brewed espresso: Don’t have an espresso machine? Strong brewed coffee works just fine. You can also dissolve 2 tablespoons of instant coffee or espresso powder in 1/2 cup of hot water, then let it cool to room temperature before using.
• Butter: You can swap this with coconut oil for a dairy-free version. Just make sure it’s softened to the same consistency as room temperature butter.
• All-purpose flour: If you need a gluten-free option, try a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. The texture might be slightly different, but they’ll still turn out tasty.
• Confectioners’ sugar: This is pretty important for that classic crinkle look, so I’d recommend keeping it. But if you’re in a bind, you can roll them in granulated sugar instead – they just won’t have that snowy white appearance.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with crinkle cookies is not chilling the dough long enough, which leads to flat cookies that spread too much and lose that signature cracked appearance – aim for at least 2 hours in the fridge, or even overnight for the best results.

Another common error is rolling the dough balls in powdered sugar while they’re still warm, causing the sugar to melt and disappear during baking instead of creating those pretty white cracks.

Make sure your espresso has cooled completely before adding it to the chocolate mixture, as hot liquid can cause the chocolate to seize up and turn grainy.

Finally, don’t overbake these cookies – they should look slightly underdone when you pull them from the oven, with soft centers that will firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.

What to Serve With Coffee Chocolate Crinkle Cookies?

These cookies are perfect with a hot cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk for dunking. I love serving them as part of a cookie platter alongside other favorites like snickerdoodles or peanut butter cookies when I’m having people over. They’re also great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an easy dessert, or you can crumble them over yogurt for breakfast the next morning. If you’re feeling fancy, pair them with some fresh whipped cream and berries for a simple but satisfying treat.

Storage Instructions

Store: These cookies stay soft and chewy when kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Just stack them with parchment paper between layers if you want to keep that pretty crinkled look intact.

Freeze: You can freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, or freeze the dough balls before rolling them in powdered sugar. When you’re ready to bake from frozen dough, just roll in the confectioners’ sugar and add an extra minute or two to the baking time.

Enjoy: If you’ve frozen baked cookies, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before eating. They’re great with a fresh cup of coffee or even warmed up for a few seconds in the microwave for that just-baked feel.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2600-2800
• Protein: 35-40 g
• Fat: 120-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 350-370 g

Ingredients

For the dry ingredients:

• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1.25 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the dough:

• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 tbsp butter (unsalted, melted and cooled slightly)
• 12 oz bittersweet chocolate (chopped into small pieces, about 1/2-inch)
• 1/2 cup brewed espresso (cooled to room temperature)
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)

For the coating:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar (for rolling and dusting, creates the signature crackled finish)

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Dry Ingredients

• 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 12 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup brewed espresso

Measure out all ingredients and chop the bittersweet chocolate into small ½-inch pieces—this size matters because smaller pieces melt smoothly and distribute evenly throughout the dough.

Brew your espresso and let it cool to room temperature while you work; this prevents the eggs from cooking when combined later.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, whisking them together to distribute the leavening evenly.

This prevents lumps and ensures consistent rise in your cookies.

Step 2: Melt Chocolate and Butter Together

• 12 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 4 tbsp butter

Set up a double boiler by placing a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water.

Add the chopped chocolate and melted butter to the bowl, stirring occasionally until completely melted and smooth.

Once melted, remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes—you want it warm but not hot, so it doesn’t cook the eggs when combined.

Step 3: Create the Wet Base with Eggs and Espresso

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup brewed espresso
• 2 tbsp sugar

In a separate bowl, whisk together the room-temperature eggs, cooled espresso, and sugar until the mixture is smooth and slightly pale, about 1-2 minutes of whisking.

The eggs need to be at room temperature so they incorporate smoothly without scrambling when you add the warm chocolate.

I like to use room-temperature eggs because they blend more evenly and create a better texture in the final cookie.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures

• chocolate-butter mixture from Step 2
• egg and espresso mixture from Step 3
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 1

Pour the cooled chocolate mixture from Step 2 into the egg mixture from Step 3, stirring until fully incorporated.

Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 and fold gently until just combined—don’t overmix, as this develops gluten and makes cookies tough.

The dough should be dark, rich, and slightly thick.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2-3 hours until the dough is firm enough to scoop and roll without sticking to your hands.

Step 5: Prepare for Baking While Dough Chills

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

About 15 minutes before the dough finishes chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl and have it ready near your workspace.

This prep work means you can move directly from shaping to baking without any delays.

Step 6: Shape and Coat Dough Balls

• chilled dough from Step 4
• confectioners’ sugar from Step 5

Working with the chilled dough from Step 4, scoop tablespoon-sized portions and roll them between your palms into smooth balls.

Working quickly keeps the dough from warming up too much.

Roll each ball generously in the confectioners’ sugar from Step 5 until fully coated—this sugar creates the signature crackled finish as the cookies bake and spread.

I like to do this just before baking so the sugar coating stays white and prominent rather than absorbing moisture from the dough.

Step 7: Bake and Cool Cookies

Place the sugar-coated dough balls 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets.

Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes—the cookies should look slightly underbaked in the center, as they continue to set while cooling.

Remove from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up slightly, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

This resting period prevents them from breaking apart when you move them.

Bittersweet Coffee Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Delicious Bittersweet Coffee Chocolate Crinkle Cookies recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 52 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 37 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Calories: 2700

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the dry ingredients:

• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1.25 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the dough:

• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 tbsp butter (unsalted, melted and cooled slightly)
• 12 oz bittersweet chocolate (chopped into small pieces, about 1/2-inch)
• 1/2 cup brewed espresso (cooled to room temperature)
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)

For the coating:

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar (for rolling and dusting, creates the signature crackled finish)

Method

 

1. Measure out all ingredients and chop the bittersweet chocolate into small ½-inch pieces—this size matters because smaller pieces melt smoothly and distribute evenly throughout the dough. Brew your espresso and let it cool to room temperature while you work; this prevents the eggs from cooking when combined later. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, whisking them together to distribute the leavening evenly. This prevents lumps and ensures consistent rise in your cookies.
2. Set up a double boiler by placing a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Add the chopped chocolate and melted butter to the bowl, stirring occasionally until completely melted and smooth. Once melted, remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes—you want it warm but not hot, so it doesn't cook the eggs when combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the room-temperature eggs, cooled espresso, and sugar until the mixture is smooth and slightly pale, about 1-2 minutes of whisking. The eggs need to be at room temperature so they incorporate smoothly without scrambling when you add the warm chocolate. I like to use room-temperature eggs because they blend more evenly and create a better texture in the final cookie.
4. Pour the cooled chocolate mixture from Step 2 into the egg mixture from Step 3, stirring until fully incorporated. Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 and fold gently until just combined—don't overmix, as this develops gluten and makes cookies tough. The dough should be dark, rich, and slightly thick. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2-3 hours until the dough is firm enough to scoop and roll without sticking to your hands.
5. About 15 minutes before the dough finishes chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl and have it ready near your workspace. This prep work means you can move directly from shaping to baking without any delays.
6. Working with the chilled dough from Step 4, scoop tablespoon-sized portions and roll them between your palms into smooth balls. Working quickly keeps the dough from warming up too much. Roll each ball generously in the confectioners' sugar from Step 5 until fully coated—this sugar creates the signature crackled finish as the cookies bake and spread. I like to do this just before baking so the sugar coating stays white and prominent rather than absorbing moisture from the dough.
7. Place the sugar-coated dough balls 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes—the cookies should look slightly underbaked in the center, as they continue to set while cooling. Remove from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up slightly, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This resting period prevents them from breaking apart when you move them.