Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cozy up with a warm cup of coffee and these soft, chewy dairy-free espresso chocolate chip cookies. Coffee flavored cookies made with dairy-free dark chocolate chips, this simple recipe makes a show-stopping holiday cookie!

Espresso chocolate chip cookies topped with sea salt on a silver cooling rack from the side angle.

I am a huge fan of chocolate chip cookies. From coconut oil based chocolate chunk cookies to funfetti cookie cakes to eggless chocolate chip cookies, suffice to say, I have a soft spot for the chocolate chip cookie.

While working on the recipe for Coffee Chip Ice Cream Pie, I fell in love with the crust. It’s thick chocolate chip cookie cake like crust made with espresso powder was the real star of the show (in my humble opinion).

Taking the espresso chocolate chip cookie crust recipe and merging it with my dairy-free chocolate chip cookies, we ended up with this incredibly addictive espresso chocolate chip cookie.

Why We Love Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

There are a million reasons we love making these espresso chocolate chip cookies. Some reasons you might want to make these coffee flavored cookies include:

  • Coffee+ Chocolate: All the flavor of mocha packed into one warm chewy cookie.
  • Great frozen! Once baked, pop these cookies in the freezer and pull out when you are ready to enjoy with a warm cup of coffee.
  • Quick to make. No rest time for the dough makes these cookies quick to whip up in under 30 minutes.
  • Perfect for gifting. Package these espresso chocolate chip cookies with your holiday cookie box for a treat all of your friends and family will enjoy!
A pink plate topped with fresh espresso chocolate chip cookies on a white counter.

Dairy-Free Changes to Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Two main swaps make this coffee flavored chocolate chip cookie delightfully dairy-free.

  • Plant-based Butter– I like to use a plant based butter to replace traditional butter like Country Crock’s Plant Butter sticks.
  • Chocolate Chips– In place of regular chocolate chips, I swapped in some dairy-free dark chocolate chips. Some brands I have tried and liked include:

How to Make Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Plant-Based Butter: At room temperature.
  • Egg: At room temperature.
  • Instant Espresso Powder: Gives the cookies a delightful coffee flavor.
  • Sugar: A blend of granulated and brown sugar sweeten these cookies.
  • Vanilla: Boosts the espresso and chocolate flavor in the cookies.
  • Dry Ingredients: A blend of flour, salt, and baking soda give structure to the cookies.
  • Dark Chocolate: I like to use dark chocolate with the espresso for a rich flavor.
  • Flaky Sea Salt: Used to sprinkle on top and enhance the chocolate flavor.
Ingredients for espresso chocolate chip cookies on a white counter with a pink striped towel.

Step-by-Step Directions for Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Pull ingredients: Allow the egg and plant-based butter to come to room temperature.
  • Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • Cream butter + sugars: In the base of a stand mixer, cream together plant-based butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and espresso powder.
  • Add remaining wet ingredients: Next mix in vanilla and egg.
  • Scoop in dry ingredients: Slowly spoon in flour, salt, and baking soda until almost combined.
  • Add chocolate chips: Remove from the mixer and fold in dark chocolate chips.
  • Scoop dough: Using a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop drops of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet.
  • Top with salt: Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
  • Bake for 12 minutes.
  • Cool: Remove from oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for about 1 minute before moving to a cooling rack.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

When you are ready to whip up a batch of these dairy-free espresso chocolate chip cookies, here are a few helpful tools you might enjoy using:

Serving Suggestions

One of my favorite ways to enjoy these warm espresso chocolate chip cookies is with a glass of cold non-dairy milk, some other ways you might want to serve them up include:

Storing Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Once you have made these delicious coffee flavored chocolate chip cookies allow them to cool completely before you store them for future eating.

  • Storing: Allow cookies to cool completely then keep in an air-tight container in the pantry for up to 5 days.
  • Frozen Cookies: Place espresso chocolate chip cookies in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months in the freezer. Remove and enjoy frozen, or microwave to warm.
A line of espresso chocolate chip cookies with a small cup of espresso in the middle.

Freezing Cookie Dough for the Future

If you want to make this dough in advance to include in your holiday cookie box, here are some tips for freezing the cookie dough.

  • Make the espresso chocolate chip cookie dough completely.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Next, scoop the dough into balls onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Top with additional chocolate chips.
  • Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze at least 30 minutes.
  • Transfer the dough balls to a freezer safe container and store for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to bake the frozen cookie dough:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and take out as many cookie as you plan on baking.
  • Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, or until baked to your desired level of “done”.

More Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you tried this dairy-free espresso chocolate chip cookie recipe feel free to leave a comment below! I would love to hear how it went! Or, snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!

You can also get delicious dairy-free recipes and tips by signing up for my newsletter!

A small wire cooling rack with espresso chocolate chip cookies on a white counter.

Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft, chewy, and loaded with coffee flavor, these dairy-free espresso chocolate chip cookies are the perfect sweet pick-me-up cookie recipe.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Chocolate Chip Cookies, Coffee, Cookies, Dairy-Free, Espresso
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Plant-Based Butter room temperature
  • 1 large Egg room temperature
  • 4 Tablespoons Espresso Powder
  • ½ cup Brown Sugar
  • ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups Flour all purpose
  • ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 ½ cup Dark Chocolate Chips dairy-free
  • Flaky Sea Salt to finish

Instructions

  1. Allow 1 large egg and ½ cup plant-based butter to come to room temperature.

  2. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

  3. In the base of a stand mixer, cream together plant-based butter, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and 4 Tablespoons espresso powder.

  4. Next mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla and egg.

  5. Slowly spoon in 1½ cups flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon baking soda until almost combined.

  6. Remove from the mixer and fold in 1 ½ cup dark chocolate chips.

  7. Using a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop drops of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet.

  8. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake for 12-13 minutes.

  9. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for about 1 minute before moving to a cooling rack.

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