Brown Butter Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These brown butter espresso chocolate chunk cookies bring together nutty brown butter, freshly brewed espresso, and plenty of chopped dark chocolate. The edges turn golden while the centers stay soft, and a little flaky salt on top is the perfect finishing touch.

I use 2 tablespoons of brewed espresso in this recipe and divide the dough into 12 equal balls. You can chill them for at least 2 hours or overnight for a more uniform cookie, or bake them right away if you love a thinner, crispier cookie with more spread.

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Why You’ll Love These Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies

• Brown butter adds a rich, toasted flavor that pairs beautifully with coffee and chocolate.
• Brewed espresso gives the dough a coffee note without needing espresso powder.
• Chopped dark chocolate creates a mix of chocolate pieces and little flecks throughout the cookies.
• One batch makes 12 cookies, with chilling instructions for your preferred texture.
• Gram measurements make it easy to measure the dough consistently.

Ingredient Notes

Butter: Start with 113 g of unsalted butter, weighed before browning. Some moisture cooks off during browning, so the finished butter will weigh less. Scrape all the golden-brown bits into your bowl; that is where so much of the flavor comes from.

Brewed espresso: Use 30 g, or 2 tablespoons, of cooled brewed espresso. This version uses brewed espresso in place of the earlier espresso powder and added water. Let it cool before adding it to the dough.

Brown and granulated sugar: Brown sugar adds a deeper flavor, while granulated sugar helps give the cookies their crisp edges.

Dark chocolate: Roughly chop 133 g of dark chocolate. I like the way dark chocolate balances the sweetness of the dough. Include the small chocolate shards along with the larger chunks.

Flour and leavening: Use 140 g all-purpose flour and ¼ teaspoon baking soda. For these small quantities, measuring spoons are useful if your scale cannot read tenths of a gram.

How to Make Brown Butter Espresso Cookies

Brown the butter first and let it cool until lukewarm. Whisk it with both sugars, then add the egg, vanilla, and cooled espresso. Fold in the whisked dry ingredients, followed by the chopped dark chocolate. Stop mixing as soon as the flour is incorporated.

Weigh your finished dough and divide that weight by 12 to get the portion size for each cookie. This accounts for the moisture lost while browning the butter and gives you evenly sized dough balls.

Chilled Dough vs. Baking Right Away

For a more uniform cookie: Cover the portioned dough and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours or overnight. Bake the dough balls straight from the refrigerator. Chilling helps control spread.

For a thinner, crispier cookie: Bake the portioned dough right away. Leave plenty of room between the balls because the cookies spread more. Begin checking them earlier than a chilled batch.

Tips for the Best Cookies

• Use a light-colored saucepan so you can see when the butter solids turn golden brown. Transfer the butter out of the hot pan promptly.
• Cool the browned butter before adding the egg and chocolate.
• Weigh the flour instead of packing it into a measuring cup.
• Use a cool baking sheet for each batch. A hot sheet can make the next batch spread sooner.
• Look for golden edges and slightly soft centers. The cookies continue to set as they cool on the tray.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use brewed espresso instead of espresso powder?
Yes. This recipe is written for 30 g of brewed espresso. Add it cooled with the wet ingredients.

Do I have to chill the dough?
No. Chilling for at least 2 hours or overnight gives you a more uniform cookie with less spread. Baking immediately gives you a thinner, crispier cookie that spreads more.

How do I make all 12 cookies the same size?
Weigh the entire batch of finished dough and divide by 12. Use that number as the weight for each dough ball.

Why did my cookies spread more than expected?
Warm dough, warm baking sheets, and too little flour can all increase spread. For a more consistent shape, weigh the flour, chill the portioned dough, and use a cool baking sheet.

How to Store

Once completely cool, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.

More Sweet Recipes to Try

If you love baking with chocolate, try my classic chocolate chip cookies or gluten-free dark chocolate chip cookies. Serve these espresso cookies with a Lotus Biscoff latte for a coffee break treat.

I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as I do! Leave a comment below and tell me whether you chilled your dough or baked it right away.

Brown Butter Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe

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Brown Butter Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Recipe by Fatima Maniya Soorty

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Nutty brown butter cookies with brewed espresso and chopped dark chocolate. Chill for a more uniform cookie or bake immediately for a thinner, crispier cookie. Makes 12.

Servings

Adjust servings

+

–

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Ingredients

• 113 g unsalted butter, weighed before browning

• 100 g brown sugar

• 50 g granulated sugar

• 1 large egg, at room temperature

• 8 g vanilla extract (2 teaspoons)

• 30 g brewed espresso (2 tablespoons), cooled

• 140 g all-purpose flour

• 1.2 g baking soda (¼ teaspoon)

• 1.5 g fine salt (¼ teaspoon)

• 133 g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

• Flaky salt, optional, for finishing

Directions

• Brown the butter: Place 113 g unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently as it melts, foams, and develops golden-brown milk solids and a nutty aroma. Immediately pour into a heatproof mixing bowl, scraping in the browned bits. Let cool until lukewarm.
• Mix the wet ingredients: Whisk the brown sugar and granulated sugar into the cooled brown butter. Whisk in the egg, vanilla, and cooled brewed espresso until combined.
• Add the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and fine salt. Fold into the wet ingredients just until no dry flour remains. Fold in the chopped dark chocolate.
• Portion into 12: Weigh the finished dough and divide its weight by 12. Portion into 12 equal balls. If the dough is too soft to shape, briefly refrigerate it until scoopable.
• Choose your texture: For more uniform cookies with less spread, cover the dough balls and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. For thinner, crispier cookies with more spread, bake immediately after portioning.
• Prepare to bake: Heat a conventional oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place dough balls at least 3 inches apart, allowing extra room for unchilled dough. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack.
• Bake: Bake for approximately 12–16 minutes, until the edges are golden and set and the centers still look slightly soft. Begin checking at 10 minutes, especially for unchilled dough. Chilled dough may need the longer end of the range.
• Finish and cool: Sprinkle with optional flaky salt while warm. Let the cookies set on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Recipe notes: Prep time is an estimate and includes browning and cooling the butter. Bake time is approximately 12–16 minutes per tray; begin checking at 10 minutes. Allow 2 hours or overnight for the chilled option, plus 10 minutes cooling on the tray. Chilling is optional for the thinner, crispier version. Small gram conversions for vanilla, leavening, salt, and espresso are approximate. The 113 g butter is the starting weight before browning.