Guaranteed to bring a smile to any coffee lover’s face!
I spent an unplanned hour at a friend’s house this evening.
We met last April while serving on the jury for a small three-day trial. After the judge read the sentence and released us from the case, we exchanged numbers and promised to stay in contact. Barely a week or two later, I knocked on her door with a plate full of coffee cake, which led to cheesecake and cupcakes and cookie dough and about a third of everything I’ve posted since this spring.
Whenever her two kids spot me teetering up the driveway balancing trays of treats, they leave their neighborhood friends in the street and sprint up to the porch to see what I baked. And on the nearly every visit, they bargain with their mom, “They’re from Amy, so they’re healthy… Can we have another one before dinner?”
My heart melts each time!
Today we stood in my friend’s kitchen while they sampled two batches of new cookies. The conversation meandered all over the place, spanning territory from banana essence, facial baking burns, saving scabs (the fake Halloween kind), and parents laying eggs on Easter. By the time I left, my abs hurt and I could barely breathe. I haven’t laughed that much in months!
As I watched and listened to her kids, I realized that lots of the lack of laughter stems from aging into an adult. We grow guarded, instead of allowing our innocence and genuine emotions shine. We lose the courage to sing silly songs, bellow like an elk, or run outside on a whim to toss a Frisbee or kick around a soccer ball. (All of which happened in those 60 minutes tonight.)
That, and I just don’t have a kid’s energy anymore!
Which is where these Toffee Coffee Cookies come in. Although they contain only a smidgen of the caffeine of your usual morning mug, they still have the same earthy and irresistible flavor that’ll boost your energy levels sky high!
To mix up the dough, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch in a bowl. Yes, cornstarch. Although generally used to thicken soups and sauces, when added to cookies, the cornstarch keeps them really soft. Even after a week, this batch tasted as soft as the day I pulled them from the oven!
Next, melt the butter and immediately stir in the instant coffee crystals. You want to mix them together while the butter is hot because the instant coffee dissolves better in warm liquids. Do NOT use brewed coffee; it will make the dough too moist and tacky.
Now add in the egg whites (discard the yolks to keep the cookies healthier!), vanilla, and brown sugar. The brown sugar adds extra moisture, which increases the cookies’ softness, as well as a subtle caramel undertone to the flavor. After mixing the dry ingredients into the wet, fold in most of the toffee, cover the dough, and chill.
Chilling is mandatory. It allows the gluten to relax, the moisture to absorb, and keeps the cookies soft. (Can you tell how excited I am about the cookies’ soft texture?) Although the recipe suggests to refrigerate for at least 2 hours, I highly recommend 4 hours or more. Even overnight!
Just before baking, shape the dough into slightly flattened balls, press a few toffee bits into the tops, and pop into the oven for 9-11 minutes. No more! They may look underdone, but they’ll continue to set and bake a bit as they sit on the warm cookie sheet.
Sinking your teeth into one of these Toffee Coffee Cookies is like biting a cloud. Or a pillow. It’s as if you settled into your padded easy chair and cuddled up with a fleecy blanket. So soft, with the perfect touch of comforting coffee and kiss of sweetness.
Move over chocolate chip—these are my new favorite obsession cookies. I’m already searching for new cookie jars to store my huge stash!
The intense coffee flavor pairs perfectly with the sweet toffee pieces. These cookies are incredibly soft and will stay that way for a week if stored in an airtight container.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stove, and pour into a separate bowl. While the butter is still hot, add in the instant coffee, and stir vigorously until almost all of the coffee dissolves. Mix in the egg whites and vanilla. Add in the brown sugar, smearing out any clumps on the side of the bowl. Pour in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in 5 tablespoons of the toffee pieces. Cover the top of the cookie dough with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours. (I highly recommend chilling overnight!)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 24 balls, and place onto the prepared sheets. Press 5-6 pieces of the remaining toffee into the top of each. Flatten slightly. Bake at 350°F for 9-11 minutes. (They will look and feel slightly underdone.) Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Notes: It’s important to mix the coffee crystals into the hot butter because they’ll dissolve better, which reduces the amount of coffee “speckles” in the cookies.
Only bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes to ensure they stay soft. The insides will continue to bake and set on the warm cookies sheet after removing them from the oven.
These look so incredibly delicious. I am pinning these for later! 🙂
Aww thank you Mel; you’re so sweet! 🙂
Hey! Just wondering if I want to bake crispy cookies instead, do I just bake the cookies for a slightly longer time? 🙂
I think that should do the trick Christie! And if you leave them on the warm baking sheet for at least 10 minutes after pulling them out of the oven, that should help too. I’m excited to hear how they turn out for you!
Hi there! Those cookies look delicious! I was just wondering, can all-purpose flour be substituted with wheat flour for these wonderful baked goods? And does it go the same way if I were to use all-purpose flour for, say, your oatmeal raspberry cookies? Planning to bake these for a pot luck. 🙂
Thanks Sam! I haven’t tried swapping flours for either of the recipes you mentioned, but I’m fairly certain it would work. Just make sure you measure it correctly and you’ll be all set! 🙂 So sweet of you to bake homemade goodies for a potluck. I’m excited to hear what you think!
Can I use 3-in-1 coffee mix? If ever, what will be its quantity? Thanks!
Yes, that should be fine! I haven’t used 3-in-1 coffee mix in baking before, but you should be able to use the same amount. I hope you enjoy the cookies!
Hi Amy! I have a question for you. Was the dough supposed to be on the crumbly side after mixing? I found my dough crumbling after mixing everything, but once I formed the dough balls, it was actually coming together. I just want to make sure that I’m doing it right!
Also, I noticed that they didn’t spread much. Could it be because I only used egg whites instead of entire eggs?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Jasmine! The dough should not be crumbly; it should be really moist. If it was crumbly, then there was either too much flour in the dough or not enough sugar. Did you measure both as recommended in the link in the Ingredients section? The cookies only spread a little while baking, which is why the Instructions state to flatten them before baking. I hope that helps, and I’d love to hear how their flavor turned out for you! 🙂
Thank you for the tips, Amy! I did follow the recipe as stated, I just got a bit concerned with the flour amount and I did measure correctly. I’m definitely willing to try them again. The cookies still came out delicious! Do you think possibly a little less flour would be okay?
Yes, that should be fine Jasmine! I’d love to hear if that turns out any better for you! 🙂
I will definitely keep you posted. Thank you so much! ❤❤❤
It’s my pleasure Jasmine! I can’t wait! 🙂
Hi Amy
How do I replace egg whites and get the same texture.
Thanks
You can use Ener-G in place of the egg whites! It’s my favorite egg replacer, and it works perfectly in nearly all of my recipes. For each egg white, you’ll need 1½ teaspoons of Ener-G + 2 tablespoons warm water. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cookies Bina!