Author Notes

I love the way coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate, which is why I started doctoring up my favorite chocolate cookies with espresso powder. These cookies are not for the faint of heart, they are decadent and rich, and best accompanied with a glass of milk. —Kelsey Banfield

Test Kitchen Notes

"Two warnings about these cookies: don't give them to young children before bedtime and don't leave them lying around (if you want any left for yourself). These cookies are crisp on the edges and chewy in the middle with pockets of soft chocolate. The espresso powder, as KelseyTheNaptimeChef notes, amplifies the chocolate, but not the sweetness, making it a grown-up cookie. When making any cookies, make sure to cream the butter really well–this aerates the cookies and integrates the sugar–but be conservative with your mixing once the dry ingredients are added." –A&M



"Call me crazy, but I like to drink milk from animals, specifically cows. So when Food52 Writer and Recipe Developer Emma Laperruque announced she was planning an almond milk taste test a couple of weeks ago, I quickly told her I wouldn’t be participating.



But Emma had a secret weapon: Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies. Straight from the oven. And only almond milk testers could get a taste.



These rich, chocolatey cookies are a classic here at Food52. Community member Kelsey Banfield first shared them on the site back in 2009, and they've been sweetening company events and celebrations ever sense. When developing the recipe, Banfield wanted to create an espresso brownie in cookie clothing.



'I love the way coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate, which is why I started doctoring up my favorite chocolate cookies with espresso powder,' Banfield says. 'I also had a toddler at the time so I didn't mind the caffeine kick.'



The recipe calls for two tablespoons of instant espresso powder, the thought of which might make your heart beat a little faster. But don’t skimp. Espresso powder makes chocolate magically more chocolatey, with a slight mocha taste and no extra sweetness.



Before you make a batch, heed Banfield's advice:



'These cookies are not for the faint of heart. They are decadent and rich, and best accompanied with a glass of milk.'



Yes, even almond milk." –Katie Macdonald



—The Editors