Y’all it has been a crazy time. January is usually this bleak and depressing month where I’m stuck in school all the time but this January? She has been a wild ride. I’ve barely been in school! And don’t get me wrong, I am NOT complaining about that. But we’ve had a couple of snow days, some teacher work days. and one heavy rain cancelation. This means I never had a full week in school all of January!
So that’s pretty cool. BUT. I feel like this means February is gonna hit HARD. February always sneaks up on me because people always talk about how sad and depressing January is, but then you get to February and realize… it’s a lil depressing to.
But never fear! Because in February you get chocolate. I don’t care if it’s technically supposed to be from “someone” else, I want chocolate and I can give it to myself thank you very much.
And what’s even better than chocolate? Chocolate and Coffee.
Describe these Cookies to Me
Taste: If you’ve never had a coffee cookie, it’s pretty awesome. Take that coffee flavor you know and love, and add some salty butter, sweet vanilla, and warming brown sugar. The cookie melts in your mouth, and gets topped with a bittersweet chocolate to balance it all out.
Texture: When I was making these I knew I didn’t want them to have the same texture as a peanut butter blossom. I wanted it to be a little gooier and chewier without falling apart. And that’s what you get! A soft buttery cookie with a crisp sugar coated exterior.
Ease: These cookies are perfect for any skill level! The dough comes together simply and quickly, but make sure to leave time to chill it for a couple hours. Then roll it up, toss in some sugar, and press a chocolate on top!
The Dough
This dough has a couple of key things to make it extra special. We use a mixture of unsalted and salted butter. Using salted butter enhances that coffee flavor, but we want to use a little unsalted so it doesn’t become too savory. Next, make sure to use white and brown sugar. The brown sugar adds to that coffee flavor as well as making these cookies softer and chewier. Next, make sure to use plenty of vanilla. This will again add to that coffee flavor making these irresistible!
Do I Have to Add Coffee?
Nope! If coffee isn’t your jam you can leave it out, no substitutions required. We use espresso powder which doesn’t add or take away from the structure and chemical composition of the cookie, so taking it away shouldn’t change a thing. Similarly, you can take out the chocolate on top and just have a plain coffee cookie.
What is a Kiss Cookie?
I have decided these are kiss cookies for a few reasons. One, Valentines Day. Two, I had intended to top these with Hershey’s Kisses. But I first started testing these on one of my surprise days off, so I didn’t have any kisses in my kitchen. But, I found chocolate hearts from some different cookies I made last valentines day (yes they were a year old, womp womp) so I used those instead. But pretty much these are like peanut butter blossoms, without the peanut. So you can use any chocolate you want.
There is a chance it might snow later this month and that has got me pretty excited. I’ve realized with all these extra days off, the more time I have off, the more I want it. It makes it harder to go back to school. So a few more snow days would be pretty great…
Coffee Kiss Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the salted and unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Add the espresso powder and beat until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat on low speed until just combined. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and chill for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside. Unwrap all of your chocolates so they are ready to go, and pour 1/2 cup of granulated sugar into a small bowl.
- Roll the chilled dough into balls about 2 Tablespoons in size. Roll the cookie dough balls in the sugar and place on the previously prepared baking sheet. Press down the cookies to flatten them just a little bit. Then, press a chocolate into the cookie.
- Chill the shaped cookies for just 10 minutes. Then bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown and set. Allow cookies to cool on the sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely or enjoying warm!
- Cookies stay fresh at room temperature sealed in an airtight container for up to 5 days!