My cookie experiments continue. I bought a few cookie books a few weeks ago in an effort to overcome my cookie-baking challenges and this was my latest attempt.
In short, these turned out pretty well. My lack of excitement is not due to the recipe; I’m just beginning to realize that I’m not a big cookie fan, period. Maybe this explains why I haven’t baked them much. This weekend’s efforts led me to some reflection about what sweets I enjoy eating and I came up with these: Cakes, fruit bars (especially lemon), macarons, cannoli, ice cream. Cookies were not on the list! I probably just haven’t found a knock-your-socks-off cookie recipe yet but overall, I haven’t felt the satisfaction in making these that I do get when making a cake. In time, maybe. I’ll keep trying.
Okay, enough about revelations. Don’t let me discourage you from making these for they were good. Looking to Martha Stewart’s book for inspiration once again, I decided to use her recipe for Double Chocolate Coconut Cookies with a couple of changes. Since I wanted to use what I already had, I had to omit the coconut and the white chocolate chunks (not a big fan of the latter anyway). Instead, I planned to use what I thought were caramel chips in my pantry, but I actually had a bag of Guittard Cappuccino chips. Improvisation on top of improvisation but it worked.
These cookies were meant to be chocolatey, chunky, nutty…and so they were. They weren’t chewy (which I’m finding I prefer) but the pure chocolate flavor of the cookie was my favorite part. The unsweetened cocoa powder provided the chocolate base while the semi-sweet chocolate chunks were a pleasant treat in every other bite. The walnuts added a nutty crunch and the cappuccino gave these cookies a grown-up quality.
Frankly, while I was pleased with these cookies overall, I could have done without the cappuccino chips. I’m not really a coffee drinker so maybe that was my problem. I generally like the deep flavor that coffee imparts to chocolate (recipe here) but in this case, the cappuccino flavor overpowered. It was like having coffee that had too much cream and sugar–the chocolate got lost in the mix. Still, this recipe is a keeper–I would just skip the cappuccino chips and add more chocolate chunks next time. If you like coffee, on the other hand, this would be your kind of cookie. It was a winner with my husband and our friends. I guess I’m just not a grown-up-cookie kind of girl.
Double Chocolate Cappuccino Cookies
Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cookies (Makes about 5 dozen)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (I would use a little less next time)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks (about 4.5 ounces)
- 1 cup cappuccino chips
- 1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts (about 6 ounces)
Preheat oven to 350º F. Mix butter and sugars on medium speed (using paddle attachment) for about 2 minutes, or until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time then stir in vanilla.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Carefully mix into butter mixture on low speed until well combined. Next, stir in the chocolate, cappuccino chips and walnuts.
Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop the batter onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake until set, about 10 – 12 minutes. Let cool on the sheets for about 2 minutes before transferring cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
I am very excited by the idea of cappuccino chips. As I ahve never heard of them I suspect that they are not easy to come by in the UK and probably not healthy enough for Wholefoods to stock. I shall have to bash up a bar of coffee chocolate instead.
Helen, I think that would work. I just chanced upon this bag of cappuccino chips so I’m not even sure how easy they would be to find here in the U.S.
Unlike you, I adore coffee, so I’m sure I would love those cappuccino chips. What a great, chocolate recipe!
Thanks, Monet!
Where did you find cappuccino chips? They sound delicious to me! I’m with you. I like cookies, but they don’t compare to a good cake or bar. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Julie, I think I found them at Cost Plus a while back. As I mentioned, I thought I had caramel chips all along! 🙂
LOL!!!! I love cookies, but I have also had issues with making cookies – they tend to crisp up too much but they always looked beautiful, whereas my husband’s cookies are always soft and chewy. Drives me nuts! I found out today that all it seems to be is time. I made some cookies today and took them out at the earliest time stated in the recipe (actually my husband took them out) I was worried that they weren’t cooked enough, but after they cooled, they were still beautifully chewy and yummy!
Bonnie, I’m glad I’m not alone. Looking at these cookies, they looked burned at the edges but they’re actually not. I’m also paranoid about burning them. These actually turned out fine, but I’m with you: Soft and chewy cookies are the best! The chocolate flavor redeems this recipe though. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Oh coffee and chocolate!! I love that combination of flavors! those cookies are absolutely beautiful!
I agree that I prefer a chewy cookie over a crunchy one, it feels more comforting and homey when I bite into it and it is soft. I will leave the role of being crunchy to celery. 😉
Completely agree! 🙂
I am totally a cookie person and these sound fabulous!
Wonderful cookies!
I just love the composition on that top photo. So precise! Yum too. GREG
Coming from someone whose photos are always excellent, I’m very flattered. Thanks so much!
These look lovely, and I’m especially entranced because I am an admitted coffee *and* chocolate freak. I’m sure I would welcome the cappuccino chips! And the walnuts are an added bonus 🙂
Oh gosh, I am a coffee lover and a chocolate lover, so this recipe is just about heaven for me!! The photos are really great, and I appreciate it! When I need my chocolate and coffee fix, I go for
Cookie Ripple Coffee Cake, but I actually think yours looks a lot better! Definitely on my “To Make” list. Thanks for sharing!
~Sophia
I like lemon bars but I also like cookies. I’d probably dunk these in a big glass of milk, completely ruining the grown-up quality of these cookies 🙂
haha! That’s fair! To be honest, the longer these cookies sit, the more I like them. Thanks! 🙂
Love this post! I’ve been dealing with my own dessert ambivalence lately–so the “I’m not a cookie fan” confession definitely resonates for me. That being said, those are some beautiful cookies. Your photos are awesome!
All things coffee and chocolate are grand…but these are to die for!
What lovely cookies you made! It reminds me of when I was little and mom used to make me those kind of chocolate cookies (no cappuchino, though!). Mm.
I knew that was agreat photo!! Congrats on Top 9 GREG
Thanks so much, Greg! Oh, I only took about 50 pictures to get a handful of decent ones. So much for me to learn yet…
These are gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! I adore coffee and chocolate combined in baked goods, and your photography is stellar, too… I would love to have a few of these with a cold glass of milk at any time of day… I mean, they have coffee in them, so they are okay for breakfast, right!??!
Keep up the beautiful work!
— Lauren, Lauren’s Little Kitchen
Lauren, they’re definitely okay for breakfast. I had one or two with my tea yesterday. 🙂
Beautiful photo, great post and yummy cookies, it looks great, congrats on your top 9!
Thanks, Patty!
I prefer cookies to be crisp (have been known to burn them on purpose) and these would have been yummy in my tummy! Congrats on the Top Spot!
Thanks so much, Ruby!
Nice looking biscuits (cookies)…in my household I’m the coffee drinker and can’t open eyes fully until 2nd cup is being drunk where my fiancé loves his tea and hates coffee…
I could imagine enjoying one of these with a cup of coffee…
I’m the same way with tea as you are with coffee. Thanks, Azelia!
These cookies look pretty tasty to me! Since you are not a coffee person, how about I just take any cappuccino chips you have left over…or any coffee you have left over for that matter 🙂
Fine by me! I like your blog, by the way. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Chocolate and coffee are so great together. These look amazing!
I love chocolate cookies! Where do you get cappuccino chips? They sound really goood!
I got the cappuccino chips at Cost Plus World Market, I think. Thanks!
Chocolate and coffee is a combination made in culinary heaven! Hopefully I chance on cappuccino chips too 🙂
You so had me at the title – cappuccino and chocolate in the same title can never be less than amazing!:) I was going through your posts – really like all of them. I think I share the same taste and philosophy in the kitchen with you. So inspired by your blog – I’ll be back soon! Have a great weekend!