Cappuccino Cookies

Cookies and coffee. WOW! What a delicious combination. These are grown up cookies for sure. These are sandwich cookies with coffee in the cookie dough and a cappuccino flavored whipped cream filling in between. Oh they are so yummy. They are not overly sweet, so they are perfect to pair with your cup of morning joe too.

Cappuccinos became popular in the United States in the late 1980’s, giving many Americans the impression that they were a “new drink”. However, cappuccinos have been around in Europe since the late 1700’s. Cappuccinos first popped up as the ‘Kapuziner’ in Viennese coffee houses in the 1700s. A description of the ‘Kapuziner’ from 1805 described it as “coffee with cream and sugar,” and a description of the drink from 1850 adds “spices” to the recipe. But the word “cappuccino” has nothing to do with how the beverage is made and instead refers to its distinct light brown color. Though the name cappuccino is an Italian word for coffee that coffee lovers around the world are familiar with, when the cappuccino drink was first introduced in Italy, it was named after the Capuchin friars because the color of the espresso mixed with frothed milk was similar to the color of the Capuchin robes they wore. The name, whimsical in a world of utilitarian coffee-drink names, stuck; we borrowed it into English in the late 1800s. For the most part, contemporary cappuccinos are made with espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk. However, in some parts of the world, cappuccinos are still made more like Viennese Kapuziners, complete with whipped cream and other additives. 

In the United States, people drink cappuccinos at all times during the day. But in Italy, they are only enjoyed in the morning hours, before 11:00 AM. It is just a deep-rooted generational concept that Italians have held onto for centuries, with no real reasoning behind it, or at least none that I can see. In recent years, some European cappuccino customs have changed. Most notably, some Europeans (particularly those in the U.K., Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, and Spain) have begun to drink cappuccinos throughout the entire day rather than only in the morning. Now, cappuccinos are popular at cafes in the afternoon and at restaurants after dinner.

When we think of cappuccinos, we automatically think of a steaming hot cup of coffee made with milk. But today, it can also mean something that is made with and/or coffee flavored too. When I made my cappuccino cookies, I added coffee in both the cookie dough and in the whipped cream filling.

Cappuccino Cookies

These cookies are supposed to be small bite-sized cookies but those just weren’t good enough for my taste. So I quadrupled the recipe, which still only gave me about 3 dozen, but at least they were normal sized cookies, and not just the little tiny teasers they were supposed to be. 🙂

3 cups flour

4 TBSP finely ground coffee crystals or espresso, divided

3 sticks of softened butter

1 cup powdered or confectioner’s sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

10 oz chocolate chips

cocoa powder and powdered sugar for dusting

Combine the flour and 1/2 the espresso together and mix well.

Mix the butter and powdered sugar together until creamy, then add the vanilla. Add the flour and coffee mixture until everything comes together to form a dough. Wrap in plastic and set in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling out and cutting.

When you are ready to bake them, preheat the oven to 350* F or 190*C. Line your cookie pans with parchment paper.

Roll the dough in between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/8″ thick.

Drop about 1 tsp of the dough on to the prepared cookies sheets, about 1 inch apart, and roll in to a ball. Lightly press with your hands or fingers and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.

Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 or so minutes before removing them and placing them on a baking rack to cool completely.

Make the coffee cream by bringing the cream to a scalding boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips. Mix together until it is smooth and creamy. Add the rest of the espresso or coffee, and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for about 4 hours, then beat on high until it forms into stiff peaks.

I had some left over coffee cream from when I made cappuccino brownies Cappuccino Brownies that I added to the mix as well. In case you needed reminding, I am “The Queen of Leftovers” after all. 🙂

When the filling is ready, spread it onto the bottom of one cookie, then place another cookie on top, bottom side down on the filling, to form a sandwich.

When the cookies are all filled, add the cocoa powder to a sifter and do a light duting over the cookies. Do the same with the powdered sugar.

Refrigerate for at least about 30 minutes for the cream filling to set before serving, then watch them quickly disappear. They’ll be gone before you know it.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.