Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 packets of Starbucks Via Instant Coffee (Columbia or Italian roast) (1 packet equals 1 tablespoon)
1 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract
2 large eggs
1 bag (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bag (11 ounces) sea salt-caramel baking chips *see notes below recipe
1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line the bottom of a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Using a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and instant coffee until very well combined.
3. Using a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and dark brown sugar until combined. Stir in vanilla until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time until combined.
4. Stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Stir in chocolate and caramel chips. Stir in hazelnuts (optional). Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, remove baking sheet from oven and let cookies cool for 8-10 minutes before transferring them to a plate.
Notes: The cooking time for these cookies are at 325 degrees F., because the instant espresso has a tendency to start burning at slightly higher temperatures. When removing the cookies from the oven they will look like they have not baked long enough, don’t worry, they will continue to bake during the 8–10-minute cooling period.
Update: 5/15/2025: I revised this recipe from using light brown sugar to dark brown sugar. I just feel light brown sugar doesn’t cut it for cookies anymore. It can cause your cookies to go full rock hard solid after a few days. Switching to dark brown sugar with that extra molasses, adds that extra boost of moisture. Leading to a chewier and softer texture. The dark brown sugar also adds more of that toffee caramel-like flavor undertones. It helps bring out and compliments the espresso in this cookie.
Update: It’s hard to find really good caramel baking chips or bits. Hershey’s has discontinued making their awesome sea salt and caramel baking chips.
I do recommend Albertsons brand name called Overjoyed salted caramel baking chips. Also recommend the caramel baking bits from Nuts.com. Their bits have great flavor and texture for baking. A good substitute that you usually can find at the grocery store is butterscotch baking chips.