I have never been a coffee drinker for all my 60 years and I don’t plan on being a coffee drinker for the remaining years…although a recipe like this can get me to think about trying coffee again…with sugar and cream, never ever black!  Now coffee in a recipe is different.  I really enjoy the flavor coffee brings to a lot of recipes, even though i don’t drink the stuff! 

I remember my father drinking coffee in the hot summer months while working underneath a car, coffee on the hood and him reaching up every so often to take a drink!  Ice tea I say, not hot coffee in the hot summer months!  I’ll never understand how he did that, and how most of the world does it!  Oh, I was talking about coffee baked in things…yes, let’s get back on track! lol

Coffee in chocolate is delicious, it adds something to chocolate that makes it okay, especially in this cookie.  If you like coffee, you’re going to love this cookie recipe, if you DON’T like coffee, you’re going to love this cookie…………okay, maybe, you non-coffee drinkers of the world!  Just give this recipe a try…just one cookie.  You can give the rest of them away to all your coffee loving friends!!  But, I think once you have one of these cookies, you just may re-think that cup a java!

Happy Cookie Baking!!

Ingredients: 

¼ cup instant coffee granules

2 Tablespoons boiling water

½ cup butter, softened (unsalted)

¾ cup sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 package (12-ounces) semisweet chocolate chunks

1 and ½ cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small, combine coffee and water; set aside.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with reserved coffee mixture, beating well after each addition.  Stir in chocolate chunks and nuts if desired.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Shape Tablespoons of dough into balls.  Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.  Bake at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove to wire racks to cool.

Yield: 3 dozen.

Recipe from Herbert Greene, Sonoma, California from the magazine:  “Fall Baking” Taste of Home magazine  2012.