Walnut Coffee Cookies

by Marc Thursby
(Pacifica, CA)

These cookies are a huge favourite in our family. More so among us adults, as they are not as sweet as the cookies the kids generally prefer. There’s coffee in the recipe, and I also like to have a coffee while having a cookie or two...they complement each other wonderfully.

2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon very finely ground, powder-like coffee

1. Combine 1 1/4 cups of the walnuts, the flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor. Pulse the machine until the nuts are chopped into very fine pieces. Set them aside. Then chop the remaining nuts by hand and set them aside in a small bowl.

2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth, gradually adding the sugar. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla and coffee. Add the dry mixture to the creamed ingredients, stirring the dough with a wooden spoon until evenly combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

3. Adjust one oven rack so it is in the center position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Get out 1 or 2 large baking sheets and butter them lightly or line with parchment.

4. Pinch off pieces of dough and roll into balls 1 1/4-inches in diameter. Roll in the finely chopped nuts and place on the cookie sheet/s, leaving a little room between them. Bake – one sheet at a time – for 16 to 18 minutes, until firm to the touch. Cool briefly on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Comments for Walnut Coffee Cookies

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Nov 01, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Anonymous 4
by: Anonymous

These are addictive! You really must prepare yourself for the taste--NOT sweet! So, once my mind got past the expected toll-house sugar bang, I was hooked! Buttery, nutty, and a hint of yum coffee flavor. Definitely one for the discerning grownups, and absolutely delicious!

Jul 25, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Luscious Surprise Cookies
by: Anonymous

To simplify making the cookies, I made a couple of minor changes which had no effect on the finished cookies. First, I pulsed the two cups of nuts in the processor until fairly well chopped. Then I removed 3/4 cup for coating the cookies before baking. I added the remainder of the nuts, (1&1/4 C.) to the flour mixture, to which I had already added the powdered coffee. This way I avoided hand chopping the nuts, and added the coffee powder to the other dry ingredients.

Jul 24, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Luscious Surprise Cookies
by: Anonymous

This is now my favorite recipe just as it is. Everyone is so surprised to find that these cookies are not sweet, but they disappear like hotcakes. And, they are easy to make. Thanks so much,Marc, for this unique recipe. I'd never have thought of it.
I'm on the Pacific Coast too, much farther north than you, though. We're almost to Oregon and I love to drink my coffee and snack on a cookie or two while I watch the surf and seagulls.

Nov 25, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
The BEST cookies ever!!
by: Anonymous

These are super delicious and a hit with everyone I've shared them with. Now I'm going to add 2 T. dutch cocoa and increase the sugar to 1 C. so that I can have some Walnut Mocha Cookies. These will be for my chocolate loving friend. thanks Marc, for a great cookie recipe.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Coffee Recipes.

Before you go, sign up to receive the Coffee Detective Newsletter...

Sign up for occasional newsletters about the best coffees and brewing equipment. Plus special updates from the Coffee Detective Coffee Store…