Espresso Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

I take soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies with nuts to another level with these Espresso Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies. The addition of espresso powder, local walnuts and toffee dark chocolate come together for a sophisticated cookie recipe that you will be obsessed with!

If you’re looking for more eggless cookies, be sure to check out some of my other favorites like Eggless Double Chocolate Chip Cookies, Coffee Creamer Cookies, Eggless Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies, or Eggless Cosmic Brownie Cookies.

espresso walnut chocolate chip cookies on a plate with a glass of milk.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Recipe Name: Espresso Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ready In: 30 minutes
Makes: 12 cookies
Main Ingredients: salted butter, light brown sugar, all purpose flour, walnuts
Flavor Profile: espresso, nutty crunch in classic chocolate chip cookies
Dietary Info: eggless, no seed oils, vegan swap available
Difficulty: Easy!
Why You’ll Love It: eggless espresso chocolate chip cookies, no chill dough

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Elevated Classic: While chocolate chip cookies with nuts are pretty common — I promise you that these Espresso Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies are anything but! With the depth of flavor from the espresso powder, toffee dark chocolate, and flaky sea salt finish, you'll be obsessed with these espresso chocolate chip cookies.
Eggless Cookies: With the egg shortage right now, you may be thinking of making eggless cookies. Let me tell you that as someone who can eat eggs, I actually prefer eggless cookies! Cookies made without eggs can be softer, chewier, and also last longer than cookies with eggs. Check out more Easy Egg Replacers for Baking and Eggless Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin Cookies or Eggless Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies for more favorites.
Bold Flavor: I use Theo Chocolates Salted Toffee Dark Chocolate Bars as the “chocolate chips” in these Espresso Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies. These chocolate bars have bits of toffee pieces and loads of flavor that compliments the espresso powder and walnuts just perfectly.
Organic Cookies: These eggless cookies use organic ingredients, making them a better choice than store bought! Using simple organic ingredients allows you to indulge mindfully in these elevated chocolate chip cookies with nuts.

Jump to:

A Quick Look At The Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Baker’s Tips
How to Make Espresso Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Espresso Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies FAQ’s
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
Espresso Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
The Bake Shop

I recently got some Organic Regenerative Walnuts from Old Dog Ranch. I polled you guys on Instagram as to what I should make with them and you voted for cookies! You are my people, as cookies are always my first choice! 

So, I knew I wanted to make eggless cookies because of the egg shortage right now now. And, these organic cookies don’t even need eggs to be so incredibly soft and chewy! If you are looking for more eggless recipes be sure to check out my book, Effortless Eggless Baking.

Also, check out some of my other favorite eggless desserts like Big Chocolate Cookie, Vanilla Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies, Eggless Chocolate Carrot Cake, or Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cookies (Homemade Tagalongs).

Ingredients

Light Brown Sugar: I use all light brown sugar which makes these cookies extra soft and chewy and they have a richer flavor. I use my homemade light brown sugar, but store bought also works.
Milk: Use whole milk for the best results. Milk is replacing eggs in these organic cookies. So, you want full fat milk, not reduced fat or skim. Because reduced fat and skim milk have more water content, this can dry out cookies more than if you use whole milk. 
Yogurt: I use organic plain Greek yogurt, which also helps replace eggs. This gives these eggless cookies great texture.
Baking Soda: I use baking soda because these are cookies, which is a quick rise bake and they have an acid to react with the baking soda (brown sugar). For more info on the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder, read my post.
Espresso Powder: I use organic espresso powder for the coffee flavor. This is a small thing that brings so much flavor to these organic cookies, don’t skip it!
Chocolate Bars: I use Theo Chocolates Organic Salted Toffee Dark Chocolate Bars. This is one of my favorite tricks for bringing bold flavor to cookies with a single ingredient. These chocolate bars have bits of toffee and a little salt that compliments the hint of espresso and hearty walnuts so well! If you can’t get these, regular dark chocolate also works.
Flaky Sea Salt: I top these Espresso Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies with flaky sea salt. This is completely optional, but also completely necessary in my opinion! I love the sweet and salty combo, but if you don’t simply leave it off.

*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.

Baker’s Tips

Always weigh ingredients for the best results.
Make sure your butter is soft, I like to let it soften naturally on the counter for a few hours or even overnight.
I use Theo Chocolates Salted Toffee Dark Chocolate Bars, but plain dark chocolate bars or chocolate chips also work. You just won’t have the same exact flavor, but they’ll still be good.
Feel free to add extra dark chocolate and walnuts on the tops of the cookies before baking.
Flaky sea salt is optional, but I’m obsessed with sweet and salty cookies!
Be sure to store cookies in an airtight container so they stay soft.
You can freeze these in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Just thaw and enjoy!
Vegan — Replace the butter with vegan butter, milk with coconut milk, and yogurt with vegan yogurt. You’ll also need to use vegan friendly dark chocolate.
High Altitude — Bake at 375°F for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown on the bottoms.

How to Make Espresso Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

butter and brown sugar in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract.

creamed butter and sugar in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Mix on low until combined and there are no butter chunks.

ingredients for espresso walnut chocolate chip cookies in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Add the milk and Greek yogurt.

Next, add the flour, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.

espresso walnut chocolate chip cookie dough in a glass mixing bowl on a marble counter.

Mix on low until combined into a cookie dough.

Add the chopped walnuts and chocolate bars to the cookie dough. Reserve a small amount of each if you want to add it on top of cookies for extra fancy looking cookies, this is totally optional! Mix on low until combined.

espresso walnut chocolate chip cookie dough balls on a baking sheet on a white marble counter.

Using your hands, form the dough into 12 dough balls and flatten them slightly so they are about 2-inches in diameter. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spreading evenly apart. You’ll have 6 cookies per sheet.

espresso walnut chocolate chip cookies on a baking sheet.

Bake at 375°F for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. You can round these out with a cookie cutter for perfectly round cookies right after baking if you want. Top with flaky sea salt immediately after coming out of the oven. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.

Espresso Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies FAQ’s

Can I use unsalted butter?

Yep, just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the dough.

Can I use coffee instead of espresso powder?

No, espresso powder is a very concentrated espresso flavor in a powder form, which is why it works so well in these cookies as it's not adding all the liquid that real coffee would add. I would assume instant coffee would work similarly, but I haven't tried this.

What does espresso powder do in cookies?

Using espresso powder in cookies or baking allows you to get a highly concentrated espresso flavor into baked goods easily. This is much better as you don't have to add all the liquid of espresso or coffee into your baked goods, which can alter the texture.

Does espresso make cookies taste like coffee?

The espresso powder makes these cookies have a coffee-like flavor. It's not overwhelming, it just compliments the dark chocolate and walnuts so well!

Can I use another kind of nut?

Yes, feel free to substitute for almonds, pecans, or even peanuts.

Can I use chocolate chips instead of chocolate bars?

Yes, but you won't has as much flavor as the bars I'm using here are chocolate toffee, so you get a really good flavor from them.

What replaces eggs in these cookies?

I use a mix of milk and Greek yogurt. This provides fat and moisture, which are two things eggs do in traditional cookies.

Can I make these vegan?

Yes! Just use vegan butter, milk, and yogurt. I recommend using Miyoko’s vegan butter for the best results and coconut milk and yogurt. I prefer coconut milk for vegan cookies as it has more fat, while almond or oat milk are more watery which doesn’t give you the best results. You’ll also need to use plain dark chocolate as these chocolate bars I’m using have butter.

Why didn’t my cookies spread?

If you just scooped or formed into a ball and didn't make them a disk like I mention in the instructions, then they may not spread as much. Look at the process photo and watch the video to see exactly how to shape these cookies.

Why are my cookies dry or cakey?

Probably from measuring incorrectly. These cookies are incredibly soft and moist, so if yours com out cakey, it could be because of too much flour or not enough milk. Be sure to use a digital food scale and measure properly for the best results.

Do I need to chill the dough?

Nope, you can make these immediately after mixing up the dough.

How should I store these?

Store in an airtight container to keep these cookies soft and chewy. They’ll stay fresh for 7 days at room temperature. Or, you can store in the fridge for a couple weeks or the freezer for up to 3 months.

Can I freeze cookie dough or baked cookies?

Yes, you can freeze both. I find it's easier to freeze the baked cookies as you can just put in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. If you want to freeze the dough, you'll need to portion it out and roll out the cookie dough disks and place on a baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the freezer to harden the cookie dough and then transfer the dough balls to a freezer safe airtight container. Then, be sure to thaw the dough balls to room temperature before baking off.

espresso walnut chocolate chip cookies on a baking sheet, one with a bite taken out.

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