Java Crunch Cookies

These coffee cookies get their crunch from a generous amount of flaked coconut folded into a buttery, instant-coffee-spiked dough. The coffee flavor isn’t subtle here. It comes through as a roasted, slightly bitter note that plays off the sweetness of the brown sugar and the toasty coconut.

The dough mixes together in one bowl, no creaming butter and sugar separately, no chilling required. Everything gets blended with a mixer, the coconut gets stirred in by hand, and then you drop them onto a sheet and bake.

They bake up crisp on the edges with a slightly chewy center. The coconut gets golden and toasted in the oven, adding both texture and a second layer of nutty flavor alongside the coffee.

Chef Tips

• Use a strong instant coffee or espresso powder for a bolder java punch. Mild instant coffee can get lost against the butter and sugar.
• Stir the coconut in by hand, not with the mixer. The mixer will shred it into small pieces and you’ll lose the flaky texture.
• Space the cookies about 2 inches apart on the sheet. They spread as they bake.
• Pull them at 10 minutes for chewier cookies, 12 for crisper ones. They firm up as they cool.

Variations

• Fold in chocolate chips for a mocha-coconut cookie.
• Use toasted coconut instead of raw for an even deeper, nuttier flavor.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon to complement the coffee notes.