If you love coffee, then thereโs something else you love (even if you donโt know it yet): coffee in food. Yes, I am talking about cooking with coffee.
There are multitudinousย ways to cook with coffee. You can use coffee as a marinade for meat. You can make a barbecue sauce. You can blend iced coffee into a funky cocktail. And in fact, there are those who take this yet a step further and just cook all their food with their coffee makers.
But besides coming up with tasty concoctions, whatโs the real benefit of cooking with coffee? Perhaps youย need something to do with those dredges at the bottom of your French press. Now you no longer have to feel bad because thereโs just a bit of lukewarm coffee at the bottom. You have something to do with it.ย It has purpose.
Now, granted, not all of you Sprudge readers out there are bakers or cooks. Maybe you prefer to consume your coffee-friendly delights at the coffee shop, and youโd rather keep it that way. Totally fine. But for the rest of you, weโre here to ensure that cooking with coffee doesnโt just remain a foreign concept.
This recipe for hazelnut cookies is fairly straightforward, and because thereโs bound to be at least one person in your coffee-consuming circle with some food restrictions, youโll be happy to know that these are vegan, gluten-free, and delicious.
Flourless Hazelnut and Chocolate Coffee Cookies
1 cup raw hazelnuts, finely ground (or 1 ยฝ cups hazelnut flour)
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar
ยผ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons brewed coffee
1 teaspoon ground coffee (attenuate to your grit preference)
Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF.
In a bowl, combine the ground hazelnuts, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt.
Add in the olive oil and the coffee, and stir until a dough forms.
Divide the dough into two equal parts. On a greased baking sheet, or one with a silicone baking mat, form two long logs with the dough, about 12 inches in length. Gently flatten out with your hands until the logs are about ยผ-inch thick. Pro tip: if you feel like theyโre getting sticky when you press down, wet your fingers with a little water. Carefully slice the logs into diagonal sections.
Bake at 400ยฐF for 15-17 minutes. Because of the cocoa powder, these cookies are dark, so it can be hard to tell when theyโre done. Finished cookies will have dark brownย edges.
Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, break the cookies apart and store in an airtight container.
Coffee and chocolate go together like, wellโฆ coffee and chocolate. For anyone that likes chocolate-covered espresso beans, youโll like these cookies. And beyond tasting like coffee, more importantly, they pair well with an actual cup of coffee. And werenโt you looking for an excuse to drink more?
Anna Bronesย (@annabrones) is a Sprudge.com staff writer based in Paris and the founder ofย Foodie Underground. Her cookbook isย due out next year fromย Ten Speed Press. Read moreย Anna Brones on Sprudge.ย
