Espresso Cookies with White Chocolate Chips

I'll never understand people who dislike coffee (although the bf is one of them...). I used to be an addict. As in I would get a grande latte at Starbucks, which has three shots of espresso, and then sip on coffee refills throughout the day. If I needed to stay up late at night, I'd drink Monster to keep me awake, but I never had trouble falling asleep even after all that caffeine in my system. It got so bad to the point that I would get constant headaches, regardless of whether I was drinking coffee or not, and my day felt drab and gray until I had my daily dose.

In my senior year of college, I realized that I needed to stop, so I quit cold turkey. It was so hard to do, but I managed to get by. But even then, I still need my daily cup of decaf. The smell is so warm and just...happy, and it gives this placebo effect that perks me up and keeps me productive.

I looooove this cookie. I use instant decaf coffee to give it the coffee flavor, and it perks me up just like a cup of decaf does the morning. It's like a latte, and the white chocolate is like the whipped cream that adds the perfect creamy sweetness. Yum.

ESPRESSO COOKIES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker, makes 1 dozen

*Note: this is the second time I tried to make this, and I cut the butter in half from the original recipe. The cookies kept their shape much better and I could not tell a difference in the taste.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick butter, softened
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp instant espresso or coffee powder (I used instant decaf coffee)
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream together the butter and sugars.

Add in an egg and vanilla extract, and beat well to mix.

Stir in the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, and instant coffee. Beat to incorporate.

Stir in white chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for an hour until chilled, then use an ice cream scoop to scoop dough onto lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10-20 minutes, let cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then serve warm immediately (it's super yummy with ice cream!) or cool completely before storing.

This would be an awesome present for your coffee addict friend :)