While I like to think I’m not totally dependent on my morning coffee, I can’t deny that it’s often what gets me out of bed in the morning. Caffeine aside, I absolutely love the flavor and would drink it all day if I could. I typically take my cup with just a splash of cream, but I cannot resist the indulgent mocha drink on occasion.
So when I came across the idea for a cookie bar with plenty of coffee flavor it instantly went into my saved folder. After a few trial runs I ended up with these Mocha Cookie Bars and my goodness are they everything I dreamed they’d be!
These bars get their boost of roasty coffee flavor from instant coffee crystals and espresso powder. The combination definitely results in a pick-me-up in every serving. A heaping cup of chocolate chips and a bit of cocoa powder round out the rich mocha flavor. The dough is pressed into the bottom of the baking dish, baked, and then topped with a sweet and creamy condensed milk layer. The dish is then popped back in the oven for a few minutes until the milk is good and bubbly.
The hardest part is letting the bars cool for just under an hour before slicing. If you cut into them while still hot the milk will turn into a sticky mess, trust me it’s worth the wait. If you’re a fellow coffee fan then give this recipe a try. It’s sure to be love at first bite!
Mocha Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons Instant coffee crystals
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Milk topping
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light, then mix in vanilla.
- Mix in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, coffee crystals, and espresso powder until evenly combined, then fold in chocolate chips.
- Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish and press into an even layer.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes as you prepare the milk topping.
- Topping: In a small saucepan, heat condensed milk and butter over medium-low for 8-10, stirring often. Mixture should be smooth and well combined. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla.
- Remove cookies from oven and pour milk mixture over the top. Return to oven for 5-8 minutes or until milk is bubbling.
- Allow bars to cool for a minimum of 45 minutes before slicing. Top with chocolate chips or sea salt.
Recipe adapted from Krollskorner.com