• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps

Cookies· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
December 15, 2016

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps – A chewy, chocolate cookie with a hint of espresso and then rolled in powdered sugar. They’ll remind you of little bites of brownie but with a little wintery snow on top.

Chocolate Espresso Snowcap cookies on a plateWe’re getting closer to Christmas, guys!! What?! Where did this month go??? I feel like I’ve barely dipped my feet into the pool of holiday cheer (insert whining emoji here)! I guess I’m just gonna have to festive it up so hard this week. As if I wasn’t already doing that…

As promised, I am posting all-things festive through Christmas (and maybe even through December!). To recap, I’ve posted these monster cookies, these gorgeous cranberry lime mojitos, the mega-festive gingerbread biscotti, and the festive-because-it’s-in-a-festive-mug peanut butter hot chocolate. If these don’t scream “tis the season,” I just don’t know what does.

Today, I am featuring my second favorite cookie to make during the holiday season, with the first being those monster cookies I mentioned above. Say hello to chocolate espresso snowcaps!

chocolate espresso snowcap cookies on a cooling mat chocolate espresso snowcap cookies on a cooling mat on a cookie sheet

These beautiful chocolate espresso snowcaps were introduced to me 5 years ago by, the one-and-only, Martha Stewart. Don’t you just love the snowy look they have on top?! Simply gorgeous. That’s my favorite thing about these cookies. Getting that perfect look can be tricky, but I give you some tips below so it get it right every time.

My second favorite thing about these cookies is their chewy center with a slightly crisp edge. We can thank the brown sugar in the dough for that one. I under-cooked this batch slightly so it had a brownie-texture in the center. But if you don’t like that, cook all the way through. When doing that, you’ll get a chewier texture, like chocolate chip cookies.
Tray of Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps next to plate of themTray of Chocolate Espresso SnowcapsThree Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps on a plate

If you don’t love coffee flavor, don’t worry – the espresso is meant to enhance the flavor of the chocolate so you barely know it’s there. But you can easily reduce the amount of espresso so it’s not as noticeable, but still enhances the chocolate. I say 1 1/2 teaspoons should still do the trick.

Alright ya’ll, you know what time it is…time for the helpful tips! Here goes:

  1. This is the most important tip of them all, so I am making it #1: you absolutely must roll the dough in powdered sugar twice, if not more. I think I ended up rolling it like 4 times to make sure the chocolate dough cannot be seen through the sugar layers. This ensures that the snowcaps stay beautifully white and sugar does not get absorbed into the dough.
  2. Do not skip the freezing step. If the dough does not chill, you are going to have a big mess of cookies. As you can tell in this pic, the dough is super sticky and unmanageable. Freezing it make it easier to roll in the sugar, and also ensures that the cookies don’t spread too much. Mixer Blade Covered in Chocolate Espresso Snowcap cookie dough
  3. Once the dough is chilled, you’ll easily be able to split the dough into even portions with this trick: cut the dough into four rows longways, and then 6 rows shortways. This will give you 24 even cubes of dough. You then roll each cube into a perfect ball that will get rolled in powdered sugar. Nifty, huh? This is when my math skills pay off.
  4. Since chocolate is the key ingredient in these cookies, you gotta make sure to use the good stuff. I would recommend buying a bar of your favorite semi-sweet or dark chocolate for this recipe. It really makes a difference.

I hope you love these cookies! I surely do. What other festive treats will you be baking this coming week? This is the time when almost everyone is baking up a storm so I know you got some good stuff planned. Let me know in the comments below!

Here are all the kitchen tools and serveware that I used in today’s recipe. For each item sold below, I make a small commission. I only recommend items that I own and love so you can trust that each recommendation is tried and true. Thank you for supporting CPA!

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”2458883″]

overhead styled shot of Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps
Print Recipe

Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps

A chewy, chocolate cookie with a hint of espresso and then rolled in powdered sugar. They'll remind you of little bites of brownie but with a little wintery "snow" on top.
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time13 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 18 minutes mins
Servings: 24 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 teaspoons instant espresso powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter unsalted and softened
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate melted and cooled
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar (for coating)

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, espresso, baking powder, and salt so that they're combined. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and brown until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Add cooled chocolate and mix until combined.
  • With mixer on low, add flour mixture to wet mixture a little at a time. Let mix until incorporated. Add milk and mix until just combined.
  • Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap. Place cookie dough into the center of the plastic wrap. Place another sheet of plastic wrap on top. Using your hands, form dough into a rectangle and completely cover in plastic wrap. Place rectangle into freezer until firm, about 45 minutes.
  • Remove dough from freezer. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Unwrap the dough and place on cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice dough into 24 even pieces. To do this easily, first cut 4 rows long ways and then 6 rows the opposite way.
  • Add powdered sugar to a small bowl. Take one piece of dough and roll into a ball. Roll in sugar once and then roll again so that it is completely covered and no cookie is shining through. Do not shake off extra. This is key to keeping the "snow" from absorbing into the dough. Place dough ball on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Make sure cookies are spaced 2 inches apart.
  • Bake cookies in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes. 12 minutes will make them softer in the middle, 14 will make them a little chewier. The cookies will be done when they've spread and cracked and still lightly soft to the touch. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
  • Storing tip: powdered sugar tends to absorb the flavors around it. So store these cookies alone and not with other cookies.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.

Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps photo collage

More recipe you’ll enjoy:

Cranberry Cookies with White Chocolate Drizzle

cranberry cookies with white chocolate drizzle on a cooling rack

Monster Cookies

Monster Cookie being dunked in milk in a santa claus mug

Triple Chocolate Soft Baked Cookies

Stack of Triple Chocolate Soft Baked Cookies

Share this:

  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

46 Comments

« Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
Cinnamon Roll Wreath »

Comments

  1. Angie says

    December 21, 2016 at 12:18 pm

    Oh my goodness, these look SO good! Seriously good. I mean, some of that is due to your amazing pictures. Good job!

    Reply
  2. andrea says

    December 16, 2016 at 5:10 pm

    Espresso in anything I am game! This look so festive and delicious. Thanks for sharing these lovely cookies

    Reply
  3. Nicole Parise says

    December 16, 2016 at 4:40 pm

    these look AMAZING! I love espresso flavors in baking, saving on pinterest!
    xx nicole
    http://www.nicoleparise.com

    Reply
  4. Lauren says

    December 16, 2016 at 3:28 pm

    Espresso cookies? Yes Please!

    Reply
  5. Jessica Bradshaw (@loveyoumoretoo) says

    December 16, 2016 at 2:53 pm

    Oh my gosh! These look so great! Everyone in my family would love these. 🙂

    Reply
  6. Cait Weingartner says

    December 16, 2016 at 12:45 pm

    These cookies look amazing! I love the chocolate/espresso flavor, so these cookies will definitely be making an appearance on my holiday dessert table, for sure.

    Reply
  7. Katelyn Brewer says

    December 16, 2016 at 12:14 pm

    Anything chocolate and espresso sounds good to me! These look SO good!

    Reply
  8. Dana says

    December 16, 2016 at 11:26 am

    These look so good! I’m going to have to try these!

    Reply
  9. Annie says

    December 16, 2016 at 10:08 am

    These look delicious! I definitely want to try these next week 🙂

    Reply
  10. Jen Smith says

    December 16, 2016 at 9:40 am

    These look scrumptious! I bet a peppermint mocha version of these would be insane!

    Reply
  11. Kimberly @ Berly's Kitchen says

    December 16, 2016 at 5:47 am

    Chocolate and espresso go so well together! These cookies look amazing. I need to add these to my list of things to make over Christmas.

    Reply
  12. Amber says

    December 16, 2016 at 12:00 am

    These look absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing this great recipe.

    Reply
  13. Ashleigh says

    December 15, 2016 at 11:39 pm

    These look so good, I can smell the coffee in the air! I will have to make these for
    Christmas morning! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  14. Kelly says

    December 15, 2016 at 11:31 pm

    Love the addition of the espresso! Looking forward to giving these a try! Yum!

    Reply
  15. Christy says

    December 15, 2016 at 9:44 pm

    Mmm! These cookies look delicious. And it would be fun to make these during Christmas break!

    Reply
  16. Amber says

    December 15, 2016 at 9:21 pm

    These would be perfect for a holiday treat! Yummmmmm

    Reply
  17. Kathryn | Fashionably Frank says

    December 15, 2016 at 8:45 pm

    YUMM! I’ve made these before, but not your recipe yet! I’ll have to try these this year 🙂 Thank you!

    xo Kathryn
    http://www.fashionablyfrank.com

    Reply
  18. Pamela Arsena says

    December 15, 2016 at 4:58 pm

    Now that Christmas is almost here I have finally gotten around to doing some baking. These will be next on my list as they look absolutely yummy and easy to prepare.

    Reply
  19. Molly says

    December 15, 2016 at 4:11 pm

    These look really good! Cookies with a brownie texture sound amazing!

    Molly and Stacie

    Reply
  20. Melissa Blake says

    December 15, 2016 at 4:02 pm

    Anything with chocolate HAS to be good!!!!!! 🙂

    Reply
  21. Neely Moldovan says

    December 15, 2016 at 3:45 pm

    Holy yum! These would be perfect to bake for our neighbors. I wanted to find a good recipe!

    Reply
  22. Logan says

    December 15, 2016 at 3:43 pm

    This look amazing! I want to make these, NOW! haha

    Reply
  23. Petra says

    December 15, 2016 at 3:31 pm

    These look so delicious! I think I have to try them during holidays. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  24. Tiffany Cardenas says

    December 15, 2016 at 2:02 pm

    Yum! I love espresso and chocolate.

    I helped my son’s class make gingerbread cookies today. We’re planning to make sugar cookies this weekend <3.

    Reply
  25. Hetal says

    December 15, 2016 at 1:58 pm

    SO yummy- good tip on rolling the dough twice thru the powdered sugar!

    Reply
  26. Erica Nicole says

    December 15, 2016 at 1:54 pm

    These look absolutely incredible. I can’t wait to try and make these!

    Reply
  27. Alyssa says

    December 15, 2016 at 1:50 pm

    I pinned these immediately. Coffee and chocolate and cookies combined!? Yes!

    Reply
  28. Barb says

    December 15, 2016 at 1:14 pm

    Yum! These look so good! I think I’ll make these for an upcoming road trip. 🙂

    Reply
  29. Amanda | The Golden Girl Diary says

    December 15, 2016 at 11:39 am

    This looks so yummy! And so perfect for the holiday.

    xo, Amanda | http://www.thegoldengirldiary.com

    Reply
  30. Belle says

    December 15, 2016 at 11:13 am

    Oh wow! This looks amazing! I bet my kids will love this when I try to do this for them.

    Belle | One Awesome Momma

    Reply
  31. Jennifer Shull says

    December 15, 2016 at 11:10 am

    You have no idea how excited I am about making these. A perfect holiday treat. Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  32. Mary says

    December 15, 2016 at 11:03 am

    These cookies are so festive looking. They are the perfect cookie to bring to a cookie exchange!

    Reply
  33. Alexa says

    December 15, 2016 at 10:48 am

    Not only do they sounds yummy, but they look super festive! These would be ggreat for my cookie swap 🙂

    Reply
  34. Rochelle Valle says

    December 15, 2016 at 9:45 am

    I really need these in my life. Cookies + Espresso … Yes! Please!

    I can’t wait to make these for Christmas!

    With Love Rochelle
    http://www.withloverochelle.com

    Reply
  35. Kiara says

    December 15, 2016 at 9:29 am

    I’m planning to bake this weekend, so I’m excited to add this recipe into my list of cookies I’ll be baking! Thank you so much for sharing this–these look absolutely delicious!

    Reply
  36. Divya @ Eat Teach BLog says

    December 15, 2016 at 8:30 am

    Do you think these would work without a stand mixer? They look so delicious and I’d love to try them out! But we don’t have a stand mixer yet 🙁

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      December 15, 2016 at 10:23 am

      Of course! I just mention stand mixer for those who aren’t sure which attachment to use yet. You can easily make these by hand (using a whisk for the early steps and a spatula/spoon for when you add the flour) or with a hand mixer. Thanks for your question!

      Reply
  37. Annie @ Annie's Noms says

    December 15, 2016 at 8:24 am

    Yes, I love the snowy look of these sooooo much!!! They look totally addictive and so festive! I also feel like I don’t know where this month went, it’s crazy to think Christmas is only 10 days away! I really don’t feel that festive yet!!

    Reply
  38. candy says

    December 15, 2016 at 8:11 am

    Making snow caps are always a favorite cookie to make and share. Look wonderful so are perfect for a cookie exchange. Make great food gifts and always disappear fast.

    Reply
  39. Elaine @ Dishes Delish says

    December 15, 2016 at 8:00 am

    Yummy! I can’t do the espresso because I’m sensitive to caffeine, but I can make the cookies without it. 🙂

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      December 15, 2016 at 10:25 am

      Exactly! You could even sub for almond extract if you want more flavor. Use just 1/2 teaspoon though.

      Reply
  40. Platter Talk says

    December 15, 2016 at 7:47 am

    Espresso & chocolate in a cookie! A match made in heaven.

    Reply
  41. Sabrina | The Tomato Tart says

    December 15, 2016 at 6:57 am

    Yum! These looks delicious. I’ll definitely be making these soon.

    Reply
  42. Sarah says

    December 15, 2016 at 6:48 am

    Espresso and cocoa powders make for an amazing combination of flavors. As in, one of my favorites! Can’t wait to try these!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Christmas Cookies says:
    August 16, 2018 at 4:56 pm

    […] Chocolate espresso snowcap cookies […]

    Reply
  2. Tiramisu Frozen Coffee says:
    April 24, 2017 at 10:37 am

    […] Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

fall flavors

zoomed in shot of Smashed Sweet Potatoes with cheese being shredded over them

Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Butter

styled shot of a stack of chocolate pecan pie cheesecake bars

Chocolate Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

overhead shot of slices of pear coffee cake

Pear Coffee Cake

overhead shot of cheddar crusted apple pie with lattice crust

Cheddar Crusted Apple Pie

Roasted Brussel Sprouts in a baking dish with melted butter and a spoon in it, shot from a side angle

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

overhead shot of pumpkin churros on a plate of cinnamon sugar

Pumpkin Churros

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

Breakfast
Appetizers
Entrees
Salads
Sides
Drinks
Desserts
Roundups
Holidays

Browse by Date

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy

holiday favorite

Pigs in a Blanket Wreath on parchment paper with thyme sprigs and a dish of dipping sauce in the center with cans of dr pepper and plates in the background, shot from a side angle

Pigs in a Blanket Wreath

The Best Waffles

puff pastry filled with chicken a la king

Chicken a la King

raspberry chocolate molten cake on a plate with bites removed to reveal the center

Raspberry Chocolate Molten Cakes

photo of cinnamon apple kolaches with granny smith apples in the background

Cinnamon Apple Kolaches

 

Fluffy, buttery sweet rolls covered in powder suga Fluffy, buttery sweet rolls covered in powder sugar. Perfect with a morning coffee!

To find this recipe, search for 'Mallorca Sweet Bread' on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#sweetbread #sweetbreadrecipe #mallorcafoodie  #breadrolls #foodphotography #foodpics #marthafood #food #instafood #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #beautifulcuisine #foodgasm #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats
Thick rice noodles are stir-fried with egg, chicke Thick rice noodles are stir-fried with egg, chicken, broccoli, and a savory and slightly sweet sauce.

To find this recipe, search for 'Pad See Ew' on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#padseeew #pastadish #pastarecipe  #ricenoodles  #foodphotography #foodpics #marthafood #food #instafood #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #beautifulcuisine #foodgasm #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats
Homemade, chewy dough is twisted in a pretzel shap Homemade, chewy dough is twisted in a pretzel shape, dipped in a soda bath, and baked until deep golden brown.

To find this recipe, search for 'Soft Pretzels' on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#homemadedough #pretzlesrecipe #homemadepretzels #homemadesnacks 
#puffpastry  #foodphotography #foodpics #marthafood #food #instafood #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #beautifulcuisine #foodgasm #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats
Jumbo elbow macaroni and beef is tossed with a cre Jumbo elbow macaroni and beef is tossed with a creamy tomato sauce. It’s a perfect meal for weeknight dinners!

To find this recipe, search for 'Creamy Tomato Macaroni Beef' on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#pastarecipe #macaronibeef #creamymacaroni #macaronirecipies 
#foodphotography #foodpics #marthafood #food #instafood #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #beautifulcuisine #foodgasm #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats
Raspberry jam and fresh whipped cream are sandwich Raspberry jam and fresh whipped cream are sandwiched between two vanilla sponge cakes and dusted with powdered sugar. A British classic dessert perfect for dessert or afternoon tea.

To find this recipe, search for 'Victoria Sandwich Cake' on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#victoriacake #victoriasandwichcake  #vvictoriaspongecake
#puffpastry #puffpastrydessert #foodphotography #foodpics #marthafood #food #instafood #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #beautifulcuisine #foodgasm #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats

Copyright © 2025 Certified Pastry Aficionado · Web Design by Viva la Violet

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.