These soft and chewy tiramisu cookies are full of espresso flavor, topped with fluffy, silky mascarpone Kahlua cream, and topped with a dusting of cocoa powder. These have all the flavors of classic tiramisu packed into a cookie.
If you love big cookies as much as much as I do, try my Crumbl-style Lucky Charms Cookies or my Stuffed Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cookies.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- These brown sugar espresso cookies are big, soft and chewy.
- No chilling required.
- The mascarpone cream is silky and rich, infused with flavors of Kahlua and vanilla.
- Tastes like tiramisu in a cookie.
- Easy to follow recipe with step by step instructions for perfect cookies every time.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
(See recipe card for a full list of ingredients and amounts.)
Unsalted butter – Melted, and warm to melt the espresso powder.
Light brown sugar – Makes these cookies chewy and lends a caramel-like flavor to them.
Espresso powder – Instant espresso powder, but instant coffee will work as well.
Mascarpone cheese – Mascarpone is similar to cream cheese but it is smoother in texture, creamier and more subtle in flavor.
Kahlua – Any coffee liqueur is fine. If you don’t have any, or don’t plan on drinking it in the future, most liquor stores and some grocery stores sell small 50ml bottles perfect for using in recipes.
Heavy cream – Adds fluffiness and richness to the mascarpone cream.
Recipe Instructions
(Full recipe instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.)
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Whisk together the egg, egg yolk and vanilla.
- Melt the butter in mixing bowl. Whisk in the espresso powder until melted.
- Beat in the brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Beat in the egg mixture.
- Beat in the flour mixture.
- Scoop the cookies and place 6 each on two parchment lined cookie sheets.
- Bake 13-15 minutes until the edges are set and golden and the centers no longer look wet.
- Beat together the mascarpone cheese, confectioners’ sugar, Kahlua, and vanilla.
- Beat in the cream and whip until fluffy and stiff peaks form.
- Frost the cookies with the mascarpone cream and dust with cocoa powder.
Baking Tips
- To keep the cookies' round shape or if they are a bit wonky after baking, when the cookies come right out of the oven, scoot a large round cookie cutter around them in circular motion.
- Don't over bake these cookies. The tops should be just set and the edges golden brown. Don't be tempted to leave the cookies in the oven longer as they will continue to bake from the residual heat once they're removed. Err on the side of under baking cookies slightly for the best texture.
- Keep the mascarpone cream in the refrigerator if you aren’t frosting the cookies right away. I like to make the cookies, get them in the oven, and then make the mascarpone cream. I pop it in the fridge to hang out while the cookies cool.
Storage
These tiramisu cookies are best the day the made. Cookies should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Note that the cocoa powder on top will melt into the cream. It’s best to dust with cocoa powder before serving.
Cookie dough can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to a month.
I do not recommend freezing the mascarpone cream as freezing changes the texture and flavor.
Recipe FAQs
You can use any size ice cream scoop to portion your dough. I used a large scoop to make large, thick cookies, but you can use a standard size or a mini cookie scoop. Adjust the baking time for smaller cookies.
Tiramisu is an Italian dessert consisting of layers of coffee-soaked ladyfinger cookies and mascarpone cream made with mascarpone, eggs and sugar. Many versions use alcohol such as Marsala, rum, cognac or coffee liqueur, like Kahlua.
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More Cookie Recipes to Try
Recipe
Tiramisu Cookies
Ingredients
Espresso Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and very warm
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 2 ⅔ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Mascarpone Cream
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese (1 - 8oz container), room temperature
- 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon Kahlua, or coffee liqueur
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructions
Espresso Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the melted butter and espresso powder. Mix until the espresso has melted and the mixture is smooth. Leave it to cool to room temperature.1 cup unsalted butter, melted and very warm, 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.2 ⅔ cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- To the cooled butter and espresso mixture, on medium low speed, beat in the brown sugar and granulated sugar for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is well blended and cohesive.1 cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla until thoroughly combined.1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- On low speed, beat in the flour mixture just until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat again for 30 more seconds.
- With a large cookie scoop (I use #20, filling it about ¾ full) scoop the cookie dough, placing 6 dough balls per baking sheet. You should have 12 cookies total.
- Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes, until the cookies are golden around the edges and the centers no longer look wet. Cool completely.
Mascarpone Cream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, on low speed, beat together the mascarpone cheese, confectioners' sugar, Kahlua and vanilla until smooth.1 cup mascarpone cheese (1 - 8oz container), room temperature, 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar, 1 tablespoon Kahlua, or coffee liqueur, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Stream in the heavy cream. When all of the cream has been added, turn the speed up to medium and whip to stiff peaks.¾ cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- Top the cooled cookies with mascarpone cheese and dust with cocoa powder.cocoa powder, for dusting
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