Used coffee grounds are the king of compost, a gardener’s best friend, and can even help keep your fridge smelling fresh or power some DIY skincare. They also happen to be one of the most aromatic ingredients you could have in your kitchen, adding a boost and caffeinated kick to dishes both sweet and savory. Ready to get your buzz on?
Baking with everyone’s favorite breakfast bevvy isn’t some Earth-shattering idea, but it’s usually reserved for fresh grounds. In many cases, though, you can use spent ones the exact same way. (Just don’t swap ’em when the recipe calls for instant coffee or espresso powders, which, in most cases, need to dissolve completely.) Used grounds will last in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to a month, and adding coffee to baked goods can help extend their shelf life.
Coffee and chocolate are the power couple of the dessert world. Coffee, which is bitter and floral, complements the sweetness of chocolate and enhances its cocoa flavor. This is why recipes for chocolate desserts so often include a small amount of coffee. The idea behind these cookies is the same. This dairy-free dessert has some serious mocha energy.
Coffee & Coconut Compost Cookies
Yield: 30 2-inch cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons spent coffee grounds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chunks
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- Flaky salt, optional
Procedure:
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another large bowl, whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, coffee grounds, vanilla, and sugar until smooth. Add the dry ingredients, chocolate chunks, and coconut and gently mix. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently combine from the bottom and sides until there are no visible streaks of flour, then stop.
- Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls and place onto lined baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Sprinkle the top of each cookie with a small pinch of flaky salt, if desired.
- Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, until the cookies are golden on the edges. Halfway through baking, remove the cookies from the oven and use a spatula or the bottom of a measuring cup to lightly flatten the cookies. Return them to the oven and finish baking.
- Let cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Notes and Substitutions:
- If you don’t want to bake all the cookies right away, you can freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag or container. They’ll keep frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready for a treat, just add a minute or two to the bake time.
- If you prefer larger cookies, double the size of each scoop to 2 tablespoons.
