Many college students live, breathe and drink coffee to maintain their sanity. We rely on it so that we can function during the chaos that is finals, group projects and pulling all nighters to finish a ten page paper (even though we should have started it a week before). There are many ways that students and the rest of the population drink coffee, but we don't often consume it in foods besides ice cream. This got me thinking about more ways we could squeeze coffee into our diets, specifically in dessert. I decided to look through my family's old recipe box and came across one for mocha walnut cookies.

While we all have our differences, one thing that unifies the world is our love for cookies. Pretty much everyone loves this nostalgic sweet treat, and by adding a little caffeine to them, you get the best of both worlds: satisfying that coffee fix and your sweet tooth all at once. So the next time you're up late studying for an exam and need a midnight snack, have one of these cookies to keep you motivated.

Mocha Walnut Cookies

  • Prep Time:30 mins
  • Cook Time:10 mins
  • Total Time:40 mins
  • Servings:18
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • One 12 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
  • 2 tbs. instant coffee
  • 2 tsp. boiling water
  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
pastry, goody, cake, sweet, cookie, chocolate
Spoon Csu

  • Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips over hot (not boiling) water. Stir until smooth; cool to room temperature.

    coffee, candy, cream, sweet, milk, chocolate
    Kara Schiaparelli

  • Step 2

    In a small cup, dissolve instant coffee into boiling water; set aside.

    decaffeinated coffee, mocha, black coffee, cappuccino, espresso, coffee
    Asia Coladner

  • Step 3

    In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

    bread, egg, milk, wheat, cereal, dough, flour
    Jocelyn Hsu

  • Step 4

    In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar and coffee; beat until creamy.

    pastry, cookie, bread, sweet
    Spoon Csu

  • Step 5

    Add egg and melted chocolate chips from Step 1; mix well.

    egg
    Spoon Csu

  • Step 6

    Gradually add flour mixture.

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    Spoon Csu

  • Step 7

    Stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips and walnuts.

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    Sara Brown

  • Step 8

    Scoop dough into rounded tablespoons and drop onto ungreased cookie sheets. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

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    Natalie Beam

  • Step 9

    Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to stand for 2 to 3 minutes before removing from cookie sheets; cool completely.

    cookie, blueberry, chocolate
    Spoon Csu

#SpoonTip: If you don't have a love for walnuts, feel free to substitute with a different nut; or if you have a nut allergy, toss in a few more chocolate chips to the mix.

These cookies are sure to be a hit with your friends on campus. Whip up a batch for your next movie night to show off your baking skills. If you're feeling fancy, you can make ice cream sandwiches that are sure to be a crowd pleaser. Use cookie dough ice cream to experience the ultimate cookie-ception. If you don't eat the whole batch in one sitting (although you may want to), store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge. Try to finish them within a week because they will eventually (and sadly) become stale. Be sure to warm up the cookies in the microwave before indulging to achieve that fresh out of the oven taste.