Almond Mocha Cookie Bars are the special sort of dessert you’ll want to make for holidays, birthdays, and brunches. Toasted almonds, coffee, chocolate, and brown sugar combine to make these cookies a legendary treat your family will beg you to make again and again.
Almond Mocha Cookie Bars
36
15
minutes30
minutesThese Almond Mocha Cookie Bars are a true crowd-pleaser. They are a fantastic dessert option for any special occasion or gathering, and I can guarantee that your family and friends will be begging you to make them again and again.
Ingredients
- Cookie Base
1 cup slivered almonds
1-1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup all-vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons instant or espresso coffee powder
1 tablespoon cold coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs
1 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (6 ounces) miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Glaze
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon cold coffee
Directions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Place cooling rack on countertop.
- For cookie base, spread almonds on baking sheet; bake at 350°F for 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring several times. Cool completely. Chop coarsely.
- Place brown sugar, shortening, coffee powder, coffee, vanilla and almond extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs; beat well.
- Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Add to shortening mixture; beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in small chocolate chips and reserved almonds. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until set. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into 2 x 1-1/2-inch bars.
- For glaze, combine confectioners’ sugar and 1 tablespoon coffee in small bowl. Stir until well blended. Add additional coffee, a little at a time, if icing is too thick, or add additional confectioners’ sugar, if icing is too thin. Drizzle glaze over bars.
These cookie bars are perfect for special occasions like holidays, birthdays, or brunches. The combination of toasted almonds, coffee, chocolate, and brown sugar creates a truly legendary treat that my family couldn’t get enough of.
To make the cookie bars, I started by toasting the almonds in a dry skillet until they were fragrant and slightly golden. I let them cool, and then roughly chopped them to add a delicious crunch to the bars.
In a mixing bowl, I combined butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar, and beat them together until light and creamy. I added in some instant coffee granules dissolved in hot water to give the bars a rich mocha flavor. Next, I added in the dry ingredients, including all-purpose flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt, and mixed until just combined.
Once the dough came together, I stirred in the chopped toasted almonds and semisweet chocolate chips, ensuring they were evenly distributed throughout the dough. I transferred the dough to a prepared baking dish and pressed it down firmly to create an even layer.
I baked the cookie bars in the preheated oven until they were golden brown around the edges and set in the center. The aroma of almonds, coffee, and chocolate filled the kitchen, making it hard to resist taking a bite right away.
After allowing the bars to cool completely, I cut them into squares and served them to my family. The combination of flavors was simply amazing. The toasty almonds added a wonderful nuttiness, while the mocha flavor provided a hint of coffee that complemented the rich chocolate perfectly. The chewy texture of the bars made each bite a delight.