The holidays have got to be the biggest joke we’re playing on kids. Christmas, a time of year that is paraded as fun and joyful, full of love and surprises just might be a giant trick we’re playing on our little ones. 

Okay, level with me for a minute. Is it not mildly terrifying that a stranger might shimmy down the chimney in the middle of the night? Who wants to be awoken by the sound of live animals on the roof of their home? And what kid is going to be excited about some old fellow breaking into their home and EATING ALL OF THE COOKIES? It’s outrageous. This concept we use to drum up excitement for our children is actually pretty disturbing.

It’s no wonder our kids are bad all year. We tell them, “Oh, Santa Claus won’t come if you don’t finish your vegetables! Santa won’t visit if you hit your sister! No presents from Santa if you flush your Beanie Babies down the toilet!” And what do they do? They protect themselves from the bearded intruder, his wild animals, and his illusive mob of tiny helpers. 

I think we may be sending our children some mixed messages. We tell our kids not to talk to or take candies from strangers, yet when Christmas rolls around, we bribe them with candy canes to hop on Santa’s lap. We tell them not to feed the animals at the zoo but then proceed to lure reindeer into our homes with carrots and frosted cookies. And let’s be honest: kids aren’t impressed by these magical reinder anyways because they see them for what they are- FLYING BEASTS.  

Truthfully, I think I’m selling my kids short. There’s no way Aimee didn’t notice the 5 o’clock shadow peeking out from under the mall Santa’s beard. She’s seen the bag of crap that I bought her from Target and there’s not a chance she’s going to believe it came from the North Pole on Christmas morning. These kids are smarter than we give them credit for, so it’s no surprise to me that we wind up with holiday footage like this:

As for me and my house, we will continue to torture our little ones. They are going to be fed nonsense of sugar plum fairies and moonlit sleigh rides until they’re old enough to laugh me in the face. While the true meaning of Christmas- a baby in the manger, redemption for humanity, and God’s fulfilled promises- will always remain at the forefront of our Decembers, I won’t miss the opportunity to rouse wonder and mystery in the imaginations of my little people. Even if it is a little terrifying. 

So whether you’re on team Santa or not, these mocha cookies are sure to get you in the Christmas spirit. With crispy edges and chewy centers, these coffee-scented chocolate cookies are just the type of treat that Ole St. Nick would try to jank from your cookie jar while the unsuspecting children sleep. They’re just really simple and really good.

To make these mocha cookies, we start with butter. Cream the fat with some sugar until it becomes light and fluffy. Eggs, vanilla and espresso powder come next, stirring in just to combine. Once well integrated, flour, cocoa powder, and the rest of the dry ingredients are added to the batter. Prior to baking the mocha cookies, I like to roll them in some coarse sugar. As the dough bakes, it will melt and barely spread, giving each bite a crackly outside texture. That extra crunch from the sugar makes these easy treats a smidge more festive and way fun to eat.

These mocha cookies are sweet, simple, and sure to be a hit with the man in the red suit on Christmas Eve. Whip some up before the 25th and let me know how you love them! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you wonderful friends. 

If you like these mocha cookies, be sure to check out:

Hazelnut Mocha Cream Pie

No-Churn Mocha Brownie Fudge Ice Cream

Cookies and Cream Cookies

Espresso Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Coconut Almond Chocolate Cookies

Mocha Cookies

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 9 reviews

These mocha cookies are chewy coffee-scented chocolate crackle cookies with crunchy sugared edges. Perfect for a cookie exchange!

• Author: Kate Wood
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 20
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 25

Ingredients

• ¾ cup (170 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1–1/2 cups (300 gm) light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1–1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1–1/4 cups (160 gm) all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup (60 gm) unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons espresso powder or coffee granules
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sparkling or turbinado sugar, optional

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until integrated and fluffy, about one minute. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine an additional 30 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt. Stir on low speed until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and pour the sparkling sugar into a small bowl. Scoop 1-1/2 teaspoon sized (medium cookie scoop) balls of dough and roll them in your hands. Roll the dough balls in the sugar and place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for about 9-10 minutes or until the tops have cracked. Allow to cool on a cooling rack before enjoying.