Guest Post: Recipe - Salted Chocolate Espresso Cookies

So these might just be the best chocolate cookies I've ever made. And I don't say this lightly. I'm a girl who loves chocolate, coffee and anything salted-caramel related. So when I found these on Pinterest, I knew it was something I just had to make!

Go on, I dare you. They really are as good as they sound. 

You'll need:

1 cup of dark chocolate

6 tablespoons of slightly salted butter

2 tablespoons of instant espresso

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup of white sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup of plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt + extra for sprinkling

Melt all of the chocolate, apart from a couple of squares, butter and espresso in the microwave or over a bain marie until it's all melted and deliciously oozy. Set it aside to cool a little.

Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl until they've combined and started to turn pale. Then add the chocolate mixture and give it a quick whisk.

Add your flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl and fold until all the flour has combined. Make sure there are no hidden pockets of flour! 

Then break up the remaining squares of chocolate into small chips and pop them into your mixture.

Your mixture should be fairly thick, but not completely a dough ball.

Spoon it out onto cling film, cover the mixture and roll into a long sausage shape. Pop it in the freezer for about half an hour until it's firm but not frozen! Heat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. 

Then cut cookie shaped discs about 2 cm thick, roll them slightly so that they're a little curved and pop them on a prelined baking sheet. Make sure they're spread out otherwise you'll end up with a single cookie. On second thoughts... Maybe that isn't such a bad idea!

Bake them for about 10 minutes until firm and deliciously gooey. Then sprinkle with a little salt whilst they're still warm. 

Serve with a big cup of coffee and a friend (preferably with a side of good gossip!).

I've not looked back since making them. I'm a real fan of cookies, and of baking, but I really do think these are the best I've made! Perfect whether you're just looking for a Sunday baking session, or whether you're baking for the office. Word of advice: no cookie will ever compare again!

Thank you, Lauren for this mouth watering recipe! It's my first ever recipe post on Follow Your Sunshine, and it's certainly whet my appetite for more. I can't wait to get baking! Lauren is a student currently studying abroad in Rennes, France while packing in plenty of trips home to the UK and embarking on travels abroad. She writes a fun and informative travel, recipe and lifestyle blog called The Lifestyle Diaries. Head on over to say hello!