An easy high altitude recipe for soft, moist and chewy coffee blondies, flecked with espresso powder for a hint of coffee in every bite. If you’re a coffee lover, then you’ll love these coffee flavored cookie bars that stay soft for days.
You might also love these high altitude recipes for snickerdoodle blondies, cookies and cream Oreo blondies, and cookie butter chocolate chip blondies.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy to Make. You’ll have the batter ready for these coffee blondies in less than 10 minutes, no mixer needed.
Soft for Days. These cookie bars are so soft, so moist, and they’ll stay that way even days after baking.
High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet, so mountain bakers can be sure of consistent, reliable results.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter. Adds a rich, buttery flavor, and keeps the blondies moist.
- Granulated Sugar. Adds sweetness and moisture.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Eggs. Gives the cookie bars structure.
- Flour. All-purpose flour adds structure and strength.
- Espresso Powder. Adds a wonderful hint of coffee flavor.
- Baking Powder. Leavens the bars as they bake.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, or spray with non stick baking spray.
- In a bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar, then stir in the vanilla and eggs until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, espresso powder, baking powder and salt, and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir into a soft dough.
- Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan, and bake for 28-30 minutes. The edges should be set and the top golden brown and slightly puffed, but the cookie bars will still be underdone under the crust. Do not over bake, or they will end up dry.
- Set the pan on a cooling rack, and cool completely before cutting into squares.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store the leftover coffee blondies?
Store the leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3-6 months.
Can I add chocolate chips?
Chocolate chips or chopped chocolate would be great in coffee cookie bars. If you want to add chocolate chips to the dough, stir in the flour and let the dough cool for 10 minutes before adding the chocolate, then bake as instructed.
Where do you buy espresso powder?
I use Medaglia D’Oro Instant Espresso Coffee, which I buy at my local Kroger.
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High Altitude Coffee Blondies
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled
- 2 tbsp instant espresso powder
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, or spray with non stick baking spray.
- In a bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar, then stir in the vanilla and eggs until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, espresso powder, baking powder and salt, and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir into a soft dough.
- Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan, and bake for 28-30 minutes. The edges should be set and the top golden brown and slightly puffed, but the cookie bars will still be underdone under the crust. Do not over bake, or they will end up dry.
- Set the pan on a cooling rack, and cool completely before cutting into squares.
Made these a few days ago and they are just perfect! Delicious coffee flavor, added chopped dark chocolate as well. I live at barely 1000ft elevation, made your recipe as is with no trouble. Definitely a keeper, thank you!
I did mine for 30min at 350 and it was raw inside when we cut into it. Looks perfectly cooked on the outside, not cooked at all on the inside:( what did I do wrong?
Did you use the correct size pan? Did you let them cool and set completely before cutting? Maybe your oven temp is off? I’d suggest using an oven thermometer to make sure it’s calibrated correctly.
Oven temp is corrected but I’ll let them cool longer. I didn’t think about it but I looked and my pan is 8X8, not 9 so I’ll try again. Thank you!
Ok, update! After your suggestions I checked and was using the wrong size pan l, so I went and bought a 9”. Much better, came out perfect! I also used your recommended brand of espresso pwd instant if the cheap brand I had. Definitely one where you get what you pay for, the flavor was even more amazing! Thank you for helping me, love you recipes:)
I’m happy to help!
Hello,
Would this work in muffin tins? Do you know how the bake time would change? Thank you!
I don’t know if that would work or not.
The blondies were perfection! I live at 7,000′. Another fantastic recipe from Heather.
Trying to clarify with instruction, “If you want to add chocolate chips or chopped chocolate to the dough, stir in the flour”. Then you say “let the dough cool for 10 minutes before adding the chocolate”. So which is it when do you add the chocolate?
The chocolate comes after the flour mixture. Just make the dough as instructed, let it cool for a few minutes, then add the chocolate chips.