The Best 35 Coffee and Desserts Recipes You Never Knew You Needed
For most, coffee is just a way to wake up in the morning, and desserts are just sweet treats post mealtime. However, for real coffee fanatics with a sweet tooth, coffee-infused desserts and treats are mind-blowing experiences for the senses; regardless of the time of day.
So, to help all of you coffee aficionados quell that bitter-sweet craving, here’s a curated list of the 35 best coffee and desserts recipes that bring your morning pick-me-up and guilty pleasure treats together in harmony.
1: Italian Affogato
Kicking the list off, here’s a simple recipe that takes less than five minutes to make, and there are two ways you can go about it. Either route you take, there are only two required ingredients.
Affogato is popular in Italy, and it’s perfect for adding a bit of pep to your step in the middle of the day or simply treating yourself after a hearty helping of comfort food for dinner.
To make it authentic, you need espresso and vanilla gelato. Put a scoop of gelato in a small glass, and then pour in two ounces of freshly-brewed espresso. It is that simple.
Alternatively, you can brew a dark roast coffee with a bit more potency than usual, and use vanilla ice cream instead of gelato. The flavor is slightly different, but the effect is the same, and it’s still a yummy treat.
For a bit of an added kick, add a one-ounce shot of Amaretto.
2: Tiramisu
Another delicious treat from Italy, this Tiramisu is a bit more complicated, but it’s perfect for impressing guests or getting a sweet pick-me-up on a bad day. While it is more complicated than the Affogato mentioned above, it’s still a simple recipe that takes advantage of store-bought cake and toppings.
You’ll need:
- Store-bought angel food cake (Sliced horizontally into 3 layers)
- Frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip)
- Coffee liqueur ¾ cups (Plus 3 tablespoons extra)
- ¼ cup black coffee
- ½ cup confectioner’s sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese
Start by mixing the cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl. Then, spread it evenly on the top of the first and second layers of cake. Place the third layer on top, poke holes from top to bottom with a long skewer, and pour a combination of the black coffee and coffee liqueur into the holes. Allow the cake to rest for at least ten minutes.
Now, mix your whipped topping with another ½ cup of confectioner’s sugar, and for added flavor, consider adding one single-serving instant espresso packet from your favorite brand. Spread this mixture on all of the cake’s surfaces, and drizzle with chocolate sauce mixed with 3 tablespoons of chocolate liqueur.
3: Coffee Brownies
Chocolate and coffee go together beautifully to create a sweet treat appropriate for just about any occasion, and this one’s extremely simple.
Take your favorite brownie recipe, add 1-cup of black coffee to the batter, and bake it per usual. Increase baking time to accommodate the added moisture.
After the brownies have cooled and firmed, thoroughly mix ¼-cup black coffee with store-bought chocolate icing and top the brownies generously.
4: Chocolate Beans
Another simple recipe, these chocolate-covered coffee beans can give you a quick coffee buzz, and they’re absolutely delicious. Warning: Try to take it easy with these. The caffeine is more condensed and will hit you a lot faster.
To make these, simply buy whole roasted coffee beans as you would for grinding. On the stove, warm 1-cup of whole milk and slowly add 1-pound of milk chocolate chips. Stir the mixture frequently to prevent burning.
Once the chocolate sauce is made, pour your beans into a large bowl and mix in your chocolate sauce. Spread the beans in an even layer on parchment paper and place them in the fridge until the chocolate hardens.
5: Bacon Coffee Icecream Pops
Craving some ice cream? Fry 5 strips of bacon until they’re extra crispy, let them cool and crumble them into tiny bits. Then, allow one giant scoop of vanilla ice cream (per desired pop) to melt at room temperature before adding 2 tablespoons of coffee per scoop. Mix the coffee and ice cream with the bacon bits, pour into popsicle molds, and freeze for roughly 2 hours.
6: Sweet Coffee and Whiskey
In an alcohol shaker, add 4 ounces of chilled black coffee, two ounces of your favorite whiskey, and 2 tablespoons of honey or agave syrup. Shake for thirty seconds, and pour it into a mug.
You’ll have a sweet and bitter adult drink that ends meals and workdays beautifully, and it even gets a frothy head.
7: Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes
With a standard box of cupcake mix, a quarter-cup of black coffee, and your favorite chocolate icing, you can have one of the most fun coffee and desserts recipes possible. Substitute 1/8-cup of liquids in boxed mix instructions with 1/8-cup black coffee and bake as usual. Mix the other 1/8-cup of coffee into your icing, and top the cupcakes for an easy treat that serves a crowd.
Read Also: How Long Does Coffee Last?
8: Iced Coffee Pops
Brew one full pot of coffee and let it come to room temperature. Add 1-cup of sugar, half a cup of cream, and pour your mixture into popsicle molds; don’t forget to add popsicle sticks. In about 2 to 3 hours, you’ll have an ice-cold treat that puts a pep in your step.
9: Oatmeal Coffee Cookies
Dissolve 2 full tablespoons of instant coffee in just 2 teaspoons of boiling water to make a concentrated coffee solution. Now, simply add it to your favorite oatmeal cookie recipe and prepare it as usual. You’ll have delicious oatmeal cookies infused with a bitter hint of coffee. Serve with freshly-brewed coffee.
10: Oreo Frappe Ice-cream
Take 1-quart of store-bought vanilla ice cream, ¼-cup chilled black coffee, and roughly 10 Oreo cookies. With a heavy mixer, blend the coffee and ice cream. Crush the Oreo cookies and add the crumbles to the ice cream. Mix well before placing the mixture back in the freezer for an hour to resolidify. Serve them in waffle cones, and make sure to keep the kids off them unless you want them bouncing off the walls.
11: Coffee and Donuts Ice-Cream
Do you love the Oreo ice cream idea, but want something a little less crunchy? Replace the Oreo cookies in the previous recipe with small chunks of fresh glazed donuts. Everything else is the same, but it creates a truly indulgent dessert that reminds you of everyone’s favorite breakfast combo.
12: 1-Step Mocha Cheesecake
If you’ve got a store-bought cheesecake with no topping, chocolate syrup, and 1/8-cup chilled black coffee, you’re in for an easy treat. Simply mix the ½-cup chocolate syrup with the chilled black coffee, and drizzle your mixture over the top of your cheesecake. A subtle coffee flavor and bitter bite help balance out the decadence of the cheesecake itself.
13: Coffee Blondie Fudge
By taking your run-of-the-mill blondie recipe, adding a bit of instant coffee, and topping it with a whole coffee bean, you can turn a basic treat into something worthy of a fancy get-together. Mix 2 tablespoons of instant coffee with 2 teaspoons of water, and add that to your blondie recipe. After baking per the recipe, gently push one bean into the top for every square inch. Cool and slice into 1-inch servings before presenting them to guests.
14: Coffee Bean Clusters
In a large bowl, mix three cups of roasted coffee beans, 1 and ½ cups of marshmallow fluff, and 1-cup of melted milk chocolate chips. Before your melted chocolate stiffens, spoon the mixture into little blobs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper; chill in the refrigerator for 1-hour before serving.
Take it easy on these. They’re addicting little treats, but they’re highly potent.
15: Coffee Milkshakes
Start by adding 2 tablespoons of instant coffee to 2 teaspoons of boiling water to make a standard concentrate. Now, add 2 cups of vanilla ice cream and 1-cup of whole milk to a blender. Turn the blender on pulsate for 30 seconds before adding your coffee concentrate and blending it until it’s smooth. Pour into a tall glass and top with whipped cream for a quick summertime treat with the perfect caffeine boost to get you through your day.
16: Chocolate Cappuccino Ice Cream
In a tall glass, add one oversized scoop of chocolate ice cream. Fill the remainder of the glass with black cold-brewed coffee, and top the whole thing off with a heaping portion of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. It’s like a delicious chocolate ice-cream float with a coffee twist.
17: Coffee-Cream Eclairs
These little puff pastries filled with delicious cream are often topped with plain-old chocolate, but when you infuse that chocolate topper with concentrated coffee, they take on a whole new character. To do this, buy or make cream-filled eclairs without any toppings. Add two tablespoons of instant coffee to two teaspoons of boiling water, allow that to cool to room temperature, and blend it with one cup of your favorite chocolate icing. Now, add a generous smear to each éclair and enjoy a coffee twist on a timeless treat.
18: Rocky Coffee Road
Want a coffee-lover’s take on Rocky Road? Take a quart of chocolate ice cream, one cup of small marshmallows, and half a cup of whole roasted coffee beans. With a wooden spoon and a big bowl, mix the three ingredients for a nut-free version of this crowd favorite.
19: Coffee-Swirl Cheesecake
Using nothing more than a standard cheesecake recipe, chocolate syrup, and some chilled black coffee, you can add a peppy kick to this decadent crowd pleaser. Using your favorite cheesecake recipe, make your crust and filling. Before adding your filling to the pie crust and letting it firm, combine 1/8-cup chilled coffee with ½-cup chocolate syrup. Add your still-soft filling to the crust, pour your coffee-infused chocolate in the middle, and give it a simple swirl with a wooden chopstick. Allow the cheesecake to set before serving.
20: Mocha Coffee Dessert Pots
Want to impress some guests with a super-simple dessert? Crush graham crackers into a fine powder and mix in room-temperature butter until the mixture is thick. Press then into the bottom of ramekins to form a compact crust. Make or buy one quart of chocolate pudding, and add the same coffee concentrate recipe from earlier. Pour that into each ramekin, and top with a sprinkle of finely ground coffee beans and a dollop of whip cream.
21: Coffee-Dusted Ice-Cream Sundae
For a simple take on a classic dessert, take two scoops of your favorite vanilla ice cream and top with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. For visual flair and a subtle coffee flavor, grind up coffee beans into a fine powder, and dust the sundae with one teaspoon of it.
22: No-Bake Coffee Cheesecake
Take the KraftHeinz no-bake cheesecake recipe, add a swirl of our coffee concentrate recipe to the filling, and add coarsely ground coffee beans to the cookie crumble on top.
Read Also: Are Coffee Beans Better Than Instant Coffee?
23: Coffee-Glazed Donuts
Do you like to make homemade donuts? Following your standard glazed donut recipe, add two tablespoons of instant coffee to two teaspoons of boiling water, and mix the solution into your chocolate icing or sugar glaze. This puts a whole new spin on coffee and donuts.
24: Coffee-Dusted Buckeyes
Buckeyes are a decadent treat, but the addition of powdered coffee beans can offset the extreme sweetness. To make these, start by adding one cup of confectioner’s sugar to a standard jar of peanut butter. Mix well, and roll the mixture into 1-inch diameter balls. In a glass bowl, melt 1-pound of milk chocolate chips and roll the peanut butter balls before the chocolate hardens. Place them on parchment paper to settle, and then dust each “buckeye” with finely ground coffee beans.
25: Irish Coffee Pudding
For an alcoholic treat that’s smooth and sweet, mix 24 ounces of homemade pudding (or store-bought vanilla pudding) with 1-tablespoon of instant espresso powder and 3 tablespoons of whiskey. Pour this into 4 6-ounce glasses and top with a generous portion of sweetened whip cream. For a little flare, drizzle with chocolate syrup.
26: Espresso Milk Punch
Using a 2-ounce bourbon base, stir in 2 ounces of coffee liqueur, a splash of chickory liqueur, an ounce of sweetened cream, and one shot of espresso. This modern take on a White Russian is perfect for brunch party desserts or relaxing in the evening.
27: Mudpie Martini Espresso
This chocolate martini is rich and sweet enough to easily replace dessert regardless of the meal, but a bitter shot of espresso keeps it from being overbearing. First, crush about 2 chocolate wafer cookies per the desired martini into a coarse crumble, mix it with chocolate syrup, and pour it into the bottom of a martini glass. Now, add 1-ounce chocolate syrup, 2 ounces Kahlua coffee liqueur, 3 ounces vodka, and 4 ounces of RumChata. Finally, mix in one shot of espresso and give it a swirl.
28: Coffee Bark
Instant coffee granules and chopped coffee beans take this simple chocolate bark recipe up a notch. Simply take 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips, melt them with a splash of milk in a double boiler, and stir in 2 teaspoons of instant coffee. Now, add in 2/3-cup coarsely chopped coffee beans, mix well, and pour over a baking sheet and parchment paper in a thin layer. Once it cools, snap a piece off for a delicious crunchy pick-me-up.
29: Mocha Truffles
Three simple ingredients are all you need for delicious coffee truffles. Melt 24 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips, mix in 8 ounces of cream cheese, 3 tablespoons of instant coffee or 2 tablespoons of fine coffee grinds, and 2 teaspoons of water. Let that sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before shaping it into balls and placing them on parchment paper until firm. Finally, melt 6 more ounces of chocolate chips and roll your truffles in it! After three hours in the fridge, you have a delicious coffee treat.
30: Two-Tone Coffee Bark
This is the same as the previous coffee bark recipe, but with dual-tone layers. To make it, follow the instructions on number 28 as normal. Once it cools and hardens, repeat the steps with white chocolate chips and pour the result over the first layer. After a couple of hours in the fridge, you’ll have dual-chocolate bark filled to the brim with coffee flavor.
31: Japanese Coffee Jello
This Japanese take on Jello uses coffee for flavoring rather than juice. All you need is gelatin, sugar, and room-temperature coffee. Heat the gelatin and sugar in a saucepan before adding the coffee and bringing it to a boil. Dump the mixture into a baking dish and refrigerate it for 2 hours. Now, slice it into cubes, put the cubes in a glass, and add cold whole milk. It’s that simple.
32: Frozen Frap Pie
This is easy. Using a store-bought pie crust, ½-cup cold coffee, and two standard tubs of whipped cream topping, you can make a no-bake pie that’s smooth, creamy, and caffeinated. Just mix the coffee with the whipped topping and fill the pie crust with it. One hour in the freezer, and you’re ready to indulge!
33: Coffee Marshmallow Whip
By taking 6 and ½ cups miniature marshmallows and melting them in 1-cup of boiling water with 2 tablespoons of instant coffee, you can get the base for a delicious and smooth marshmallow mousse. Once the base is made, fold in 1-cup of whipped cream pour the mix into dessert cups, and top with more whipped cream!
34: Oreo Coffee Dip
This creamy dip is perfect for Oreo cookies. Just take 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, mix it well with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 2 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup milk, and 1 tablespoon instant coffee. For an added kick, top it with chopped coffee beans.
35: Ultimate Coffee Dessert Drink
Finally, to top off the list, this coffee dessert drink is large, decadent, and not for the faint of heart. Mix equal parts cold-brew coffee and sweetened cream in a large mug, top with a heaping portion of whipped cream, chocolate syrup, strawberry syrup, raspberries, and of course, a sprinkling of instant coffee granules. Warning: Don’t count your calories with this one.
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