This recipe originally appeared in Bake From Scratch Vol 3, along with several other cookies recipes I contributed, and now is in the new Bake From Scratch Cookie Collection. And there’s an entire chapter of Pan-banging cookies in my cookbook, 100 Cookies!
These cookies have the crisp, ripply edges and gooey, chocolate center my original recipe is known for, along with a tiny hit of molasses and some ground espresso. If you make them, please let me know!
You can tag me on Instagram, or tag #panbanging or #bangonapan (or, of course, leave a comment here if you aren’t on social media!).

Pan-banging Cookies with Espresso and Chocolate
These chocolate and espresso laced cookies have crisp, ripply edges and gooey, chocolate center, made using my signature pan-banging cookie method!
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup [249g] all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (6g) ground espresso
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 12 tablespoons [170g] unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups [300g] granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons [42g] mild molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 ounces [113g] bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped into bite-sized pieces
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, espresso, salt, and baking soda.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar, and beat until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the molasses, egg, and vanilla, beating to combine. Add the flour, and beat on low until combined. Using a spatula, make sure the molasses is completely combined into the dough and that the dough is uniform in color.
- Add the chocolate, and stir to combine. Shape the dough into 3 ounce [85g] balls. Place 4 balls an equal distance apart on on the prepared pans.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake 8 minutes, until the cookies are puffed slightly in the center. Lift the side of the baking sheet up about 4 inches and gently let it drop down against the oven rack, so the edges of the cookies set and the inside falls back down.
- After the cookies puff up again in about 2 minutes, repeat lifting and dropping the pan. Repeat 3 or 4 more times to create ridges around the edge of the cookie. Bake 14 to 15 minutes total, until the cookies have spread out and the edges are golden brown but the centers are much lighter and not fully cooked.
Notes
Pan-Banging Molasses Espresso Cookies with Chocolate first printed in From Bake From Scratch Vol. 3.
15 Comments
Cassie
Thursday, June 6, 2019 at 10:33 amCan you use instant espresso powder? Thanks!
JulieD
Friday, August 16, 2019 at 9:28 amI was going to ask this same question! Thank you!
Jennine Quiring
Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 10:48 amWhat a fun recipe. I usually bake in the middle of the night, but would have to bake in the afternoon because my 6 lb Pomeranian would not understand the banging at night. What dice do these cookies turn out to be. Also did not see an answer to the question about the lady asked about the difference between Gold Metal and King Arthur flour. I had not heard that before. I am partial to King Arthur. Products, especially since two months ago I won the King Arthur gluten free contest at the California State Fair
Diane
Saturday, June 8, 2019 at 2:20 pmI’ll definitely try these. Today, I just made the Granola Chocolate Pecan cookies from your cookbook and they are amazing! I’m going to be a hit with these. Oh, and the cookie dough is so darn good even before they’re baked! So delighted I have the cookbook.
Rita
Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 10:47 amWhat do I do with the recipe to leave out the chocolate?
Lori
Thursday, June 27, 2019 at 7:03 pmWhat type of AP flour do you use? King Arthur ( higher protein) or Gold Medal (lower protein)? I ask because I recently made one of my favorite cookie recipe with KA and the results were different than when I use GM. Thanks!
Floranet
Thursday, September 5, 2019 at 4:49 amThis is one of the best blogs I have read on this topic.
Sharing crunchy
Sunday, September 29, 2019 at 2:10 amI love these cookies. Superb recipe.
Albert
Monday, October 21, 2019 at 12:35 pmThese cookies are out of this world!! I’m not much of a baker, but gave this recipe a try after seeing it on GMA. Holy Sh**! The cookies were IMPRESSIVE and came out better than what I can buy at a high end bakery in LA. I’ve never baked something this legit, thank you!
Susan
Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at 5:02 pmNote that the metric measurements are off: if 1 3/4 cups of flour =249g, then 1 1/2 cups sugar cannot = 300g.
Sarah
Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at 5:05 pmThe measurements are correct! Sugar and flour measure differently – sugar is heavier than flour, and and so a cup of sugar = 198g where a cup of flour = 142g.
Britta
Monday, March 23, 2020 at 11:36 pmI love all of your recipes but just tried making these and they taste AMAZING! I’m wondering what you suggest for storing them to keep the best?
Nic
Saturday, July 11, 2020 at 7:22 amGreetings from a fellow Minnesotan – I just noticed that this recipe skips the chill-the-dough step, Just double-checking as I know that is an important part of the original recipe (which I made & we loved, especially chilled). Thanks!
Zofia
Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 8:26 amHi! I LOVE these. Can I make them smaller? If so, how would I adjust the size/baking time? Thanks!
Sneha
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 3:34 pmWhat is mild molasses? What brand of molasses would you buy? Thank you!