Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans
A sweet burst of energy, these Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans are a delicious way to keep that pep in your step! They are easy to make too!
Chocolate Espresso Beans
Right after college and before I had kids, I worked as a waitress in a fine dining restaurant. It was a fast-paced job that paid well, but it was definitely high-stress too! We worked with some of the “who’s who” of the city, and that often meant long nights running around the restaurant!
I honestly can’t remember where I got my first bag of chocolate covered espresso beans. I think it was a gift! (So if the person that gave me these beans is reading this…I love you!) I have just blocked out a lot of those waitressing days because my boss was the worst and I’m happy to be done with it.
The first bite of those dark chocolate espresso beans was magical. They tasted amazing and they gave me a lot of energy to get through the evening.
I started buying a bag each week to share with my work friends. We liked to help each other out to get through this time! (And we are all still best friends to this day!)
Believe it or not, Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans are so simple to make at home! With only two ingredients (I bet you can guess what they are) you can have these energetic treats ready in no time!
Perfect for a quick boost during the day, a little sandwich bag of these will keep you going all day long!
They also make awesome gifts, as I can attest to!
Ingredients
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- 1/2 cup (4oz) dark chocolate chips or melting chocolate
- 1 cup espresso beans
Kitchen Supplies Used
- Cookie sheet or baking sheet
- Parchment Paper, wax paper, or Non-stick silicone baking mat
- Microwave safe bowls
What is the Best Type of Chocolate to Use?
When choosing a chocolate for this recipe, there are a couple things to consider: flavor and ease of melting.
Dark chocolate pairs beautifully with coffee, so that or semi-sweet is my go-to. However, the sweetness of milk chocolate can help balance out any bitterness of coffee beans, so if you like a sweeter treat, this may be a good choice for you.
As far as making the recipe, I recommend using chocolate melting wafers or chocolate almond bark. These types of chocolate are specifically formulated to melt easily and smoothly, whether you use a double boiler or microwave.
While chocolate chips will work, they can sometimes appear streaky as they dry. If using chocolate chips, I recommend adding a teaspoon of coconut oil or shortening to help them melt better.
What Type of Coffee Bean is Best?
This is another place you can experiment with different flavors for your chocolate coffee beans. Think of it like wine: it doesn’t have to be fancy, it just needs to taste good!
If you have a favorite type of coffee bean already, you can use those for this recipe. The two requirements are using whole bean coffee beans (not ground) and they should already be roasted.
Other than that, it’s pretty much up to you!
I’d recommend using a medium to dark roast. Something labeled espresso beans is a safe bet. As far as the type of beans, arabica coffee beans are the most common, as arabica beans are generally sweeter and milder. This makes them a solid choice for making coffee candy. Robusta beans are more bitter and strong, so they would pair well with a sweeter milk chocolate.
But is there any wrong answer when it comes to combining coffee with chocolate? I think not!
Are Coffee Beans Good for You?
In moderation, coffee beans are a wonderful source of antioxidants. These antioxidants are said to prevent cellular damage in our bodies.
Coffee beans are also high in caffeine, which provides energy. However, it is important to enjoy them in moderation.
Related: Learn about the surprising health benefits of coffee here!
Do Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans Have Caffeine?
YES! Chocolate covered espresso beans contain caffeine in both the coffee beans themselves, as well as the chocolate coating. A 1oz serving contains about 227 milligrams of caffeine, which is almost three times the amount in the average cup of coffee.
Here’s a look at how these coffee bean snacks stack up in the caffeine count:
- Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans (1oz) — 227mg
- Drip Coffee (8oz) — 95mg
- Espresso (1 shot) — 64mg
- Green Tea (8oz) — 28mg
You definitely want to keep this in mind when snacking on these delicious little coffee flavored energy bites! The caffeine can kind of sneak up on you, so I’d recommend eating a small serving first.
Can You Make a Decaf Version?
If you’re worried about having too much caffeine, but still want to enjoy this delicious snack, you there are a couple easy substitutions that will help! While you can’t create a truly caffeine-free version of this recipe, you can alter the ingredients to dramatically reduce the amount.
First, use decaf espresso beans. This will have the biggest impact on lowering the caffeine content. Decaf coffee is not 100% caffeine free, but the overall amount is quite low.
Next, use chocolate with lower amount of cocoa solids. Dark chocolate contains more cocoa solids, so it is higher in caffeine. Milk chocolate would probably be the best bet for a combination of low caffeine and delicious flavor. White chocolate contains no cocoa solids, so therefore, no caffeine.
Directions
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds, then stir well, and reheat as needed until completely melted.
Add the coffee beans to the bowl of melted chocolate and use a fork to stir well until the beans are completely coated.
Use the fork to remove a few espresso beans at a time and tap the fork against the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate.
Place the chocolate-coated espresso beans on the parchment paper and repeat until all of the beans are coated and drying on the baking sheet.
Move the baking sheet of espresso beans to the fridge to set for an hour, or even overnight.
Makes 1 1/4 cups homemade chocolate covered coffee beans.
How to Store
Allow your chocolate covered coffee beans to dry completely before moving them to an airtight container. You can keep them at room temperature, away from heat and light sources.
You can also keep them in the refrigerator. They will last weeks or even months this way! Plus they taste amazing chilled!
More Homemade Candy Recipes
Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans Recipe (printable copy)
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Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans Recipe
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- microwave safe bowl
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate
- 1 cup espresso beans
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 20-30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.
- Add espresso beans to bowl and use a fork to stir well to coat.
- Use the fork to remove a few espresso beans at a time and tap the fork against the side of the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl
- Place the chocolate-coated espresso beans on the parchment paper to dry. You can move to the fridge to set for an hour (or overnight).
Nutrition
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Hi Stacey,
What a great recipe! I am a coffee lover, and I would love to try these chocolate-covered coffee beans. I am really glad that you found this from someone, and decided to share this with us all. I am really looking forward to making this one very soon and then eating them all day. Thanks a lot for sharing this amazing recipe. I will be trying it out, and then share it with all of my friends who love coffee.