Sweet Tiramisu Cookies combine espresso-flavoured cookies with creamy mascarpone frosting. Make authentic tiramisu flavors in cookie form today!
Hey, I’m Linda! Welcome to Tasty at Home, where bold flavors meet everyday kitchens.
Last winter, I served traditional tiramisu at a dinner party. My friend Sarah asked if I could make something similar but easier to grab and go. Well… that question changed everything. I spent three weekends testing espresso-flavoured cookies with different cream ratios until I nailed this version.
These Sweet Tiramisu Cookies capture every flavor you love about classic tiramisu. The soft, coffee-kissed cookies pair perfectly with clouds of sweet mascarpone cream. You get that signature cocoa dusting on top, just like the real deal.
Table of Contents
What Makes These Tiramisu Cookies Special
This recipe transforms Italy’s most beloved dessert into handheld perfection. The instant espresso powder creates deep coffee flavor without any bitterness. Meanwhile, the mascarpone cream stays stable at room temperature for serving.
I’ve tested this recipe twelve times to get the texture right. The cookies stay soft in the center with slightly crisp edges. That balance mimics the ladyfinger texture in traditional tiramisu.
Sweet Tiramisu Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Electric hand mixer
- 4-tablespoon cookie scoop
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
- Offset spatula
Ingredients
Cookies Base
- 1.5 cups All-purpose flour Spoon and level for accuracy
- 2 tablespoons Instant espresso powder Not regular ground coffee
- 0.5 teaspoon Baking powder Aluminum-free preferred
- 0.5 teaspoon Baking soda Fresh for best rise
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt Balances sweetness
- 0.5 cup Unsalted butter Room temperature is crucial
- 0.5 cup Granulated sugar White sugar only
- 0.25 cup Brown sugar Light or dark works
- 1 Large egg Room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract Pure, not imitation
Mascarpone Cream Topping
- 7 oz Mascarpone cheese Full-fat only
- ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp Whipping cream Heavy cream, cold
- 0.5 cup Powdered sugar Sifted for smoothness
- 0.5 teaspoon Vanilla extract Pure extract
- 2 tablespoons Cocoa powder For dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Let butter and egg reach room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Mix flour, instant espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Cream softened butter with granulated and brown sugar for 3 minutes until light and airy.
- Add egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until smooth.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients, mixing briefly until just combined.
- Use a 4-tablespoon scoop to portion dough onto baking sheets. Flatten slightly.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes until edges are set. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
- Beat mascarpone cheese alone for 30 seconds, add cold whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Whip until soft peaks form.
- Once cookies are cool, scoop 2-3 tablespoons of cream onto each cookie and spread with an offset spatula. Dust with cocoa powder.
Notes
Premium Ingredient Selection
Choose high-quality mascarpone cheese for the richest cream. Fresh mascarpone should smell slightly sweet and feel smooth when stirred. Instant espresso powder delivers better flavor than regular coffee grounds because it dissolves completely into the dough.
Ingredient Breakdown
Cookies Base
| Ingredient | US Measurement | Metric | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 1½ cups | 180 g | Spoon and level for accuracy |
| Instant espresso powder | 2 tablespoons | 14 g | Not regular ground coffee |
| Baking powder | ½ teaspoon | 2.5 g | Aluminum-free preferred |
| Baking soda | ½ teaspoon | 2.5 g | Fresh for best rise |
| Salt | ½ teaspoon | 3 g | Balances sweetness |
| Unsalted butter | ½ cup | 115 g | Room temperature is crucial |
| Granulated sugar | ½ cup | 100 g | White sugar only |
| Brown sugar | ¼ cup | 50 g | Light or dark works |
| Large egg | 1 | 50 g | Room temperature |
| Vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | Pure, not imitation |
Mascarpone Cream Topping
| Ingredient | US Measurement | Metric | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mascarpone cheese | 7 oz | 200 g | Full-fat only |
| Whipping cream | ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon | 100 ml | Heavy cream, cold |
| Powdered sugar | ½ cup | 50 g | Sifted for smoothness |
| Vanilla extract | ½ teaspoon | 2.5 ml | Pure extract |
| Cocoa powder | 2 tablespoons | 12 g | For dusting |
Shopping Tips for Success
Find mascarpone in the specialty cheese section at most US grocery stores. Brands like BelGioioso and Galbani offer excellent quality. Choose instant espresso powder from the coffee aisle—Medaglia d’Oro works beautifully.
Bold Add-ins: Try adding ½ teaspoon of rum extract to the cream for authentic tiramisu flavor. You can also fold mini chocolate chips into the cookie dough for extra richness.
International Substitutions
Replace mascarpone with full-fat cream cheese beaten with 2 tablespoons heavy cream if needed. Substitute instant espresso with 3 tablespoons of very finely ground dark roast coffee. Use caster sugar instead of granulated for a finer texture.
Essential Equipment and Tools
You need standard baking equipment for these espresso-flavoured cookies. A stand mixer or electric hand mixer creates the fluffiest butter mixture. Use a 4-tablespoon cookie scoop for uniform cookies that bake evenly.
Line your baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking. A wire cooling rack allows air circulation so cookies cool faster. An offset spatula spreads mascarpone cream smoothly across each cookie surface.
DIY Alternative: No cookie scoop? Use a ¼-cup measuring cup to portion dough instead.
Step-by-Step Preparation
Prepare Your Workspace
Preheat the oven to 350°F and position the rack in the center. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Let your butter and egg sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before starting.
This temperature trick ensures smooth mixing. Cold butter creates lumpy dough that spreads unevenly during baking.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
Combine flour, instant espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk these ingredients together for 30 seconds. This distributes the espresso powder evenly throughout the flour.
You know what? I once forgot to mix the dry ingredients first. Half my cookies tasted like plain sugar cookies while others had intense coffee flavor!
Cream the Butter and Sugars
Beat the softened butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. The butter should look pale and fluffy. Add both sugars and beat for another 3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and airy.
This creaming process (as Julia Child always emphasized for proper cookie structure) creates tiny air pockets. Those pockets make cookies tender instead of dense. Scrape down the bowl sides halfway through beating.
Add Wet Ingredients
Crack the egg into the butter mixture and add vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute until completely combined. The mixture should look smooth and glossy.
Stop mixing as soon as you see no streaks of egg. Overmixing at this stage can make cookies tough.
Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture all at once. Mix on low speed for 15-20 seconds only. Stop when you see just a few flour streaks remaining.
The dough will look slightly crumbly at first. That’s exactly what you want. Overmixing develops too much gluten and creates hard cookies.
Scoop and Shape
Use a 4-tablespoon scoop to portion dough onto prepared baking sheets. Leave 3 inches between each scoop. These cookies spread significantly during baking.
Gently press each dough ball to flatten slightly. This helps cookies bake more evenly from edge to center.
Bake to Perfection
Bake for 11-12 minutes until edges look set but centers still appear slightly underdone. The cookies will look puffy and pale. Don’t worry—that’s normal.
Watch for edges that just start to turn golden brown. Remove cookies immediately at this point. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (Thomas Keller recommends this resting time for cookies to finish setting). Transfer to a wire rack afterward.
Man, oh man… the first time I baked these, I left them in for 15 minutes. They turned into coffee-flavored hockey pucks!
Prepare Mascarpone Cream
Beat mascarpone cheese alone in a medium bowl for 30 seconds. This loosens the cheese so it combines smoothly with cream. Add cold whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
Whip on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. The mixture should form soft peaks and barely move when you tilt the bowl. Stop before it becomes grainy or over-whipped.
Frost and Finish
Wait until cookies cool completely—about 20 minutes. Warm cookies will melt the mascarpone cream. Scoop 2-3 tablespoons of cream onto each cookie center.
Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread cream to the edges. Create decorative swirls on top for a bakery-style finish. Place cocoa powder in a fine-mesh sieve and dust generously over each cookie.
Expert Tips for Perfect Results
Let all dairy ingredients reach room temperature before mixing. Cold ingredients don’t blend smoothly and create lumpy dough. This step takes 30 minutes but makes a huge difference.
Measure flour correctly by spooning it into measuring cups and leveling off. Scooping directly from the bag packs in 25% more flour. That excess flour makes cookies dry and cakey instead of soft.
Don’t skip the cocoa dusting step. It adds authentic tiramisu appearance and balances the cream’s sweetness. Use Dutch-process cocoa for the smoothest, most elegant finish.
Creative Variations to Try
Holiday Version: Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract to the cream and top with crushed candy canes for Christmas. These festive tiramisu cookies disappeared in minutes at my December party.
Chocolate Lover’s Dream: Replace 2 tablespoons of flour with cocoa powder in the cookie dough. You get double chocolate espresso-flavoured cookies with even richer flavor.
Lighter Option: Use reduced-fat cream cheese instead of mascarpone and replace half the whipping cream with Greek yogurt. The texture stays creamy but calories drop by 30%.
Boozy Adult Treat: Brush cooled cookies with 1 teaspoon of coffee liqueur before adding cream. This mirrors traditional tiramisu’s signature kick.
Gluten-Free Adaptation: Substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. Add ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum if your blend doesn’t include it. Check out our complete guide to gluten-free baking for more tips.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
| Storage Method | Duration | Instructions |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature (unfrosted) | 5 days | Store in airtight container with parchment between layers |
| Refrigerated (frosted) | 3 days | Cover loosely with plastic wrap to prevent cream from absorbing odors |
| Frozen (unfrosted) | 3 months | Wrap individually in plastic, place in freezer bag |
| Frozen (frosted) | Not recommended | Cream becomes watery when thawed |
Bake cookies up to 3 days ahead and store them unfrosted. Add mascarpone cream 2-4 hours before serving for the freshest taste. The cream holds its shape beautifully at room temperature for short periods.
Freeze unfrosted cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet first. Transfer to freezer bags once solid. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before frosting.
Perfect Pairings
Serve these Sweet Tiramisu Cookies alongside espresso or cappuccino for an authentic Italian coffee break. They also pair wonderfully with our creamy Greek yogurt cheesecake for a dessert spread.
Try them with a glass of sweet dessert wine like Moscato. The light, fruity notes complement the coffee flavor perfectly. For a fun brunch idea, arrange cookies on a platter with our crispy deep-fried marshmallows.
These cookies shine at potlucks because they’re easy to transport. Stack them in a shallow container with parchment between layers. Your friends will ask for the recipe every single time.
Sweet Tiramisu Cookies FAQs
Can you make tiramisu cookies ahead of time?
You can make tiramisu cookies ahead of time by baking the cookies up to 3 days in advance. Store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Add the mascarpone cream frosting 2-4 hours before serving for the best texture and appearance.
What makes these cookies taste like tiramisu?
These cookies taste like tiramisu because they combine instant espresso powder in soft cookies with sweet mascarpone cream topping. The cocoa powder dusting adds the final authentic touch. Together, these elements create the classic coffee-and-cream flavor profile of traditional Italian tiramisu.
How do you keep mascarpone cream from being runny?
You keep mascarpone cream from being runny by whipping it for a full 5 minutes until it forms soft peaks. Use cold whipping cream and beat the mascarpone alone first to loosen it. The mixture should barely move when you tilt the bowl sideways.
Can you freeze cookies with mascarpone frosting?
You cannot freeze cookies with mascarpone frosting because the cream becomes watery and separates when thawed. Freeze unfrosted espresso-flavoured cookies for up to 3 months instead. Add fresh mascarpone cream after thawing for the best taste and texture.
What can replace mascarpone in tiramisu cookies?
Full-fat cream cheese mixed with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream can replace mascarpone in tiramisu cookies. Beat the cream cheese until very smooth before adding other ingredients. The flavor will be slightly tangier but still delicious with the coffee cookies.
Final Thoughts
These Sweet Tiramisu Cookies bring bakery-quality elegance to your kitchen. The combination of espresso-flavoured cookies and mascarpone cream creates an unforgettable treat. You’ll love how simple ingredients transform into something truly special.
Make a batch this weekend and watch them disappear. Absolutely serve them with strong coffee for the ultimate Italian-inspired experience. These cookies prove that classic tiramisu flavors work beautifully in portable, shareable form.
Share your decorated cookies in the comments below! I’d love to see your creative cocoa powder designs. Try pairing them with our strawberry crunch cookies for a colorful dessert platter.
Remember that story about my friend Sarah? She now makes these every month for her book club. The ladies call them “better than the real thing.”
Make these incredible tiramisu cookies today and taste why everyone falls in love with them!
