By: Susie Zadeh Locklier, CX Manager, Durham, NC

As the days get shorter and the air turns crisp, there’s something magical about the simple pleasure of the smell of cookies in a warm oven. This season, we’re all about the art of the pairing—finding that perfect balance where coffee and cookie come together in perfect harmony. In this guide, you won’t find any standard chocolate chip cookies; instead, we’re highlighting unique, beyond-the-usual recipes. You might just discover a new cookie to add to your rotation!

 

Gochujang Caramel Cookies x Apollo 

I had no idea what to expect the first time I tried this recipe. I love gochujang in savory dishes, but I was unsure how it would be in a sweet application. This recipe by Eric Kim is nothing short of a masterpiece. The brown sugar, butter, and gochujang melt together to form a richly complex and unique flavor. I paired these cookies with Apollo, a Year-Round Blend that highlights the magic of Ethiopian coffee. With a silky texture, floral notes are accompanied by a supporting sweetness and pop of acidity.     

Ingredients:

½ cup (8 tablespoons) (115g) unsalted butter, very soft

2 packed tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 heaping tablespoon gochujang

1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

1 large egg at room temperature

½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt or ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon baking soda

1½ cups (185g) all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon of butter, the brown sugar, and gochujang until smooth. Set aside at room temperature for later.
2. In a large bowl, by hand, whisk together the remaining 7 tablespoons of butter, the granulated sugar, egg, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. Switch to a flexible spatula and stir in the baking soda. Add the flour and gently stir to combine. Place this large bowl in the refrigerator until the dough is less sticky but still soft and pliable, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. While the dough is chilling, heat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 large sheet pans with parchment.
4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. In 3 to 4 separately spaced-out blobs, spoon the gochujang mixture over the cookie dough. Moving in long circular strokes, swirl the gochujang mixture into the cookie dough to have orange-red streaks throughout the beige. Be sure not to overmix at this stage, as you want wide, distinct strips of gochujang.
5. Use an ice cream scoop to plop out ¼-cup rounds at least 3 inches apart on the sheet pans. (You should get 4 to 5 cookies per pan.) Bake until lightly golden at the edges and dry and set in the center, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Let cool completely on the sheet pan; the cookies will flatten slightly and continue cooking as they cool. The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Ricciarelli x ​​La Golondrina

One of the most cherished combinations in café culture is a freshly brewed single-origin pour-over paired with an almond pastry. This timeless duo blends the sweet decadence of marzipan with subtle savory nuttiness, making it an ideal anytime treat!

To recreate this cozy experience at home, I paired our award-winning La Golondrina coffee—featuring cherry, chocolate, and toasted nutty notes—with soft, chewy Italian Ricciarelli almond cookies. The harmonious mix of sweet, savory, citrus, and stone fruit flavors makes this pairing a festive and comforting delight.

Ingredients: 

2 egg whites

1 dash of lemon juice

2 1/4 cups almond flour (300g)

1 ¾ cups powdered sugar

1 pinch salt

¼ tsp baking powder

1 tsp orange zest, about half a large orange

1 tbsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup powdered sugar for coating cookies

Yields: 16 cookies

Directions:

1. Whip egg whites and lemon juice with a stand or hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
2. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift in almond flour, 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, salt, and baking powder, and fold into egg whites. I don’t do it all at once, but maybe in 2-3 batches. Try to keep some air in the egg whites, but at this point, they will form a pretty sticky dough rather than a fluffy meringue.
3. Add orange zest, vanilla extract, and almond extract and fold in until combined.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using clean hands, roll dough into balls about 1″ in diameter (20g). Roll in powdered sugar until well coated. Shape into an oval, arrange on a baking sheet with some space between them for spreading, and flatten slightly.
5. Leave at room temperature for about an hour or until the tops have dried out and formed almost a little shell. (This may take longer in humid areas.) Pre-crack the shell by squeezing the cookies slightly from opposite corners. 
6. While the cookies are drying, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. When the cookies are ready, bake for about 20 minutes.

Earl Grey Cookies x Okoluu Natural Sundried

 

Okay, okay hear me out. I know some of you might be thinking “why would you pair a tea infused cookie with coffee?” The florality of bergamot, the citrus oil used in Earl Grey tea, pairs beautifully with flash iced Okoluu Natural Sundried. This East Guji Ethiopian coffee yields a delicately sweet cup that shines on ice.     

Ingredients: 

1¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar

14 tablespoons (198g) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves

½ cup (100g) light brown sugar

¾ teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2½ cups (320g) all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

Yields: 16 cookies 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper. Put ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar in a small bowl or shallow dish and set aside.
2. Combine the butter and tea leaves in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Melt the butter, stirring occasionally, until it just begins to sizzle around the edges. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
3. Add the tea butter to a large bowl, then add brown sugar, salt, orange zest, and the remaining ¾ cups (150 g) granulated sugar. Use an electric mixer on medium speed or a whisk to combine for about 30 seconds; the mixture will be grainy and separated. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.
4. Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda to the bowl and mix at low speed or with a rubber spatula until just combined. 
5. Measure about 1 tablespoon of dough (40g). Roll each dough ball in the reserved granulated sugar, then place on the baking sheets 2 inches apart.
6. Bake the cookies until set, light golden around, and crackled on top, 11 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.

Toasted Coconut Shortbread x Iridescent 

There is no doubt that shortbread with coffee is a great match. The addition of coconut makes these cookies that much more rich and buttery. Pairing our Winter blend just made sense. Iridescent offers notes of marmalade and chocolate that make this duo perfectly cozy.

Ingredients: 

1cup plus 2 tablespoons (255g) cold salted butter (2¼ sticks), cut into ½-inch pieces

½cup (100g) granulated sugar

¼cup (55g) light brown sugar

1teaspoon vanilla extract

1¾cups (255g) all-purpose flour

½cup (45g) unsweetened shredded coconut, plus more for rolling

¾teaspoon cinnamon

1 large egg, well beaten

Sanding sugar or Turbinado

 Directions:

1. Using an electric mixer and a medium bowl (or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla at medium-high speed until super light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour, followed by ½ cup of coconut, and beat just to blend.
3. Divide the dough in half, then place each on a large plastic wrap. Sprinkle each piece of dough with half of the cinnamon, then fold the plastic over to cover the dough and protect your hands from getting all sticky. Start forming into a log (this will give a subtle cinnamon swirl-like effect — if this idea stresses you out, you can add the cinnamon with the flour and coconut in step 2).
4. Using your hands (just like you’re playing with clay), form dough into a log shape; rolling it on the counter will help you smooth it out, but don’t worry about perfecting it. Each half should form logs about 1½ to 2 inches in diameter. Chill until firm, at least 1½ hours.
5. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet (two, if you have them) with parchment paper. Brush the outside of the logs with egg wash. Roll the logs in unsweetened coconut.
6. Slice each log into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Dip each round on one side into sanding sugar (there is no need to egg wash; the sugar should just stick). Arrange on prepared baking sheet, sugar-side up, about 1 inch apart (they won’t spread much). Bake cookies until edges begin to brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating them all.

 

As we dive into the heart of the season, there’s something truly special about finding the perfect coffee and cookie pairing to warm up any gathering or quiet moment. So, try something new, explore a bit, and maybe find a fresh favorite pairing along the way. After all, the season’s best moments are often the simple ones: a great coffee, a good cookie, and a little time to savor them both.

Recipes Cited: 

Gochujang Caramel Cookies 

Ricciarelli- Chewy Italian Almond Cookies

Earl Grey

Toasted Coconut Shortbread