These coffee dessert recipes are a collection of Italian cakes and cookies (and sweeter drinks). The recipes call for instant espresso powder . BUT you can use strong brewed coffee. So don't panic or click away if you don't have it or can't find it. You don't have to use it! Yes, the flavor is "better" if you do. But it's not a recipe killer if you don't have it.

If you want the espresso powder you can find it in the more "uppity" grocery stores like Dean and De Luca. And maybe just maybe, you can hunt it down in your international section of your "normal" store. And here's another one - if you don't have one of those stores - I put a link to Amazon for the one I buy.

Now if you don't want to buy the powder - I used coffee for years before it came out. Yup just plain ole coffee. The trick? Brew it super duper strong. I mean toe-curling strong. Back in the 80's and 90's that's what I did. Matter of fact in the 1980's I didn't even have real coffee around my house. So, I bought the gross instant stuff and made it strong.

If you are going to go the route of instant coffee or real coffee - just make it overpowering strong. Any of these Italian cakes or Italian cookie recipes that call for the powder will turn out just fine with strong brew. Don't over analyze the measurements - just make it real strong. (No scientific calculators needed). I was just throwing out the espresso powder because it's worth purchasing if you see it.

To see the coffee dessert recipes scroll down to my photo gallery. Hover over the photo. The name of the recipe will pop up. Just click on it if it interests you. One thing to note - I put my best tiramisu recipe in this list for two reasons. It's in my top five viewed pages each month. AND it uses a smidge of espresso powder. Not a ton, but a smidge.

None of these recipes are long or complex. The tiramisu might be the more longer of any. But for the most part I'd plan on about 90 minutes total time for prepping and baking!

Happy baking -