Sometimes in life we have to make decisions, but I wasn't in the mood for that today and rather than pick one Bourbon-Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe, I'm sharing two. The first is from an old cookbook called The Sophisticated Cookie and the second is the same cookie but with a few twists.
Bourbon-Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies One
The first recipe has a fairly pronounced bourbon flavor, which is probably why I liked it and my daughter did not. The cookies are puffy and thick, but a little pale due to the baking powder. They're very good, but different from the second version.
Bourbon-Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
8 oz cool unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup very firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
5 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (fluff, then spoon and level or scoop and sweep) 10.5 oz
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups extra dark chocolate chips
¾ cups pecans, toasted and chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F if you are baking the cookies immediately. Skip this step if you plan to chill the dough.
In bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add both sugars and continue beating for 2 minutes, scraping bowl often. Add eggs and beat just until they are mixed in. Beat in the Bourbon. Scrape sides of bowl again.
Thoroughly mix together flour, baking powder and salt and gradually add to batter, stirring just until blended. Stir in chips and nuts.
Drop by very generously heaping tablespoon 2 inches apart on parchment lined or lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges are nicely browned.
Makes about 24 cookies
Browned Butter Version
This second version has less of a boozy flavor and calls for browned butter. The toffee bits make the cookies a bit chewier.
Browned Butter Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookies
8 oz cool unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup very firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 ½ to 3 tablespoons bourbon whiskey 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (fluff, then spoon and level or scoop and sweep)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt ½ cup toffee bits
2 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
¾ cups pecans, toasted and chopped plus about ½ cup halves sea salt flakes
Start by browning the butter in a small saucepan. Transfer it to a small bowl, then refrigerate until it sets. This should take about an hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F if you are baking the cookies immediately. Skip this step if you plan to chill the dough.
In bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add both sugars and continue beating for 2 minutes, scraping bowl often. Add eggs and beat just until they are mixed in. Beat in the bourbon and vanilla. Scrape sides of bowl again.
Thoroughly mix together flour, baking soda and salt and gradually add to batter, stirring just until blended. Stir in toffee bits, chips and nuts.
Drop by very generously heaping tablespoon 2 inches apart on parchment lined or lightly greased baking sheets. Top each cookie with a pecan halve and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges are nicely browned.
Makes about 24 cookies
barbi says
ooohhh, these sound yummy! will have to try them!!
my local library has the cookbook!! got it on reserve now!!
Kimmie R says
Chocolate Chips cookies and Bourbon (especially Wild Turkey) are my dad's 2 favorite things. I have to make these for Father's Day. Thanks so much, they look wonderful!
Chef Dennis says
bourbon in my cookies....wow.....I know my brother would love these! Hope you had a wonderful time at Disney, its been way to long since I have been down there!
Anna says
Ha Ha. Ramble away! I like hearing what everyone's making.
Anna says
Thanks Jenn! I thought of you as I was reading a book of creativity tips from Imagineers.
justJENN says
Welcome home!!!
mags says
Bourbon..*sigh*.... as if chocolate chip cookies aren't addictive enough...LOL
Debbi Does Dinner Healthy says
Interesting, I've never heard of bourbon cookies. Sounds good though! The german chocolate thing sounds interesting. I just saw a recipe for german chocolate coconut pecan frosting. I have been making Amish Friendship bread and blogging about it, I was thinking about doing a german chocolate next time around. It's the husbands favorites. I actually think that I made something of yours that was german chocolate related. Not sure what it was though. I'm rambling, sorry.
Sue says
Bourbon. I've never tasted it in a beverage, but I once had some chocolates laced with Kentucky bourbon and I didn't appreciate it. Ever since then I shy away from anything with bourbon in it. I'm probably missing out on all kinds of good stuff.
Angela says
Oooh! I just finished undergrad (graduating this Sunday!!!), and although this undoubtedly signals an end to the craziest of my college years, I would still love to get my hands on a cook book like this!
I may just have to give in once my last campus-job paycheck comes in a few weeks 😉
Can't wait to see your Disney photos. It'll still be another couple of years til we make it back there (after my lil sis graduates from high school), but I'm dreaming of San Angel Inn already.
Louise says
According to my food calendar, today is "National German Chocolate Cake Day", so get mixing those cookies. I think they are close enough to count. Right now I'm baking another batch of Tahiti Blondies including my proposed changes and a couple additions since I looked at the Sugar Daddy ingredients. The batter was wonderful. 🙂
Carol A, says
Bourbon = "household staple." Love it! 🙂
Anna says
Lisa, the Bourbon cookies are good, but I've already bought the ingredients for the German Chocolate Chip Cookies and plan on making the dough today. The dough requires a long chill so the cookies won't be up until tomorrow.
Lisa Ernst says
It never occurred to me that a cc cookie recipe might call for bourbon. Yet this is kind of intriguing. I actually haven't tasted bourbon since my wild teenage years, when I tried it once or twice and found it just to horrible to tolerate. Really, I was too young to be trying something like bourbon anyway. No doubt my taste has matured since then and I would probably appreciate it now. But for the moment I'm patiently waiting for the German chocolate chip cookie clone recipe!