I sometimes wish I was one of those cool girls who can slap on a Panama hat and sling back whiskey while talking about Nietzsche and women’s rights, but frankly, straight up liquor like that makes me grimace in the most unflattering of ways. It is certainly not cool.
That’s not to say that I don’t on occasion drink too much wine and start gibbering incomprehensibly about equal pay in the workplace or reproductive freedom. That has happened before. And if you’ve been subjected to one of those rants, I’m sorry (would you like to come over for a glass of wine?).
But if I’m going to find a way to suavely imbibe in rum, it’ll probably be mixed in spiced apple cider. Whiskey has to be disguised with lemon (hello, whiskey sours) or in a corned beef glaze (which I strongly suggest you make for the weekend!). But bourbon? Either I’m gonna soak a chocolate cake in it–or make these molasses cookies.
I may not be cool, but I’m definitely happy to eat these cookies. With milk.
Bourbon Molasses Cookies (makes three dozen cookies; slightly adapted from une gamine dans la cuisine)
- 1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
- 1 C whole-wheat flour
- 1 t baking soda
- 1/4 t salt
- 1 t ground cinnamon
- 1 t ground ginger
- 3/4 C softened unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
- 1/2 C sugar
- 1/2 C brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 C molasses
- 1 T bourbon
- extra sugar (about 1/4 C) to cover cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger, and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy, then add an egg and mix.
Add the molasses and bourbon and mix, scraping the bottom.
Add the flour mixture in and stir until just combined.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat. Scoop a tablespoonful of dough and quickly roll between the hands, then roll around in the white sugar until fully covered. Set the balls about two inches apart from each other on the cookie sheet.
Stick the cookie sheets in the freezer for a few minutes to cool the dough down (alternatively, roll the dough and put them on a plate to cool down, then put them on the cookie sheet before baking. Also alternatively, chill the dough for a few hours or overnight before shaping).
Bake on the middle rack in the oven for 8-10 minutes. They will puff up in the oven and sink down as soon as they start to cool.
These cookies will look underdone when you take them out of the oven. Let them cool and firm up on the baking sheet before trying to move them or they’ll fall apart.
I liked them baked around the 9 minute mark–they were super chewy, and almost “melt in your mouth” tender.
The slight crunch of sugar around the edges is heaven.
Don’t you love this dreamy daylight savings’ light? It was shining right into my lens and I kinda liked the low contrast I was getting at some angles.
Fritz was mad at me because I only let him eat two cookies–the rest we had to save for some friends coming over tonight. I’m sure he’ll manage to snag a few more when they get here.
So what’s your bourbon drinking secret? I want to be as cool as this:
6 comments
Skip to comment form ↓
Charles Coe
March 11, 2013 at 6:23 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Your timing is impeccable; I was asked to bring dessert to a potluck this weekend and I’m going to make these cookies. I will be a popular guy.
What do I make with bourbon? Bread pudding. Bourbon-glazed pork chops or chicken breasts. Eggnog (of course). Barbeque sauce (also with molasses)…
Lauren Zietsman
March 11, 2013 at 6:24 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I need a good bread pudding recipe…feel free to share! Also, I love a well placed semicolon.
Valerie
March 11, 2013 at 7:56 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
These do sound very delicious!
I LOVE to make bread pudding with cinnamon raisin bread, bourbon soaked raisins and a bourbon glaze…heavy on the bourbon.
The recipe I use, I took from cooking light. I’ve adapted it over the years to suit our lifestyle, but it’s a very good one just as it.
Lauren Zietsman
March 11, 2013 at 9:56 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
this sounds delicious. I’m pretty sure i could just eat bourbon soaked raisins, too
what katie's baking
March 13, 2013 at 12:45 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
i love your blog. these cookies look delicious!
Lauren Zietsman
March 13, 2013 at 2:50 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thanks so much! All 3 dozen of them disappeared within an hour and a half between 8 people