Imagine this: You find bars of Ghirardelli Dark clearanced out at $2.50 at your local grocer. Do you grab the last bars off the shelf? Does your mind automatically go into must-bake-chocolate-chip-cookie lockdown? If yes to both, we clearly have a culinary connection.
Said chocolate was indeed found and purchased and I raced home to find a cookie recipe worthy of such a fine ingredient. And because bourbon has been on my mind, I turned to Boozy Baker, a relatively new addition to my bookshelf. Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Nuts and a Nip sounded tasty. Switching Frangelico out for my beloved Buffalo Trace bourbon and replacing the hazelnuts with leftover bourbon brittle made my dream cookie come true.
These cookies were divinely decadent while at the same time not overly rich or sweet. The crunch from the brittle was a pleasant surprise. And of course the Ghirardelli chocolate was killer.
Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Nuts and a Nip, version 2
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (original recipe called for 2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 pound unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons bourbon (original recipe called for 1 tablespoon hazelnut liqueur)
- 12 ounces chopped dark chocolate (or 2 cups chocolate chips)
- 1 cup chopped bourbon brittle (or 1 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts)
In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
In large bowl, beat butter and brown and granulated sugars 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Add bourbon; beat to combine. Gradually beat in dry ingredients on low speed just until blended. Stir in chocolate and brittle. Refrigerate dough 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 375ºF. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are golden and set but still a bit soft in middle. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes; transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.
even the broken cookies were delish
food for fun 
‘with nuts and a nip’ – sounds a bit like my personality!!
Awesome, Mimi. I dedicate these cookies to you, then 🙂 Thanks for coming over!
Yummy!!!! This does sound like a dream cookie! I can only imagine how delicious the bourbon brittle was in there. Drool.
Thanks, HD. Needed a place to put all that leftover brittle–price paid for getting overly enthusiastic ini the kitchen 😉 Yep, “dream cookie” is perfect descriptor!
I need to get this boozy baker book. Looks delicious, Liz!!!
Yes, Liz, you totally should. And speaking of cookbooks, did you know there is a Dr. Who cookbook? Have contemplated buying it–maybe someday.
WHAT?!
It’s true: http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/f339/
Adding brittle to cookies? Brilliant.
Thanks, Jenny. Actually got tired of eating bourbon brittle after making so many batches (all in the name of research for the blog 😉 ), so was glad to find a use for the last bits. Hope all is well in your busy world!
I can smell the greatness through my iPad. How’d you do that, Liz? I will allow myself one-fourth of a cookie, and make sure I get both brittle and chip. 🙂
Now, have you in the past discussed the difference between chocolate and cacao? Your well-illustrated entry shows that the bargain bars included 70% of this ingredient, which is a familiar site yet still somewhat a mystery to me.
A tale from the MB and dear wife Karen files: When she took me on my first trip to her beloved native California, we toured the original Ghirardelli factory off Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. What a cool place that is! Yes, we bought and brought fresh back home to Syracuse, as San Fran was our last stop in the San Diego and up-the-coast in a rented Mustang convertible 10-day adventure. 🙂
These are virtual cookies, Mark, so you can eat the entire batch and suffer not one real-life consequence 🙂
Chocolate vs cacao you ask? Chocolate is made from cacao beans and the more chocolate liquor (not alcohol–just the syrupy sludge that results from processing of the beans) a product has, the higher the percentage. Another way of looking at it is the higher the %, the less sugar and milk solids it contains. Higher number=deeper, darker, more bitter (in a good way). It’s worth a google as I don’t always know what I’m talking about, haha.
Fantastic that you toured Ghirardelli. Since you’re on board at BoFN, will direct you here as well. http://wp.me/p21IMO-1wl No stone unturned, I tell you.
Thanks as always for coming on over, Mark.
So Cacao = good, and Ghiardelli = funny name.
Thank you, Liz. Wonderful teachings. 🙂
Love this Liz!! I love that you added the brittle, so yummy!!! 🙂
Thanks, Amy. High praise coming from the Bourbon Queen who has her own barrel 🙂 (I’m still floored and insanely jealous 😉 )
This recipe is almost as arousing as Joe Mangianiello. I see this picture of your cookies on a blue plate, and I want to climb in next to them, like a sleep-deprived cross-country trucker into his little cubby hole, and just snuggle with their cookie goodness.
Aw, Kerbey, you say the sweetest things;-) Had never thought to curl up next to a cookie for a snuggle, but sure why not. Is it horrible that I had to google your Mr. Mangianiello? He’s smokin’.
No, it’s not horrible. Remember that I watch an unholy amount of TV and entertainment shows, and Sofia Vergara (his gf) is on talk shows, talking about how she feels he is like ET, a special toy for only her to play with. Must be lost in Colombian translation…
Um…Yum! The best chocolate ever on sale? Yes to both, eating and baking. And you know how I feel about bourbon. Yes please. Love this one.
It was a score for sure. If only we could sip bourbon and munch on these cookies together 🙂 Am sure it would be excellent with Four Roses, too!
YES! That would be so fun.
The only time I discover a sale like yours here is when I’m too late. You certainly took advantage of a good thing, Liz. These cookies, bourbon et al, sound terrific. I sure hope your performed quality control with your bourbon before, during, and after the cooking process. One cannot be too careful. 😉
Hi, John! You found me 🙂 But of course I’m sampling for QC purposes. Imperative to the process for sure. Thanks for coming over and imparting your wisdom and I wish you chocolate bargains galore.
‘and because bourbon has been on my mind…’ – what a fun line to begin a party game. the recipe looks amazing and i love the name too –
hey, I like how you think Beth. We shall play that over at BoFN someday. You can kick it off! Thanks for always being supportive.
sounds great ) and my pleasure, liz –
Love Ghirardelli chocolate in cookies. Only the best will do 😉 And seriously when they on sale… I can’t help but grab them. Glad I’m not in it alone Liz 🙂
Next time I’ll set some aside for you, Shamin! Thinking we have kindred culinary spirits–always up for the next delicious adventure.
Nuh-uh..shut the front door!! I love this combination and can really almost kind of taste the bourbon and the crunch – oh my…I always love how you make adjustments according to what you have but this outshines!!! Total score!
Uh huh…fer sher. Thanks for the kind words! Love how you put words together, Bonnie. Melodious you are 🙂 These cookies would be fab with a nip of bourbon.
Aw…love that Liz..thank you! You just made my day! 🙂 Going to have to try this recipe!
The name is a real tongue twister, love the title and the cookies. They sound really good, loved your bourbon brittle and think the cookies sound delicious. Would be so good in a food gift basket for the holidays, the cookies are very festive.
Thanks, Suzanne. You’re always so kind. Yes, perfect in a gift basket. Good call 🙂
I actually had a bit of bourbon yesterday! I don’t know if there is a hangover effect or something but I think I need to try these cookies now 😀
Delicious recipe!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
then hangover effect comes from drinking too much bourbon, lol. It’s good for baking, too, yes and the only hangover there will be from the sugar 😉
You got sick of eating bourbon brittle? What?! It does sounds like a brilliant addition to chocolate chip cookies, though!
I know–crazy, huh? But I did make 3 batches. And I have to balance the brittle eating with the marshmallow eating, etc. Can you even imagine giving up sweets? I’ve toyed with the idea–just to see if it would give me more energy, but seems like too much of a punishment.
Thanks for coming over! Be sure to grab an extra cookie on your way out 🙂
Oh yum!! Though with my abundance of hazelnut liqueur I may stick to the original version.
You should totally make these with your jug of Frangelico 🙂 And then you can serve them with your spirited hot cider.
I love cookies and these looks yummy nd rustic.. 🙂
Thank you! Especially love that you picked up on the “rustic.” My baked goods always look a bit free-form, haha. Part of their charm, right? 😉
Crispy bourbon brittle and delicious chocolate, sounds like a winning combination.
Thank you, Karen. Winners yes. Wish I could literally offer samples to you 🙂
I’ve had booze in many baked goodies, but I don’t think I can recall eating a boozy cookie. Sounds like a pretty brilliant idea. And adding the brittle too? Seriously yum. I have been dreaming about an old fashioned chocolate chip cookie lately, but I think this blows that dream out of the water.
certainly you’ve seen boozy cookies around though. Doesn’t impact the flavor overly much as it’s never more than a tablespoons or so but fun just the same. Love how the “old-fashioned chocolate chip cookie” dream stays alive. It’s like there’s this ideal cookie out there–different for all of us as it depends on what we enjoyed when we were younger–and we’re all on a continual search. Fun journey to be on. Thanks for your kind words 🙂
Must. Have. Chocolate. Chunk. Cookies. Sigh. I could like the screen right now. 🙂
OH my, I want one! These sounds wonderful, Liz! I love Buffalo Trace and bourbon cookies?! yum!
Oh that’s yum! 😀 I do like adding some alcohol to the baked goods too; it gives extra flavour! 🙂
Brittle in cookies wow awesome feel like grabbing some and taste
MMMM,…A big yum, Liz! These special cookies look just wonderful & must taste so flavorsome too!
Woooow
Can’t wait to try these, Liz. You KNOW I went crazy with the post-Valentine’s Day chocolate sales. Really nice recipe; love the subtle salt and OBVIOUSLY the bourbon. They look so pretty – crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, as the perfect cookie should be. A savvy shopper, chocolate and bourbon lover – what’s not to like about Liz? Great post.
You’re so sweet, Shanna–thanks 🙂 Lol, we really are soul sisters. Hopefully one day we’ll shop chocolate and cheese (am going to be on the lookout for the moon version you mentioned on fb) and wine and spirits together. We’d rock the grocery and liquor stores!