Bourbon Chocolate Chunk Cookies With Pecans
Bourbon and dark chocolate? Who can resist this amazing duo? Certainly not me! These soft and chewy bourbon chocolate chunks cookies with pecans are feelin’ extra fancy. Be prepared for them to become your new favorite cookie!
This recipe is very easy to make! With only 9 ingredients and a quick bake time of 12 minutes, these cookies can be ready from start to finish in about a half an hour! No fancy baking skills required.
Why This Recipe Works
Aaron and I were invited to a food and wine pairing last night. We were instructed NOT to bring anything, because the chef would provide everything. Have you met me? It’s SOOO hard for me to show up empty-handed to a party. Especially when it’s a FOOD gathering! Let’s face it, I’m always in the mood for a cookie.
Bourbon is snuck into these cookies as a replacement for vanilla extract. The idea came to me when I was making my DIY Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla this week, and I couldn’t shake it. I also tweaked my basic chocolate chip cookie recipe by substituting coconut sugar instead of refined sugar. Did I make it magically healthy? Not hardly, but I definitely improved it a little bit.
The Ingredients
- BOURBON When substituting bourbon for vanilla extract, choose one with a full flavor. I used Four Roses, which is the same variety I made my vanilla extract with.
- FLOUR Hmm… wish I could say I used some ultra-healthy alternative, but plain unbleached flour just works with chocolate chip cookies, so I rarely stray from the OG.
- COCONUT SUGAR It adds a different flavor profile to the cookie, which makes it more intriguing. The coconut sugar also adds a caramel-like chewiness to the cookies.
- CACOA CHUNKS The brand I used today is Simple Truth Organic 72% Dark Chocolate Cacao Chunks. The square shape and pleasant taste make these my fav cacao to bake with.
- PECAN PIECES Small pieces, but not disintegrated. I know, that is not a good size reference. Check out the picture to see what I mean.
- SALT I generally use Redmond's Real salt, Celtic Salt, French Salt, or Himalayan salt because they add a little extra oomf that kosher salt just can't.
- BUTTER Room temperature butter is a must for this recipe. Set it out about thirty minutes before baking.
- EGGS Room temperature eggs are also important, use the same method as the butter.
- BAKING SODA Cookies need baking soda because it encourages these dense cookies to spread nicely, without flattening out too much. It raises the doughs pH, which slows the protein coagulation. This is important, because it gives the eggs more time to set, which creates a more evenly baked cookie. Notice how these cookies are thick, yet slightly higher in the middle.
How to Make Bourbon Dark Chocolate Cookies
get the temperatures ready
The first thing I do when I get ready to bake cookies is set out the butter and eggs. Room temperature is an absolute must for getting the correct texture for a perfect cookie. I also adjust the oven rack to the middle position. It might seem like a waste of time to do one cookie sheet at a time, and I’ll grant that it does slow things down, but the cookies get the correct amount of heat and airflow.
Once I set the eggs and butter out, I also begin preheating my oven. My oven is very wonky when it comes to maintaining a consistent temperature, so I try to let it preheat for a looooong time.
prep the pans & start mixing!
Line three sheet pans with parchment paper or silpat mats. I prefer the mats for cookies, but that’s just me. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, combine the butter and coconut sugar. Beat the sugar and butter on medium-high speed for about two minutes, until it looks fluffy and well combined. Add the eggs and bourbon to the mixture and beat for another minute. Get ready, here come the bourbon chocolate chip cookies!
Once the mixture is well mixed, turn the mixer off and add all of the flour mixture to the dough. Slowly turn the mixer back on and slowly mix it until the dough is just barely combined. There will be some flour visible and the dough will look like damp sand. Over mixing the cookie dough will create a floppier, flatter cookie. Add the nuts and cacao chunks and stir about five seconds, until they are just barely mixed in.
Once the mixture is well mixed, turn the mixer off and add all of the flour mixture to the dough. Slowly turn the mixer back on and slowly mix it until the dough is just barely combined. There will be some flour visible and the dough will look like damp sand. Over mixing the cookie dough will create a flatter, floppier cookie. Add the nuts and cacao chunks and stir about five seconds, until they are just barely mixed in.
form the drop cookies
Spoon the dough onto the lined cookie sheets. I use a 1 ½” scoop to get a consistent size. Leave the dough looking like a ball on the cookie sheet. It will flatten as it bakes, I promise! Bake at 350° for about twelve minutes. Again, my oven is a little cray, so check the first batch of cookies around eleven minutes and then monitor it until the tops look slightly browned and smooth.
I like to let these cookies cool on a wire rack until they are cook enough to touch and then serve them warm so they have melty chocolate chips. I like to serve these cookies within three days. A drizzle with melted chocolate and a sprinkle of flaked sea salt adds a little extra style. Keep any leftover Dark chocolate and bourbon cookies in the freezer for up to six months.
Frequently asked questions
One of the most common errors I see is a baker reusing the same cookies sheet for each batch. If you use only one baking sheet and the baking sheet is too hot it will cause your cookies to spread too much and be rather flat. I recommend having at least two cookie sheets, but three will be better. If you only have one cookie sheet, make sure it cools completely before using it to bake the next tray of cookies.
YES! The dark brown sugar can sometimes have more of a stronger flavor. The choice of brown sugar is up to the baker's preference.
When biting into a cookie you will taste a hint of bourbon flavor in this twist off of a classic chocolate chip cookie. It's subtle. You can always double the Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla to boost the flavor!
If the butter you use to make the cookies is melted, it will result in a more dense cookie with crisp edges.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead
Recipe
Bourbon & Dark Chocolate Cookies
Equipment
- Mixer
- Cookie sheet
- Parchment paper or silpat mat
- 1 ½” scoop
- measuring cups & spoons
Ingredients
- 2 ½ C all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda Heaping
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
- 8 tablespoon Butter Room temperature
- 2 C Coconut sugar
- 2 Eggs Large
- 2 teaspoon Bourbon
- 1 ½ C Dark chocolate chunks
- 1 C Pecans Pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and place a rack in the middle position. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. In the stand mixer, combine coconut sugar and butter. Mix on medium speed for about two minutes, until it has a uniform texture. Add the eggs and bourbon. Mix until well blended.- Stop the mixer and add all of the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture. Turn the mixer on a low speed and mix until just combined. Add the nuts and chocolate and mix about five seconds more.
- Use the scoop to place cookies on the baking sheets. Leave space for spreading, but do not flatten the dough balls. Bake one sheet at a time for about 12 minutes.
- Cookies are finished when they are lightly browned and the centers are cooked through. Store in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze immediately. I like to sprinkle the cookies with coarse salt flakes and drizzle them with melted chocolate.
Notes
Nutrition
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