The Perfect Time To Add Liquor To Your Cookie Batter For Flavor Beyond Belief

You've heard of cheese and wine, but have you heard of booze and baking? It's just as delicious and double the fun. And no, we're not talking about shots on the side (although why not do this too?), but actually incorporating alcohol into the mixture. You should pour in the spirit at the same time as the vanilla extract, which tends to be when you combine the eggs with the butter-sugar blend, before the dry ingredients are added. But remember: A little goes a long way. Two tablespoons are plenty to boost flavor, with alcohol helping bind the water and fat.

It's unlikely that you'll get drunk off of boozy cookies, despite around 5% to 85% of alcohol lingering in a recipe, depending on the cooking time. This is because the alcohol itself evaporates during baking, leaving behind a nuanced flavor and subtle notes.

Dark rum and chocolate have a shared history. They're staple ingredients of the classic Danish cake, romkugler, for instance. So it's no wonder that rum works magic in chocolate chip cookies, adding nutty, vanilla notes to the chocolate's richness, and whiskey adds a warm, complex taste for a sophisticated bite. Whatever your tipple of choice, serve up your cookies with a sprinkle of flaked sea salt and a large glass of milk for a decadent sweet treat.

So, you've poured in your liquor, but what comes next is just as important if you want cookies that are soft, chewy, and melt-in-your-mouth good. For extra chewy chocolate chip cookies, melt butter, but then let it cool again before adding it to the sugar mixture. The temperature of your eggs also makes a huge difference in the baking process (make sure they're room temp rather than cold), and you can even brown the butter in a saucepan first for extra flavor.

And when it comes to toppings, there's room to get experimental (but don't go too crazy if you've been knocking back bourbon). Chopped nuts, like pistachios or peanuts, make for a crunchy bite, and toffee chips add a tasty chewy element. Bacon, pretzels, and potato chips are less conventional picks, but also cut through the sweetness with a savory kick. And herbs can create a rounded, floral experience: try playing around with rosemary or thyme.

When it comes to cookie batter, it's hard to go wrong, as long as you steer clear of several common mistakes. And sometimes, the classic chocolate chip duo is simply best: Just add a glug of your favorite liquor to really bring those flavors to life. Now that's the spirit!