Bourbon Barrel's Holiday Cookies

Makes about 65 cookies For the cookie dough: 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour 2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ teaspoon Bourbon Barrel Smoked Sea Salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 tablespoon Bourbon Barrel Aged Madagascar Vanilla Extract ½ cup Bourbon Barrel Mint Julep Sugar   For chocolate filling: 5 ounces (3/4 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips ½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter 10 hard peppermint candies, crushed   Preparation: 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in middle and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beating to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour, beating to combine. 2) Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place mint julep sugar into a small bowl. Using a cookie scoop, scoop and roll dough into 1” balls. Roll into the mint julep sugar to coat. Place on lined baking sheet, about 1” apart. Bake cookies for 5 minutes and remove from oven. Using the backside of a ¼” teaspoon, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Return to oven and bake for 4 minutes. Cookies should be set but still look slightly moist. Let cool on sheets. 3) Make the chocolate filling. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Microwave in 10-15 second increments, stirring in between until chocolate is melted. Stir in the peppermint extract. Allow to cool until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a ziplock bag or piping bag. Snip a small hole in one corner and pipe chocolate into the cookie indentations. Garnish with a sprinkle of crushed peppermint candy. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 40-50 cookies For the cookie dough: ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature ½ cup light brown sugar 1 teaspoon Bourbon Barrel Aged Madagascar Vanilla Extract 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour ¾ teaspoons Bourbon Smoked Salt 1 cup pecans, finely chopped   For the dipping chocolate: 2 ½ ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2-3 tablespoons Bourbon Smoked Cacao Nibs, finely chopped   Preparation: 1) Using a stand mixer or a large bowl and hand mixer, beat the butter and light brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Whisk together the flour and salt in a small bowl and add to the butter mixture. Beat until combined. Stir in the pecans. 2) Divide dough into two portions on two sheets of plastic wrap. Shape dough into logs, rolling ends of plastic wrap tightly. Place in freezer for 15 minutes to firm up. Shape logs into a rectangular shape and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Dough may also be frozen for up to two months. 3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap dough and slice cookies about ¼” thick. Place on prepared sheet pans, about 1” apart. Bake until light golden brown, about 11 minutes. Leave to cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. 4) As cookies cool, make the dipping chocolate. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Microwave in 10-15 second increments, stirring in between, until chocolate is melted. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. 5) Dip each cookie in the chocolate, dipping only one corner. Place onto wire rack to allow excess to drip off. Sprinkle some chopped, smoked cacao nibs onto the chocolate. Repeat with remaining cookies. Allow chocolate to set before storing in an airtight container.

Salted Chocolate Mint Brownie Cookies Makes about 1 dozen cookies   1 cup, scant (120g) all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp Bourbon Barrel Smoked Sea Salt, plus extra for sprinking 14 ounces (395g) 60-70% dark chocolate, chopped 3 TB (50g) unsalted butter, chopped 1 tsp Bourbon Barrel Aged Vanilla Extract 4 large eggs 1¼ cups (270g) Mint Julep Sugar   Method 1 Combine dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside. In a heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Place over a pot of gently simmering water or microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted. 2 In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs and the mint sugar and whisk on medium speed for 5-6 minutes until it’s pale and tripled in size. Scrape the chocolate into the bowl and whisk on a low speed to combine. Add the dry ingredients and whisk slowly to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and stir by hand a few turns. 3 Refrigerate batter for one hour to firm up. Preheat oven to 355 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Using a large ice cream scoop (1/3 cup capacity), scoop cookies onto baking sheets, about 3” apart. Flatten each cookie slightly with the palm of your hand. Sprinkle with smoked salt. Bake for 12-13 minutes until puffed and dry looking around the edges but still slightly soft in the middle. Cool completely on cookie sheet before serving.

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