Tennessee Bourbon Cookies
My friend Kevin at Seriously Good posted his grandmother Mummo's Bourbon Cake recipe a couple of weeks ago, which he tells us is a Christmas tradition that goes back in Kevin's family to the early 1900's, at least. The cake is brimming with nuts and raisins and seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg and, of course, bourbon. Not only is there bourbon in the batter, but the cake is made a month or so before Christmas and then soaked once a week with MORE bourbon. It sounds great and I already made mine for this year. I especially like the once-a-week dousing sessions, which I take as a good excuse for a nip or two...
Of course, tradition or no, I've never seen a recipe that I didn't want to mess with and this one's no exception. So when Jennifer, the wonderful Domestic Goddess and creative inventor of Sugar High Friday, decreed that this week we should all make cookies and swap recipes, I decided to adapt Kevin's ancestral cake into a cookie. The results were very pleasing, all Christmassy spice and a hint of bourbon, though I'm sure they're not as tipsy as Mummo's cake since the only bourbon is in the batter (no followup soakings). Thanks Kevin, for another inspiration!
Tennessee Bourbon Cookies
Adapted from Mummo's Bourbon Cake by Kevin Weeks at Seriously Good.
Makes about 36 cookies.
1/2 C sugar
1-1/4 C flour -- sifted
1/2 stick (1/4 C) butter
2 eggs
4 0z pecan pieces
6 oz white or golden raisins
1/4 C bourbon, preferably from Tennessee (I used Jim Beam)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
confectioners sugar
Sift the flour and mix with nuts and raisins. Mix in the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each is incorporated before adding the next one. Alternately add bourbon and the flour mixture.
Chill the batter one hour and then roll it into 1-1/4" diameter logs in waxed paper. Chill 4 hours. Slice into 1/2" thick disks and place 1" apart on a baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes in a preheated 350º oven. Cool and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
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These sound perfect for the holidays, Stephen. I think it was a great idea to adapt the holiday cake into a cookie.
Posted by: Nic | November 25, 2005 at 04:07 PM
hi stephen, you endlessly creative tinkerer, you ;)these bourbon cookies look truly delectable. genius!
Posted by: J | November 25, 2005 at 05:51 PM
Stephen,
Great idea!
Posted by: kevin | November 25, 2005 at 08:51 PM
Wonderful adaptation!
Paz
Posted by: Paz | November 27, 2005 at 08:04 AM
Hi Stephen.
What is the quantity of butter in this recipe?
Posted by: Grommie | November 27, 2005 at 09:24 AM
Hi Grommie! Thanks for catching me in the dreaded "omitted ingredient" error! The answer is 1/2 stick (1/4 cup)...I corrected it in the post. Thanks for stopping by and helping me with the editting chores!
Posted by: stephen | November 27, 2005 at 10:15 AM
Those look so good! This is perfect for those little bottles of booze that I never know what to do with...
Posted by: Amy | November 27, 2005 at 01:34 PM
Yum, yum, yum! I will definitely be making these cookies for Christmas!
Posted by: Rorie | December 05, 2005 at 04:37 PM
These sound delicious. I am a fruitcake fan, so I can definitely see myself trying these out. I might try soaking the fruit and nuts in a bit o' booze first ... mmm ...
Posted by: Tania | December 08, 2005 at 12:51 PM
How many cookies does it take to get loaded?
Posted by: Sara | December 11, 2006 at 04:53 PM
Good Morning Stephen,
On your Bourbon Cookie Recipe you talk about your friends Bourbon Cake Recipe. I have looked through your recipes and cannot find it.
Could you please post this recipe to your site as I would like to try it.
We have for generations made Applesauce cakes as our family hates Traditional Fruit Cakes, and we soak the Applesauce Cakes in the same way with Rum.
However I would very much like to try this Bourbon Cake.
Posted by: Mitchell Webster | July 11, 2007 at 10:47 AM
Great recipe....my only change was to substitute chocolate chips for the raisins...kids can't stand 'em...and I used Woodford Reserve Bourbon...great combination and very tasty cookies indeed!
Posted by: Peter | December 16, 2007 at 03:50 PM
Yeah, bourbon is from Kentucky not Tennessee. Likewise for Jim Beam. Please don't insult the blue bloods; it's like calling someone from Spain Mexican.
Posted by: Captain F. Blackout | May 26, 2008 at 09:12 PM
Jim Bean Bourbon Whiskey, along with almost all bourbon whiskey, is made in Kentucky, not Tennessee. You might be thinking of Jack Daniel's Whiskey, which is made in Tennessee.
Posted by: bourbon | July 22, 2010 at 10:28 PM
Thanks for a "non-bourbon ball" bourbon recipe! Yeah, man, Jim Beam is Kentuck - what you want here is George Dickel! Happy holidays - Dec 2010
Posted by: MikeB | December 18, 2010 at 06:06 PM