My whiskey and rye chocolate chip cookies are an elevated twist on traditional chocolate chip cookies, and my husband’s new favorite cookie. Made with rye flour, whiskey, dark brown sugar and dark chocolate chunks, these cookies are chewy, nutty, and complex and deep in flavor. They’re so, so delicious and a must try for chocolate chip cookie lovers.
Rye Flour
I’ve been wanting to incorporate rye flour into a recipe for a while now. It’s got a malty, earthy, sort of nutty flavor that I knew would be amazing with chocolate. Most people can associate rye flour with typical deli rye bread that is often served with reuben sandwiches. The anise-like flavor of the bread, though, is typically that of caraway seeds, NOT the rye flour itself. So don’t worry, your cookies will not taste like rye bread.
How to make whiskey and rye chocolate chip cookies
Melted butter is used in this recipe, instead of softened butter, which results in chewier cookies, and more of a wrinkly top . It has both granulated and dark brown sugar but has more brown sugar which adds to the chewiness and contributes to more of a complex caramel flavor. I used Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet chocolate bars, but you can use chocolate chips as a substitution. You just won’t get those melted chocolate pools when they’re baked.
All purpose flour, rye flour, baking soda, and salt are whisked together in a bowl. In a mixing bowl, combine the room temperature melted butter, and both sugars and beat on medium low to combine. This can take about 3 minutes or so and that’s to make sure that the butter is fully incorporated. You don’t want to see any pools of butter around the edge of the bowl.
Add in the vanilla, whiskey, egg and egg yolk and mix again until well combined. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until most of the flour is incorporated but not all. Remove the bowl from the mixer, add the chopped chocolate and fold to combine, while also incorporating any remaining flour. This method prevents over mixing which can make cookies tough.
The dough does have to be chilled for at least 4 hours. Refrigerating the dough allows the flavors to meld together and some of the water content to evaporate, concentrating the flavor, as well as re-solidifying the butter for less spread. Flour also absorbs some of the moisture lending to a thicker and chewier cookie.
Once chilled, scoop the cookies out onto parchment lined baking sheets, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies look *just* set. Err on the side of underbaking than overbaking. Serve them while they are warm and slightly still gooey.
If you make these whiskey and rye chocolate chip cookies, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your bakes and creations.
Enjoy!
Ash xx
For more cookie recipes, check out these posts:
Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
Espresso Toffee Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies
Whiskey and Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (106g) rye flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ cups (170g) unsalted butter, melted and room temperature
- ½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup (142g) dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon whiskey or bourbon
- 1 cup (170g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- flaky salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the all purpose flour, rye flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
- Combine both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pour in the melted butter and beat together on medium-low speed until well combined.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and bourbon followed by the egg and the egg yolk, and beat until well combined, about a minute.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix on low speed until a few pockets of flour remain.
- Remove bowl from the mixer and fold in the chocolate chunks, while also mixing in any remaining flour. Give the bowl a final scrape to make sure everything is well incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Using a medium size, 2 tablespoon ice cream scoop, scoop out the dough onto the cookie sheets leaving 3" between each cookie.
- Sprinkle the tops of the dough balls with flaky salt.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are lightly brown and the tops look just set. Transfer to cookie sheets to wire racks to cool slightly.
- Serve warm.