These bourbon rye chocolate chip cookies are a delicious and unique twist on classic chocolate chip cookies. Made with rye flour, bourbon, dark brown sugar and melty pools of dark chocolate, these cookies are chewy, nutty, and incredibly irresistible.
These are my husband's favorite cookie. It's a comforting, familiar and crave-able cookie. Every time I have tested this cookie, they've gone to friends and neighbors as soon as possible so we don't eat them all.
Rye flour has a malty, earthy, sort of nutty flavor that is so good with chocolate. Many 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 rye flour. So don't worry, your cookies will not taste like a deli sandwich.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- These cookies are chewy with slightly crisp edges, with toffee, nutty and malty flavors from rye flour, dark brown sugar and bourbon.
- Cookie dough can be made in advance. In fact, they're even better after spending overnight in the fridge.
- Melty puddles of chocolate are always good in a chocolate chip cookie. This recipe calls for bittersweet chocolate, but you can use your favorite - dark, semi or milk works well with this recipe.
- Easy to follow recipe with step by step photos for perfect cookies every time.
Recipe Ingredients
All purpose flour
Rye flour - dark rye flour, finely milled
Baking soda
Fine sea salt
Unsalted butter
Dark brown sugar - Light brown sugar can be used, but dark brown sugar has a stronger molasses-like toffee flavor that is just amazing with rye flour in these cookies.
Granulated sugar
Bourbon - or whiskey
Vanilla extract
Eggs
Bittersweet chocolate - chips or chopped. I prefer coarsely chopping chocolate bars because they melt better than chips, which are designed to keep their shape when baking.
Recipe Instructions
Before beginning this recipe, line two large cookie sheet sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients, all purpose flour, rye flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
- Melt the butter in the microwave and let it cool to room temperature before placing it into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Beat in the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until fully incorporated.
- Beat in the bourbon, vanilla, egg and egg yolk until fully incorporated.
- Beat in the flour mixture and chocolate until just combined.
- Scoop the dough onto a lined cookie sheet. Chill the dough for at least 4 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 350F and sprinkle the tops with flakey salt.
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes until the edges start to turn golden brown and the top looks set. Serve warm.
Baking Tips
- 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.
- For perfectly round cookies, place a round cookie cutter, slightly larger, around the cookie. Scoot the cookie into a round shape with the round cutter. Do this immediately after they come out of the oven before they have time to cool and set.
- Don't over bake. Err on the side of under baking than over baking. Serve them while they are warm and slightly still gooey.
Storage and Freezing
Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Cookie dough balls can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Store the cookie dough in an airtight container or zip top bag. They can be baked off from the freezer or defrosted in the refrigerator first then baked.
FAQs
Rye flour is main from rye grain, while all purpose flour is made from wheat grain. Rye flour has a stronger flavor, is higher in protein, and has low gluten content. Rye flour is stronger in flavor, with a coarser texture than all purpose flour.
Rye flour can be found in most grocery stores. Bob's Red Mill is a popular brand I've spotted the most at the local grocery stores and online.
If you make these bourbon 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
More Cookie Recipes to Try
Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
Espresso Toffee Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies
Recipe
Bourbon Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Electric Stand Mixer (or hand mixer)
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup rye flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup 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.1 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup rye flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Melt the butter in the microwave in 30 second increments until fully melted. Cool to room temperature. Pour the melted butter into the bowl of a stand mixer.¾ cup unsalted butter
- To the butter, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat to combine, 1-2 minutes.⅔ cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Beat in the bourbon, vanilla, egg and the egg yolk, and beat until well combined, about a minute.1 tablespoon bourbon, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk
- Beat in the flour mixture and chocolate and mix on low speed until just combined.1 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- 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.flaky salt for sprinkling
- Cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes before transferring the cookies with wire racks to cool. Serve warm.
Meridith says
Hi! In the middle of making this delightful-sounding recipe with some freshly milled rye my neighbor grew, and noticed the the 1 1/2 cups of butter that are listed do not equal the “180gm” that are listed right next to it. I am assuming the amount of butter was meant to say “1 1/2 sticks, which do equal 180gm, and not “1 1/2 cups which equals about 224gms and seems like more butter than would be required with the volume of flour and leavener listed. I can’t bear that I’ll have wait 4 hours for these to chill b4 I can bake, but looking forward to sharing these w/my pals later today!!
Ashley says
Hi Meridith! My apologies, all fixed now. Yes, it's 3/4 cups, or 1 1/2 sticks. Hope you love them! - Ash
Meridith says
These turned out fantastic, and disappeared quickly!! Shared some w/all my neighbors. Thanks for my new favorite cookie recipe, Ashley.