12/06/2012
Some of you have asked for one of my extreme baking recipes, the Peanut Butter Bacon Bourbon Chipotle Chocolate Chip Cookies I've been making for this year's Cookie Swap, so here it is!
***Ingredients***
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of ground cinnamon
2 pinches of chipotle or chile powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (You can really use just table salt, but I prefer sea salt)
10 strips bacon
5 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature (the salted butter is a personal preference - I use salted butter in almost all of my baking, especially in the cakes!)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (You use more brown sugar than white for a chewier cookie)
1 large egg
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon reserved bacon grease
1/8 cup bourbon (I use Wild Turkey)
This recipe will yield 12 med-large cookies.
***Directions***
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, chipotle powder, & salt in a large bowl.
Cut the bacon up into "bit" sized pieces and bake at 350 degrees on a parchment lined baking sheet with "lips" until crispy. (I use kitchen scissors to make this easier)
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Reserve 1 tablespoon of the drippings & set aside to cool.
Pat down the bacon with a paper towel to remove greasiness and discard any chewy bits.
Beat the butter and reserved bacon drippings in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Beat in the peanut butter until combined, about 1 minute.
Beat in the white and light brown sugar until creamy, about 4 minutes.
Add the bourbon and beat until combines, about 1 minute.
Add the egg & vanilla and beat until light & fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Reduce the mixer speed to low.
Add the flour mixture in halves until just combined.
Stir in all but two tablespoons each of the chocolate chips and bacon by hand.
Cover the bowl of cookie dough and stick it in the fridge overnight or up to 2 days. (This gives the cookie dough time to let all of the flavors meld together properly and makes for a more golden cookie with better flavor. That's straight from the creator of the Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie, so you know it's got to be right!)
When you're ready, take the cookie dough from the fridge and form the dough into 12 balls.
Arrange the dough balls two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Flatten each ball with your fingers (the cookies will not spread in the oven because of the refrigeration and thick dough).
Take the reserved bacon and chocolate chips and press them on top of each cookie.
Bake until golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
Let the cookies cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
