Kentucky Derby Cookies
Kentucky Derby Cookies are browned butter chocolate chip cookies, made with plenty of bourbon and toasted pecans, for a deep, rich, nutty, ultra-flavorful cookie with all the flavors of a Derby Pie without the fuss. Easy to make, easy to serve, and SO easy to enjoy, these cookies will be your new Derby party tradition.
Servings: 25 large cookies
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter cubed
- 1 ¼ cup (250 grams) dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons bourbon any brand you like drinking
- 2 large eggs PLUS 1 extra yolk at a cool room temperature
- 2 ¾ cup + 2 Tablespoons (375 grams) all-purpose flour measured accurately
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (180 grams) chocolate chips or chunks bittersweet or semi-sweet, plus more for decorating
- 1 cup (120 grams) pecans roughly chopped, plus more for decorating
- Flaky sea salt for topping, optional
Instructions
- Note before you begin: This cookie dough needs to be chilled for at least 24 hours prior to baking. Skipping this step will result in flat cookies that lack flavor. Please do not skip this step!
- Place cubed butter in a medium stainless steel saucepan. Over a medium heat, melt the butter, and allow it to brown. This will take approximately 5-8 minutes. Stir occasionally. The butter will foam and become a bit hard to see the bottom – that's okay. Keep a close eye on it until the butter is golden brown.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a large heatproof mixing bowl. Be sure to scrape out all those little brown bits at the bottom of the pan for maximum flavor!
- Add the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar to the browned butter. Whisk vigorously to combine well and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- While the butter/sugar mixture cools, place the chopped pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stirring occasionally, toast the pecans until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Once the butter/sugar mixture is cool to the touch, add the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and bourbon. Whisk well until incorporated. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a rubber spatula until almost incorporated.
- Add the chocolate chips and cooled pecans and fold until just combined.
- Using a large 3-Tablespoon sized spring-loaded cookie scoop, portion the cookie dough into balls. If the dough is too soft to scoop, cover and chill for 15 minutes before shaping.
- Place the portioned cookie dough balls inside an airtight container or place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover well with plastic wrap. Dot the top of each cookie with additional chocolate chips and pecan pieces, if desired. Chill for 24-48 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C. Line light-colored rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Bake cookies on prepared pans, spaced at least 2 inches apart, for 9 to 12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown at the edges and just slightly damp looking in the middle. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt (if desired).
- Allow cookies to cool slightly on the baking pans before serving warm, or cool completely on pans before storing inside an airtight container before storing for up to 4 days. The bourbon flavor will be even more prominent the next day.
Notes
Shaping: If you’re a perfectionist like me, immediately out of the oven, run a round cookie cutter (slightly larger in size than the cookies) around the edges of the hot cookies. This pulls their edges in slightly and makes uniform, perfectly round cookies.