I was baking for a friend's birthday as a surprise treat. I wanted to do something everyone loves since I wasn't sure of his dessert preferences. He also loves booze. I figured why not try to find something with Bailey's in it, since I've baked with it before (those Guinness Chocolate cupcakes, though) and it tends to turn desserts into deliciously creamy masterpieces. I realized, who doesn't love a good ol' chocolate chip cookie? That's when I came across these little pieces of heaven on Pinterest - Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies from Baker by Nature.
What we love about it: These cookies are super easy to whip up, and they're such a unique take on a regular chocolate chip cookie if you're looking to mix things up a bit. I was able to get the dough ready in about twenty minutes, then let it sit in the fridge for two hours (this step is crucial because if your dough is too soft your cookies will spread and be too thin). We loved the texture, soft in the middle and a little crunch on the outside. The notes of Bailey's and cinnamon are subtle, but add an amazing layer of flavor to a regular chocolate chip cookies. The amount of chocolate chips the recipe calls for is also something I appreciated - the whole bag!
Modifications: I didn't really make any modifications, except that I used dark chocolate chips because that's my favorite. It's similar to semi-sweet, but adds a slight richness to it. I think I also may have went a little heavy handed on the Baileys, which made the dough softer - but they still came out great and made the Irish cream flavor more pronounced.
Notes for next time: Next time, I'll bake them for less time! My first batch baked so quick (I also have a gas oven so this tends to happen frequently) that they were almost burnt, but still tasted good. The cookie will look underdone in the center, but once the outside is browned, take them out of the oven! I will add more sea salt to the tops of them too, as this was such a great touch.
Comments