It's been a few weeks since I posted a dessert made with some sort of alcohol 🙂 I know, who am I?? But don't fear because I have another one all ready to go. And this is a good one. I actually made these white beer cookies to go along with my chocolate stout ice cream, but quickly realized that was a) weird and b) overkill. I'm not quite sure what was going on in my head when I thought "let's have double alcohol dessert night!" but these cookies were a lot milder on the beer taste than the ice cream was. And honestly, I would make these over and over again, simply as a fun summery cookie.
Just sans the chocolate stout ice cream. But maybe with Limoncello cookies? Hmmm. I hope you don't all think I have a problem here 🙂 Please just remember alcohol compliments sweets really, really well. And in all seriousness (and sadness) all of the alcohol is completely burned off by the time it makes it into these cookies. So, you may as well poor yourself a glass of beer to enjoy with these cookies. Kidding. Kind of.
White Beer Cookies (makes about 24 cookies):
Adapted from Food Network
• 2 bottles (12 oz. each) Belgian-style white beer (I used White Rascal)
• 5 T honey
• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 ¼ C powdered sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ t vanilla
• 1 medium orange, zested
• 2 t ground coriander
• 2 C all-purpose flour
• ½ t baking soda
(Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees)
If you live in the Boston-area, have you been to the Craft Beer Cellar yet? It's an absolutely amazing little shop in Belmont that is filled with the best of the best in craft beer. I've always enjoyed beer, but it wasn't until I started dating Chris that I really got into it. He has a beer blog and is always trying new, interesting beers. So, we practically ran to Craft Beer Cellar when it first opened. And have made trips back since. The last time I was there, I ran into Beth who actually recognized me from WANM! She works at the Craft Beer Cellar and has a blog with her husband called Ben, Beth, and Beer. And she helped me out when I told her I was looking for an inexpensive white belgium to make cookies with. Thanks, Beth! Also, Belmont is a super cute town... I love it there!
Beth recommended Avery Brewing Company's White Rascal. I've heard of Avery Brewing, but have never tried White Rascal. Cool (kind of creepy) bottle? I'm down!
The sad thing about this recipe? You take 2 bottles of beer and reduce them down to practically nothing. I had tears in my eyes as I stood over the stove watching the beer disappear (not really, but still). Just trust me, it's worth it.
To start, put all the beer and the honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat and reduce until you have ⅓ C of liquid. I know. You're starting with 24 oz. of beer and reducing it to ⅓ cup. That's crazy. But worth it because you want all that yummy beer flavor to be concentrated, which is what happens when you reduce. But still, this is why I don't recommend using expensive beer.
It seemed to take my beer forever to reduce... about 40 minutes or so. You'll want to keep skimming that foam off the top of the liquid and discarding it, too.
The recipe told me I'd know there was ⅓ C liquid when the liquid suddenly begins to aggressively foam because of the high sugar concentration. I didn't believe it.
But I took my pot off the heat when it started "aggressively foaming" and let it cool for a bit. When I measured it, there was ⅓ of a cup!
While your reduction is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together.
Add the egg and blend the mixture together. Then add vanilla, orange zest, coriander, and the beer reduction. Blend together.
Whisk the flour and baking soda together in a separate bowl and slowly add it to the batter. Mix until just blended.
Scoop mounds of cookie dough onto an aluminum cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, fitting about 12 cookies on a pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 16-20 minutes.
Let the cookies cool for about 10 minutes.
Then move them to wire racks to finish cooling. Aren't they pretty cookies? I generally consider myself a horrible cookie baker, so I was at least happy with how these looked!
On to the icing! They say this icing is optional, but it's not really. Because, while these cookies are delicious, the icing makes them so much more! So just suck it up and make the icing. It's really not hard. In fact, I'll show you 🙂
Icing (optional, but not really):
• ½ t vanilla
• 1 C powdered sugar
• 1 T orange juice
• 1 T whole milk
• 1 orange, zested
By the way, I've mentioned this before, but people always ask... I'm not really baking with vodka (though beer and vodka cookies?? hmmm) all the time. My mom makes her own vanilla in vodka bottles 🙂 I don't even think twice about it but I always confuse people with my photos, so I try to turn the bottle around for photos. But sometimes I forget. And this looks like I'm making some kind of creamy screwdriver or something, right?
Anyway, start by whisking the vanilla into the powdered sugar.
In a separate bowl, mix the orange juice and milk together.
Then add pour the OJ/milk mixture into the sugar, until you reach your desired consistency of a thick paste (probably only 1 T of the OJ/milk).
Make sure your cookies are completely cooled! Now, using a butter knife, put a dollop of icing on each cookie and spread it a bit over the top. Then put a small piece of orange zest on top of the cookie as garnish. Let the icing harden a bit.
And then eat!!
Like I said, I LOVED these cookies! They're light and moist and citrusy. If you didn't know there was beer in them, you might not guess, but once you find out, you'll say, "ahh, yes."
While these cookies would be amazing with a nice cold mug of beer (sitting on a patio, perhaps?), I also kind of like them with a nice hot cup of tea. Imagine that- tea cookies with beer in them 🙂
Surprisingly, I don't have any more alcohol desserts up my sleeve for the time being, but give me a few weeks and I'm sure that will change. Oh wait, I'm making chocolate stout cupcakes with Irish whiskey buttercream for my family's belated St. Patrick's Day this weekend. I'm thinking it's high time I purchased a copy of The Boozy Baker.
Other Boozy Desserts I've Made:
-Young's Double Chocolate Stout Brownie
-Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Bailey's Frosting
Tomorrow I'm cooking up an Indian feast for Chris, my sister, and Adam. We've been trying to plan a lamb vindaloo night forever and it's finally happening! And then Saturday is corned beef and cabbage at my parents' house (a little late, but just fine by me). So, lucky for me, I have lots of good food in my future 🙂
Is there any food you're looking forward to this week/weekend?
[Sues]
Haley says
Oh yum! I'm always so envious of how many great beers you get to try in that area. I wish we had more microbreweries in Hawai'i... although I really shouldn't be complaining because Maui Brewing Co. rocks, lol.
These look great - especially since I LOOOOOVE citrus!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet says
Someone should make all of these boozey desserts for happy hour!
Erica says
I really never would have thought to put beer in cookies (or any baked good). I bet it gives it a totally interesting flavor- especially due to the beer you used. The end result looks so yummy with that drizzle on top
Michelle says
I'm looking forward to brunch on Saturday with some food blogger pals, a wedding (and wedding cake) Saturday night...and making a strata on Sunday!
Simply Life says
oh wow! these look so good! what a fun idea!
Shannon says
I need to make these!!! I've baked with alcohol a few times... beer bread, Godiva White Chocolate Liquer Brownies and most recently, Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes. But since beer is my favorite, I need to do more with that!
I'm looking forward to heading up to Maine this weekend to visit my parents and my friends... and of course enjoy lots of good food and drink!
Molly says
Thanks so much for the Craft Beer tip. I'd never heard of it, but it looks like the husband and I will have to take a trip to Belmont this weekend.
Jenn's Food Journey says
These sound (and look) really good. Never thought to put alcohol in my cookies before 🙂 Glad I stopped by!!
Sounds like you have some fantastic days of food ahead of you. Silly as it may be, I'm looking forward to ballpark hot dogs on Friday. Our company is going to a spring training game and although I really don't care about baseball.. can't wait to sink my teeth into a good ballpark frank 🙂
brandi says
this is crazy! i've had beer bread, but I've never even heard of beer cookies! how fun 🙂
Beth @ DiningAndDishing says
They look awesome! I love the delicate little sliver of zest on top :). Boozy baked goods are just so much fun.
Monique says
And you have done it again. You have made me want to abandon all baking plans scheduled for the weekend (including dads birthday cake) in favor of trying a brand new birthday cake.
You stink.
But i will fight it. And make dads birthday cake... and MAYBE soem cookies because my dad loves beer. 🙂
Holly says
YUMM!! These sounds awesome. You girls are genius!
Emily @ A Cambridge Story says
Genius, ladies!! My beer-lovin husband will be psyched to know about these. I'm in Chicago this weekend so hopefully there will be lots of eating (although little cooking, sadly).
Valerie says
Truly amazing!!
Barbara says
Yikes! What's up with that bottle? The devil made me drink it? I've never even heard of white beer, although I'm not a beer drinker so that's no surprise. I've got some good friends who would love these cookies though (and probably that ice cream too)!
megabrooke says
mmm, sounds so yummy! and i just commented on chris' blog to let him know about matt's website/job, at brewbound.com. i have the feeling our men would totally get along over a few beers! matt's the kind of everything craft beer. 🙂
vanillasugarblog says
love love love these. fabulous and must make soon. don't know whats better the cookie or the glaze.
lena says
these cookies sound really unique in flavour, sure you had fun making them. I also just happened to know yesterday that the vanilla extract is made of vodka ..in a way..have a great weekend!
Ashley says
mmmmm I love orange cookies and of course my cocktails too! I have a great recipe on my blog for orange creamcicle cookies that are to die for! I'm going to have to give these a try though!
emily @ the happy home says
beer makes EVERYTHING better! these look so yummy.
Maris (In Good Taste) says
Wow! beer in cookies. I love it! These look delicious and I can't wait to bake!
Shannon says
ha. nice 🙂 and while i've made my own vanilla extract i always transfer it to new bottles... why?? next time i'm totally using the vodka bottle 🙂
Megan says
I think you're onto something. Double alcohol dessert night should be a new holiday!
Sharlene says
White beer sounds interesting. I've never tried it before but I'm trying to broaden my beer horizons. I'll have to look out for it! These cookies sound amazing. I'd probably cry if I reduced two perfectly yummy bottles of beer to nothing too.
Cheryl A. says
Hi there - First these cookies look great and I cannot wait to make them!! Second, thanks for clarifying the Vodka thing... I thought I was missing something!! Anyways, gotta run and take a work break now but love your site and try to visit it often. Cheryl
Vanessa says
Craft Beer Cellar looks amazing! I need to take a day-trip to Belmont! Cookies look yummolicious as well!
Rachel @ The Avid Appetite says
Love adding booze to desserts! I've never heard of beer cookies before, but they sound {and look} fantastic!
Elina (Healthy and Sane) says
I love all you boozy desserts 😉
Amanda L. (Tales from a Kitchen Misfit) says
I love this so very very much
Beth says
Oh, thanks for the shout-out! You posted this on a very busy day for me last week! Thank you!
Meghan Storey says
I wanted to ask if I could feature this recipe on CraftBeer.com? CraftBeer.com is the consumer facing website of the Brewers Association (the national trade association for craft beer). Along with educating users about craft beer we also work to share craft beers amazing ability to pair with food and its usability in the kitchen.
I would create a recipe post similar to this one: http://www.craftbeer.com/pages/beer-and-food/recipes/recipes-list/show?title=lambic-beer-sorbetto and would include a bio/photo/link to your site. Please let me know if this would be possible. THANKS!