These cookies are everything I never knew I needed. When I took to Instagram to ask about holiday cookies and what recipe you all wanted to see, the number one cookie was molasses cookies! Yes, and I will admit it took me by surprise just a bit. I didn’t know molasses cookies were such a holiday favorite. My usual go-to Christmas cookies are oatmeal and chocolate chip (crazy I know, lol). So, the people spoke and I was off to create my version of one hell of a good molasses cookie, and boy did I take the challenge seriously! So serious that I modeled the cookie based off of my favorite drink, and Old Fashioned! So, I used rye flour, bourbon and that classic orange peel flavor, but also added a little but of flare to spice it up a bit with cardamom and cinnamon. Which, come to think of it, I should now make a cocktail based on this cookie! But any who, back to the cookies! Seriously these are TO DIE FOR! No joke, they are freaking amazing, and they will be a constant staple in my house and not just on holidays. So I highly suggest you whip up a batch to eat with bourbon spiked coffee on Christmas morning, or you hell maybe just because you want a bomb ass cookie right now!

Rye Bourbon Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 2/3 cups dark rye flour

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour

• 1 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cardamom

• 1 teapoon Kosher salt

• 12 ounces of butter, room temperature

• 2 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• zest of 1 large orange

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup molasses (not backstrap)

• 1/4 cup bourbon I used Ragged Branch Signature Straight Bourbon Whiskey

• Turbinado sugar or granulated sugar for coating

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rye flour, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Whisk everything together, then set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer add the butter and brown sugar. Using the beater blade cream the butter and sugar together for about 5 minutes on low-medium speed.

3. Once the butter and sugar are creamed add the vanilla extra, orange zest, eggs, molasses and bourbon. Beat together for about 1-2 minutes. Then add the flour to the bowl in 3 increments. Making sure the flour is well mixed in before each addition.

4. Scrape the bowl to combine all of the dough, cover and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

5. Preheat oven to 350F.

6. Once the dough has chilled, take about 3 tablespoons of the dough and roll it into a ball. Then roll the dough ball in turbinado sugar or granulated sugar. (I prefer the turbinado sugar because it gives the cookie a nice crust.) Then place about 6 dough balls on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Then bake for about 10-12 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

7. This recipe makes over 24 cookies, so you can also freeze the dough in plastic wrap and bake off later as well.