Recipe: Kahlua Toast Crunch Cookies

Move over bourbon. There’s a new alcohol in my kitchen, and its name is Kahlua.

Seriously, I can’t get enough of it right now. I’m folding it into whipped cream and drizzling it on tiramisu. I’m even pouring over bread and mixing that into cookies. This ain’t no joke.   I NEED AN INTERVENTION.

Butreallytho, please don’t intervene, because then you won’t get to experience these cookies and I really insist that you do.

Okay, these cookies. Pillow soft on the inside and filled with salty-sweet pecans and a gnarly Kahlua toast crunch – that’s bread doused in the good stuff, covered in spices, and baked up til cris-pay. On its own, the crunch tastes like CTC for grown-ups, and since we are all healthy, mature, and responsible adults, it’s totally okay to eat the leftovers for breakfast with milk or as a snack – we got this.

These cookies also travel extremely well. They have a higher moister content from the brown sugar and can be shipped easily, lasting up to 1 week. I sent quite a few batches as holiday gifts and would definitely not mind if someone sent me these for Valentine’s Day. As long as I get a bottle of Kahlua as well. Naturally.

Kah-razy for Kahlua.

Kahlua Toast Crunch Cookies
(Crunch adapted from Milk)

[ingredients]

Directions

1. For the crunch: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat and set aside.
2. Slice the bread into quarters and put it in a large bowl. Pour the brown butter over everything and let soak for 1 minute.
3. Add the brown sugar, salt, spices, and Kahlua and toss well. Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes.
4. Pull the pan out of the oven and use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the pieces and toss them around. If the sugar is still moist, bake for an additional 5 minutes until you have dry, caramelized clusters. Cool the crunch completely before using.
5. For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the vanilla and eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition.
7. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pecans and add to the stand mixer. Mix on slow speed for about 10 seconds.
8. Add in 2 cups of the Kahlua toast crunch and mix until everything is just combined. Do NOT over mix.
9. Divide dough into tablespoon-sized portions and roll them to make them as round as possible. Refrigerate for about 10-15 minutes if the dough is too sticky to work with.
10. Place the cookies about 1.5 inches apart on the baking sheet and bake for 11 minutes. They won’t spread or change color too much, but they will be done. Cool completely on a wire rack.