Kahlua Chocolate Chip Cookies

For the past two years, my sweet landlords have given me a large bottle of Kahlua for Christmas. While I do like Kahlua, I just don’t use it often (a person can only drink so many White Russians), so I’ve been trying to think of ways to use it up. I’ve put it in my coffee, in cocoa, and made truffles with it. All delicious, but I still have SO MUCH Kahlua! The other day I had an epiphany – why haven’t I been adding it to my chocolate chip cookies? I mean, two of my favorite things are coffee and chocolate – you’d think I’d have thought of this sooner.

So this week I set out to create some Kahlua chocolate chip cookies and I have to say, I think I’ve struck gold. The combination of the sweet, coffee-flavored liqueur with a soft and chewy chocolate-studded cookie is just divine. I may never make plain chocolate chip cookies again.

How do you use Kahlua? Or other liqueurs? I have leftover amaretto, brandy, and bourbon that I’ve bought for other recipes that I need to use up too. I’d love to hear your suggestions – leave a note in the comments below!

Kahlua Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Tips:

• I used Ghirardelli’s 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips and I think their flavor fits perfectly with the addition of Kahlua. However, semi-sweet chocolate or even white chocolate would be delicious too!
• Not a fan of Kahlua, or don’t have gallons of it lying around like I do? Substitute cold coffee or espresso. It will still be a delicious cookie.
• I used this espresso powder in this recipe. I grabbed mine at Golden Fig in St Paul when I was last down there. King Arthur Flour makes a great espresso powder also.
• Cookie Scoops: If you don’t yet own a cookie scoop, what are you waiting for?!? I love using a cookie scoop for my cookies because it helps make them all the same size, ensuring that they bake more uniformly. They also just look rounder and prettier. I used this cookie scoop from Oxo for this recipe. I have their small and large cookie scoops also, and I love them all, but this size is the one I use the most.
• Cookie Sheets: I am not a fan of nonstick cookie sheets (or nonstick anything, for that matter). The darker color of nonstick sheets makes your cookies bake a lot darker, in my experience. Plus, if you’re using butter in your cookies, you really don’t need that nonstick coating. I love Nordicware’s Natural Aluminum baking sheets – their Big Sheet (3/4 sheet pan) is my favorite for cookies. Plus, Nordicware is made in Minnesota! If you’re in Duluth, you can buy their cookie sheets (as well as the Oxo cookie scoops) at Duluth Kitchen Co. Otherwise, they’re readily available online.

Ready to get baking? Give these Kahlua Chocolate Chip Cookies a try and let me know what you think by leaving a comment below!

Happy Baking!