Soft, chewy oatmeal cookies studded with chocolate chips and dried cherries re-plumped with whiskey… what more is there to say?!
These are, hands down, my new favorite cookies. I generally hate whiskey (it tastes like pencils), but butter and brown sugar mellow out the flavor, leaving these cookies with a complex, butterscotch-like flavor that’s perfectly balanced by sour cherries and sweet chocolate. A touch of coconut* helps keep them soft, and I think they have an even better flavor the next day, after the flavors have had a chance to meld.
Unfortunately, my dogs seemed to agree. I originally made these late Wednesday night. I was so excited to share them with you for Saint Patrick’s Day, but I was too tired to take photos. So I made sure we saved most of them (believe me, it wasn’t easy!), planning to photograph them after work the next day. Imagine my surprise when Shawn sent me a text saying that not only had my tiny little the dogs managed to get the tupperware container of them off the kitchen counter, but that they had eaten every last crumb? I was crushed. (Thankfully, my dogs have stomachs of steel and are perfectly fine. Chocolate, booze and all.)
I didn’t have time to make another batch before the holiday, but it doesn’t matter. These cookies are great any time of year. This time, I know better than to leave them on the counter….
*It really is a tiny bit a coconut, and they don’t have a discernable coconut flavor at all. If you really hate the stuff though, or if you’re allergic, you can feel free to leave it out. The cookies just might not be as chewy the next day.
Oatmeal Cookies with Whiskey-Soaked Cherries
Ingredients
Instructions
Nutrition Information
Amount Per Serving
Calories 100 Total Fat 5g Protein 1g
Kate Ludlam says
09/18 at 5:58 pmMade these as a “thank you” gift for friend – were a big hit! And because I KNEW these were going to be good, I made a double batch to share with work colleagues 🙂 Can I suggest that you add the actual measurement of a “stick of butter” to the list of ingredients?
I used Irish whiskey — so my bf then had a neat shot of cherry-infused whiskey 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! Is definitely a keeper 🙂
Stephanie says
04/23 at 3:54 pmWould omitting the coconut make much difference to the consistency? Would I need to add anything to replace it if I decided to leave it out?
Thanks!
Lauren Keating says
04/23 at 6:16 pmIt helps keep the cookies chewy, so the might be a little crisper if you leave it out but they’ll still taste good. You don’t need to replace it with anything.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
03/07 at 9:39 pmThis is so creative! Love it!
Kammie @ Sensual Appeal says
03/13 at 12:43 pmIt tastes like pencils?! Hahahahha that is so oddly specific, it made me crack up. I actually like whiskey but I always just take straight shots of it so maybe I’ve just gotten used to it. I’m loving this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Carolyn Jung says
03/20 at 11:15 pmI love how you take the staid healthfulness of oatmeal — then make it all bad-boy with whiskey. I think I’m going to need a 12-step program for these cookies. LOL They look way too good.
Lauren says
03/21 at 12:57 amWhat can I say? That’s hoe I roll!
Kristina says
03/20 at 1:34 pmHi, I am baking these now. Just wanted to let you know that although you have salt listed in the ingredients it wasn’t listed in the directions. Also in the directions you say add the egg but in the ingredients there was no egg listed.
They smell great!
Jade @ Maids says
03/20 at 3:57 amjust looking and reading it makes me hungry. really looks good! thumbs up ya. and super good luck Aja!!
Kristina says
03/19 at 10:30 pmI was just wondering do these cookies have any alcohol content? Or does the baking/microwaving cause the alcohol to evaporate? It doesn’t bother me but my sister doesn’t drink. Just wanted to check. Thanks.
Lauren says
03/20 at 9:43 amI really can’t say for sure… from what I’ve read, there’s no real way to completely eliminate the alcohol (even nonalcoholic beer/wine has trace amounts). I guess some people who abstain for religious reasons are ok with it if it’s been cooked, but others aren’t. It depends on why your sister doesn’t drink and how strict she is with it.
If there is still alcohol in these, it would there is any in these, it would be a very small amount (only about a tablespoon actually soaks into the cherries, then that gets divided between all the cookies… and then is cooked) but to be on the safe side, I’d say unless she says they’re ok, I’d pass. Of course, even without the whiskey it’s still a great cookie recipe! Just soak the cherries in water to plump them up instead. Sorry I couldn’t give you a better answer.
Kristina says
03/20 at 10:04 amOkay, thank you very much. I think I will ask her what she thinks before I make them and then I will make hers with water and mine with whiskey haha.
I think in the paste she has made other recipes with alcohol involved in the cooking process. These sound so good!
Joanne says
03/19 at 9:12 pmMy dog is puny and has eaten chocolate many a time by accident…and she’s lived to eat more chocolate! I guess that means these were super tasty! A definite need to try. I’ve been craving cookies lately in a serious way.
Andrea @Andreas Kitchen says
03/19 at 1:21 pmYum- your cookies sound wonderful!
I voted for you and it looks like you are doing great in the competition.
Good luck!
Lauren says
03/20 at 1:44 pmYikes! Thanks for letting me know – I must have been in a rush since i was so excited to post them. I’ll fix the recipe right now.
bellini says
03/19 at 6:09 amYou will love Eat, Write, Retreat. I won a trip to Washington DC and the conference last May. Of all the conferences I have been to it was the best!!! As for the cookies I couldn’t eat just one!