Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Bailey’s Irish Creme Chocolate Chip Cookies are some of the best cookies I’ve ever made in my life. They’re chewy, gooey, rich and buttery. If you like Bailey’s Irish Cream or Chocolate Chip Cookies, you will love these!
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As soon as I saw the bag of Bailey’s Irish Cream Baking Chips in the store, I knew I had to make these cookies. I originally planned to make them as a St. Patrick’s Day treat, but didn’t have time. These would be fantastic for any occasion though, so it didn’t really matter when I made them.
To make these cookies, I simply used the recipe right on the back of the bag. It’s a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe, so no surprises. But what I think sets these cookies apart for me is the texture. They have that professional bakery cookie texture that I love. They’re chewy with gooey centers, and slightly crisp around the edges. I inadvertently left one pan of cookies in the oven longer than the other, so they turned out a little darker with crispier edges, but they were still chewy and gooey.
I think the step that contributed to the perfect cookie texture was chilling the cookie dough after spooning it onto the baking sheet. The instructions recommend chilling the dough for one hour in the refrigerator before baking. I believe this chilling time provides a few benefits.
Benefits of chilling the dough before baking:
1. Absorption and Solidification
While the cookie dough is chilling in the fridge, the sugar and flour have more time to absorb the liquid in the dough. This helps “bulk up” the dough and prevent excess liquid which causes too much spread. Cookies that spread too much turn out thin and crispy rather than chewy. The cold from the refrigerator also causes the fats in the cookie dough to solidify which helps prevent excess spread.
2. Flavor
Allowing the resting time “ages” the dough, which brings out flavor. This idea also applies to bread dough. The longer the dough is allowed to rest, the more flavor is brought to the final baked product. (Think no-knead bread dough which sits in the fridge for days.) In fact, the cookies would probably taste even better if left to chill overnight, but an hour is really all that’s needed for great flavor.
3. Texture
Chilling the dough before baking helps dry out the cookies a bit, resulting in a chewier texture. In fact, the balls of dough feel dry to the touch after chilling an hour. When I first tried this, I worried that the dough dried out too much and would harm the end result. But I was pleased to discover that not only was the texture fantastic, it’s the best cookie texture I’ve ever made. I plan to continue chilling cookie dough before baking it as long as time allows.
These cookies were so good we couldn’t keep them to ourselves. We packaged them in little gift bags and shared them with our neighbors. These store well which would make them perfect to take to a party or potluck. Let me know if you make these cookies!
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Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick0
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 12 oz Bailey's Irish Cream Baking Chips (1 bag)
Instructions
- Prepare 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Pour in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Pour in baking chips and stir until combined.
- Scoop dough into prepared baking sheets, about 2 tbsp each. Space a few inches apart. Chill the dough on the baking sheets in the refrigerator for one hour before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 375F/190C. Bake cookies for 11-12 minutes, or until slightly golden at the edges and just set in the middle. The bigger you make the dough balls the longer the baking time will be. Do not over bake!