Mint Chocolate Irish Cream Cookies

So now that it's a fresh new year, I have no motivation.

Except to eat more cookies like these.

Let me tell you guys just how bad my motivation has been lately. I experienced something this morning that I haven't done since, oh I don't know, junior high. It all starts with the fact that I can't even make myself go to bed at night. I sit on the couch and keep busy on my iPad or catch up on my shows (so happy Downton Abby is back on) until I literally fall asleep on the couch. Sometimes it's just a quick thirty minute to an hour that I'm asleep before I get up and put myself to bed and then there are times I'll wake up at four in the morning before I make it to the bedroom. Usually I'm pretty good at getting up in the morning and going to my grown up job, but all good things must come to an end. Last night I took my usual nightly nap on the couch, only for about an hour, but this time I forgot to set my alarm! (Oh the horror!) Have you ever shot up out of bed just knowing you were already late? It's terrible isn't it? That oh my god, oh my god, I slept in feeling. I swear I ran back and forth at the foot of the bed about ten times trying to get my bearings and figure out what to do. I threw on some clothes, brushed my teeth, smeared on some makeup, and tried to make my birds nest of a hair do look halfway decent, to no avail. Believe it or not I actually got to work in the nick time. My punishment, having to drink the bitter nastiness they call coffee and having to face the morning in a zombie like coma. Luckily I survived the day and decided to bake cookies and drink wine to make myself feel better. Even better the cookies have liqueur in them too. 

If you are wanting a comforting hug at the end of a long tiring day, these cookies are for you. The hint of mint and irish cream soothes you just like a warm after dinner drink with a shot of Bailey's. Try em out. :)

Mint Chocolate Irish Cream Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup Irish Cream (I used Bailey’s Chocolate Mint Irish Cream, but any flavor will work)

1/4 cup Andes crème de menthe baking chips

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1.  In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together butter and sugar until pale, then add the egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, then with the mixer still on drizzle in the irish cream. Scrape down sides to make sure all is incorporated.

3.  Then add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined, and then stir in Andes baking chips and chocolate chips.

4.  At this point I stash them in the fridge to get a chill on them while I clean up and preheat the oven and prepare the baking sheets.

5.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon baking mat. Place tablespoons of dough on the baking sheet leaving enough room for spreading. I use a small cookie scoop. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until they start to brown around the edges.

6.  Cool on sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Store uneaten cookies (yeah, like that ever happens) in an air tight container. ;) Enjoy

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Oh the Irish Car Bomb, if you've never had one, they are quite yummy. It’s a shot that consists of about a half a pint of Guinness, and a shot glass of half Jameson’s Irish whiskey and half Bailey’s Irish cream, you drop the shot into the pint glass and chug. The other half requested these for his birthday, and I thought they were perfect for a guy. Chocolate with three different types of alcohol, how can you go wrong? He was lucky to be home while I was baking because he got to have an actual Irish car bomb with the left over liquor. And I'll admit I did have a Guinness too while I was baking, even though I started at 11:30am. (Hey! I must check the quality of the ingredients I'm using!) Most of the similar recipes I've seen call for an Irish cream buttercream, but the other half hates frosting so I opted for an Irish cream whipped cream frosting instead. The end result was perfect! If you are looking for a well balanced cupcake, this is the one for you. I think that if you had topped this with a sugary buttercream it would have been too sweet. The whipped cream complimented the rich ganache center very well. I also would like to add that I could bake everything with beer because it gives it such a rich flavor and moist texture. (Which I may try) So you guys have got to try this one, they’re awesome!

The other half says it's the best cupcake he's ever had. (And I didn't make him say that)

Cupcakes 

Ingredients: 

1 (11.2 fl oz) bottle Guinness 

1 stick unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

2 eggs

1 (8oz) container sour cream 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin tin with cupcake liners. 

In a medium saucepan, combine Guinness and butter and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Then whisk in cocoa powder until smooth and let cool. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. 

In a large bowl, beat eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add cooled chocolate mixture to the sour cream and eggs and beat until just combined. 

Slowly add dry ingredients and beat briefly on a slow speed, scraping down sides as needed. 

Fill each cupcake paper 3/4 of the way full. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 17-18 minutes (Mine baked for 18 minutes and came out perfect) 

Remove cupcakes from oven and let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan and placing on wire rack. Cool completely before filling. 

Ganache 

Ingredients:

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, broken into pieces

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

4 teaspoons Jameson whiskey 

Directions: 

Place chocolate in a medium heat-resistant bowl. In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream until bubbling.

Carefully pour it over chocolate and let sit untouched for 20 seconds. After that, stir until smooth and combined. 

Add in butter and whiskey. Let cool until it’s a pipe-able consistency, using the fridge if needed. If you use the fridge, make sure to stir every 10 minutes.

Irish Cream Whipped Cream Frosting 

Ingredients: 

2 C heavy whipping cream 

2/3 C sugar 

2 T Baileys Irish Cream (I added a little extra) 

Directions: 

Whip heavy whipping cream until it looks like whipped cream. 

Mix in sugar and Baileys Irish Cream until just combined

Cupcakes and ganache adapted from Cake and Allie

Irish cream whipped cream from Cupcake Project