Thursday was just one of those days when I really needed to bake something. Class got out early, I had done the reading for Friday, and I suddenly had a full afternoon on my hands. Since I was going to the grocery store anyways, I decided to pick a new recipe to try. And, as I usually do when I have friends coming over, I browsed through Boozy Baker to decide.

This past St. Patrick’s Day, I made grasshopper pie, which necessitated buying the green creme de menthe (there is also clear creme de menthe, for the record). At the time, I also picked up some Kahlua and Bailey’s to make dirty girl scout cocktails, which is basically like drinking a thin mint. So when looking through the cookbook this week, I realized that I already had all the liquor on hand to make Dirty Girl Scout Cookies.

I’m all for efficient use of alcohol, and not buying bottles of things I won’t use, so there wasn’t really much decision-making for me beyond this. But, if you don’t just have those liqueurs lying around, I still think it’s worth the investment. With Fall and hot chocolate weather sneaking up, you will have plenty of opportunity to use them creatively.

Another disclaimer: these are not the variety of boozy baked good where the alcohol burns off. It’s in the icing, so you will taste it. If that’s not your thing, don’t abandon me yet – the base chocolate cookie is hands down the best one I’ve ever made. Really. So if nothing else, you could just make really really good chocolate cookies by continuing to read.

First, beat together the sugar, brown sugar, and butter in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment on medium speed for about three minutes. I’ve been using Trader Joe’s brown sugar recently, which is a bit more moist than regular light brown sugar and adds a slightly more molasses-y flavor. However, any brown sugar will work. Then, add the eggs, vanilla extract, and espresso powder. Beat to combine. In a pinch, you could use regular ground coffee, but the espresso powder is stronger and will better highlight the chocolate flavor. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. I have no pretentious things to add about these ingredients, but if you feel strongly about varieties of cocoa powder, you do you.Add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in a couple of additions, beating well. On a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray, drop the dough in two tablespoon rounded mounds about two inches apart. I did this with some passing back and forth between two spoons, rather than actually rolling it, since the dough is pretty sticky.Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes or until top looks dry. Allow to cool 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.If you don’t want the alcohol, this is where you stop. Enjoy! If you are only reading this because you saw they were alcohol cookies, and have so far been very disappointed that they seem to just be regular cookies, this is where it gets fun.

In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, Bailey’s, Kahlua, and creme de menthe until smooth. Spoon about a teaspoon onto each cookie and place a junior mint on top.Allow icing to harden before storing in an airtight container. You may want to separate them with layers of wax paper. If you have leftovers, they can serve as a good little hair-of-the-dog breakfast treat as well.

Enjoy!

Dirty Girl Scout Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish cream liqueur
• 1 tablespoon Kahlua coffee liqueur
• 1 tablespoon creme de menthe (green)
• Junior Mints

Directions

1. Beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
2. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and espresso powder and beat to combine.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Add flour mixture to batter in a couple of additions, beating until well blended.
5. Drop two tablespoon rounded mounds of cookie dough onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray, about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes or until tops are dry. Allow to cool 10 minutes on pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. To make the icing, whisk together the liqueurs and confectioners’ sugar until smooth.
8. Drop about a teaspoon of icing onto each cookie and press a junior mint into the top. Allow icing to harden.