These rye bourbon dark chocolate chunk cookies are the most grown up chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made. So chewy, nutty, and flavorful – instant favorites.

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It’s been a hot minute since I came up with a new variation of my favorite chewy chocolate chip cookies, almost exactly 3 months to be exact as the last one I posted was on my blog’s golden 11th anniversary.

This is also only the third new recipe of 2022 I am posting! Not to say that I haven’t been busy working on this blog of mine, it’s just been more focused on updating old content. But it’s finally time to give you something new.

In short, these cookies are dreamy.

I don’t know if it’s just been too long since I’ve made my chocolate chip cookies, but these were incredible. The rye flour gave these cookies almost a nutty flavor and the texture was extra chewy. That combined with the aromatics of the bourbon, hint of rosemary, cardamom and cinnamon, and the rich dark chocolate chunks made these an instant favorite the moment they hit my taste buds.

Now, these cookies might not first strike you as he most Valentine’s Day themed cookie but they certainly captured my heart.

As such I have decided to post them on this day in particular, not just because Valentine’s Day is 2 days away (!!), but because today bloggers from all over the internet are sharing recipes as part of the Good Cookie Food Bloggers’ Valentine’s Event benefitting Cookies for Kid’s Cancer. Read more and find out how you can join in the fight below!

RYW BOURBON DARK CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

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Yield: 3 dozen Prep Time: 2 Hours 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 8 Minutes 8 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 3/4 cup rye flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp fresh minced rosemary
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 Tbsp bourbon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg + 1 yolk, room temperature
• 2 cup dark chocolate chunks

Directions

1. Sift together the flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and rosemary; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended (1-2 minutes). Beat in the bourbon, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients in three batches until just blended. Fold in the chocolate by hand.
3. Roll 2 tablespoons of dough* into a ball that is slightly taller than wide and place on a plate or tray. Cover tightly and chill for at least 2 hours**, but overnight for best results.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with silicone baking mats (or parchment paper); set aside.
5. Place cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 8 minutes or until edges are barely golden (will look underbaked). Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Notes

* You can also use a 1/4 cup scoop and cook them another 2-4 minutes (will yield less obviously). ** Don't want to wait to chill? They will still bake just fine but the flavor/texture improves when chilled.

Source: Adapted from My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies and Two Cups Flour.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

Turn your Reuben sandwich into a Reuben pizza with thousand island dressing sauce, sauerkraut, corned beef, Swiss all on top of a Guinness rye pizza crust.

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St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect excuse to turn your food green and put booze in everything. Last year I made a green pizza which included a spinach crust, pesto, and green bell peppers cut to resemble four leaf clovers. Since the green option has been covered in the pizza department, I decided to go the boozy route this year with a Guinness pizza crust. All I did was substitute warm water for warm Guinness and a little or the flour for rye flour in my trusty pizza dough recipe. But it is still kid friendly as the alcohol will bake off in the oven.

To stick with the holiday theme, I topped it off with thousand island dressing, sauerkraut, shredded corned beef, and Swiss cheese to create a Reuben pizza. It truly does taste just like the sandwich if you served it open faced. If you want to have a full blown St. Patrick’s Day pizza party you could make this Reuben pizza, the green pizza, and a Shepherd’s pie pizza too. Sounds like a fun way to celebrate to me!

REUBEN PIZZA WITH GUINNESS CRUST

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Yield: 3-4 Servings Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 42 MInutes 42 MInutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CRUST

• 1 pkg. (2-1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup warm (about 110 F) Guinness or other stout beer
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup rye flour*
• 1 cup bread flour*
• Cornmeal for dusting

TOPPINGS

• 1/2 cup Thousand island dressing
• 1/2 tsp carraway seeds
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp ground paprika
• 1/4 cup sauerkraut, drained
• 6 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 4 oz. cooked corned beef, shredded

Directions

1. Place pizza stone on the bottom rack in the oven and allow to preheat to 500 degrees for at least 30 minutes.
2. In a large bowl bloom yeast in warm beer, approximately 5 minutes. Add sugar, salt, and oil followed by 1 cup of rye flour until it forms a loose dough, add the remaining bread flour 1/2 cup at a time until it forms a smooth but slightly sticky dough.
3. Knead by hand 20 times or until well incorporated, adding a little bit of extra flour (too sticky) or water (too dry) if necessary. Form into a ball, coat with oil on all sides, cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.
4. Roll out dough and transfer to a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal**. Evenly spread dressing over the surface of the pizza dough, leaving an edge for the crust. Sprinkle with seasonings, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and corned beef.
5. Transfer to the pizza stone** without removing from the oven (it’ll take a couple light shakes) and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until it the crust turns golden and the cheese starts to bubble.

Notes

*If you don't have rye and/or bread flour you may also use all-purpose but the amount needed may differ. **Can use a regular baking pan instead of a pizza peel and stone.

Source: Adapted from my Pizza Dough.

Post updated 3/15/2026. Photos above and below are the originals.