My favorite cookie: Irish O’reos

It’s almost St. Paddy’s Day, so I’m sharing my most favoritest cookie recipe ever. It’s a time consuming one, but SO worth it.

The recipe is an original creation by my friend and master cookie chef, John Eddy. It’s named after the “Irish Car Bomb”, a disgusting drink that has you throw a mixed shot of Bailey’s and Jameson into a pint of Guinness. I decided that these delicious cookies needed a more appropriate name, because…come on.

Within roughly 10 minutes of posting a request for a better name to Facebook (natch) I had a top 5 list:

  1. Irish O’reos (D. Noonan/S. Furness)
  2. Scott Franks (S. Frank)
  3. Lucky VBIEDS (J. Bottorf)
  4. The Nom o’ the Irish (E. Walkup)
  5. Leprecan’t Eat Just One (My Husband)

Of course, Irish O’reos is the clear winner. Thank you, master wordsmith David Noonan.

Honorable Mention to Kate Mulhern-Graham for “Cookie O’Toolihans“. The official naming committee has decided that this works as a company name and shall be used in place of O’reos when we are avoiding lawsuits. (e.g.: “Cookie O’Toolihans Irish Sandwich Biscuits”.)

Photo courtesy of John Eddy

And without further ado:

Irish O’reos

(Known east of the Rockies as “Cookie O’Toolihans Irish Sandwich Biscuits”)

Cookies

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, cubed
  • 1-1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 Tbsp Guinness, reduced

Filling

  • 3 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 3 Tbsp Baileys
  • 1 Tbsp Irish whiskey

Instructions:

  1. Slowly pour a 12-oz can of room temperature Guinness into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until reduced to half a cup and let cool.
  2. While the Guinness is cooling, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder into a large bowl, and add the salt and baking powder.
  3. In a mixing bowl (like, say, a Kitchen Aid), add the butter and sugar and cream it together until light and fluffy.
  4. Add the egg and mix until the egg is incorporated into the mixture.
  5. Add the (now room temperature) reduced Guinness and mix until it’s all incorporated.
  6. Add the flour/cocoa mixture and beat it until it is all incorporated together into a solid mass without any powder.
  7. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a uniform shape that is easily cut in half.
  8. Cut the dough in half.
  9. Roll each piece of dough into a log that is roughly 1.5 inches in diameter. Wrap and refrigerate for an hour or two.
  10. Take the first log out and slice it into 1/4-inch thick slices.
  11. Bake on a parchment-lined cookie sheet in a 350F oven for 8-10 minutes. Edges should be almost crisp, center puffy.
  12. Repeat with second log. Let Cookies cool completely before assembling.

Frosting:

  1. While the cookies are baking, make the filling. In a mixer, whip the 1/2 cup butter.
  2. At this point, I recommend putting the Bailey’s and Whiskey in a measuring cup with a pour spout.
  3. Once the butter is light and fluffy, add the confectioner’s sugar 2-3 tablespoons at a time. Once the sugar is mixed into the butter, add a couple more tablespoons.
  4. If you see the sugar begin to just collect at the bottom of the bowl, drizzle in a little of the Bailey’s/Whiskey mixture to help it combine with the butter.
  5. Keep going until all the sugar has been added and the butter cream appears to be thick enough to spread like a frosting. If you still have Bailey’s/Whiskey, drizzle it in slowly. Mix until combined.
  6. Have a shot of whiskey for yourself.
  7. Now, you simply assemble the cookies. A little bit of frosting between each cookie.

Makes about 70 cookies, or 35 once assembled.

Sláinte!