Boozy Chocolate Haystack Cookies
Originally published December 18, 2012, Updated on 10/10/20
These Boozy Chocolate Haystack Cookies are Quick and easy no-bake cookies, with a more adult twist! Flavour with your favourite liqueur.
Around the holidays, these were served right alongside other staple favorites, such as Confetti Bars and my beloved Noelles.
Like Noelles, haystack cookies are another childhood favorite that I saw fit to mess with: While the original was great, the addition of cream liqueur takes it to a whole new level: Boozy chocolate haystack cookies!
Not so much in a *literally* intoxicating way, mind you - but the cream liqueur brings with it a complexity of flavor that the childhood favorite was lacking.
These boozy chocolate haystack cookies are easy, fast, no-bake.. and OH so addictive!
Flavouring Your Boozy Haystack Cookies
When I first posted this recipe, my liqueurs of choice for this boozy chocolate haystack cookies recipe were the Baja line of cream tequila liqueurs. Baja Rosa (strawberry) was my #1 go-to when making these, but it was also fabulous with Baja Luna (black raspberry) when I could find it.
Castries peanut rum cream liqueur was also fabulous with it.
Unfortunately, I haven’t seen any of those options in years, so I guess availability can be spotty. If you don’t have access to any of those options, no worries - there are other, more widely available options that are just as fabulous!
Bailey’s Irish Cream is a classic, and works really well with the chocolate, coconut, and oat flavours of haystack cookies. The Godiva Chocolate Cream Liqueurs are also fantastic.
If you can get your hands on maple cream liqueur (which is a *fabulous* option here in Ontario) - YES.
Basically, if it’s a cream liqueur that you like to drink, and has a flavour that works with chocolate.. Go for it!
Alcohol Free Haystack Cookies
Don't want the kids to miss out? There are two ways to convert this to a non-alcoholic Haystack Cookie.
Traditional
This recipe started out as a non-alcoholic cookie, so it’s super easy to convert it back. Simply swap milk for the cream liqueur, and add 1 tsp of vanilla extract.
Upgraded
If you’d like a bit of the flavour complexity that the Boozy Chocolate Haystacks has, without the alcohol, you can add some flavour syrup, such as Torani Syrup
Just use about ¼ cup syrup and ¼ cup milk, in place of the cream liqueur.
Note: This will make a cookie that can be a little sweeter than the original Boozy Haystack Cookies recipe, depending on the liqueur / syrup used.
You do not want to reduce the sugar amount, though - doing so can prevent the cookie from setting up properly!
Gluten-Free Boozy Haystack Cookies
Good news, the only thing standing in the way of this cookie being inherently gluten-free is potential for cross contamination of the oats!
If you use gluten-free certified oats, boom - you have gluten-free haystack cookies!
If you like cooking with alcohol, you should check out my first cookbook, The Spirited Baker. It’s FULL of fun, tasty recipes using spirits and liqueurs for flavour – you should check it out:
Combining liqueurs with more traditional baking ingredients can yield spectacular results.Try Mango Mojito Upside Down Cake, Candy Apple Flan, Jalapeno Beer Peanut Brittle, Lynchburg Lemonade Cupcakes, Pina Colada Rum Cake, Strawberry Daiquiri Chiffon Pie, and so much more.
To further add to your creative possibilities, the first chapter teaches how to infuse spirits to make both basic and cream liqueurs, as well as home made flavor extracts! This book contains over 160 easy to make recipes, with variation suggestions to help create hundreds more!
Order your hard copy here on my website, through Amazon, or through any major bookseller.
More Holiday Treats
Looking for more inspiration for your holiday goodies tray? Whether Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any of the other holidays, here are a few ideas for you!
Blood Orange Cranberry Toffee
Candied Orange Slices
Creme de Menthe Nanaimo Bars
Festive Easy Fudge
Fruitcake Cookies
Gluten-Free Fruitcake
Gluten-Free Fruitcake Cookies
Noelles
Pecan Pie Cookies
Peppermint Patties
Sweet Ecstasy Cookies
Share the Love!
Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you Instagram it, be sure to tag me - @CelebrationGenerationCA - or post it to My Facebook Page - so I can cheer you on!
Also, be sure to subscribe to my free monthly email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense.
Well, the published nonsense, anyway!
Now, on to that Boozy Chocolate Haystack Cookies recipe!
Boozy Chocolate Haystack Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Rolled Oats
- 1 Cup Coconut
- 2 Cups Granulated Sugar
- ½ Cup Cream Liqueur of Choice
- ½ Cup Butter
- ½ Cup Cocoa Powder
Instructions
- Prepare 2 cookie sheets – or a counter top – with parchment or waxed paper.
- In a large bowl, combine oats and coconut, set aside.
- Combine sugar, liqueur, butter, and cocoa together in a medium saucepan. Heat to a boil, stirring constantly. Allow to boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat.
- Pour hot mixture over coconut and oats, stir to coat everything evenly.
- Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared pans or counter top, allow to cool fully – cookies will harden and “set up” as they cool.
- Store in an airtight container – these will keep a long time, assuming they go uneaten that long!
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