root beer cookies

Also known as the best cookies you'll ever eat. In. Your. Life. 

*All images and text originally from this post by Cafe Johnsonia. (I'm related to her. Lucky.)


Rootbeer Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. rootbeer extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup water (optional--only use if dough is too dry)

Rootbeer frosting (recipe below)

Cream butter and dark brown sugar until very light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the rootbeer extract.

Whisk dry ingredients together. Add a little at a time to the creamed mixture. Add the water only if the dough is too dry.

It should be sticky like this:

Chill for at least an hour. Roll into small balls (about 1" diameter). Or if you're like me, maybe you want to use a small ice cream scoop because it's easy.

Place them far enough apart so they can spread without touching each other.

Whether you roll them or scoop them, flatten the tops a bit before you bake them if you like the cookies to be flatter. If not, it's fine. They are good a little thicker, too.

Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes, rotating cookie sheet halfway through.

Rootbeer Frosting:

1 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. rootbeer extract
a few tablespoons hot water

Beat butter on high with an electric mixer until it is fluffy. Add a little powdered sugar and the rootbeer extract. Beat until smooth. Add remaining powdered sugar alternately with a little hot water until a nice spreading consistency has been reached.

Frost the cooled cookies and let stand for the frosting to set up. (It should dry a bit on the top.)

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Note: If you don't like rootbeer, leave out the extract. They are a great base for chocolate chip cookies and leave room for more varieties. We like to add maple flavoring and pecans. Recently I posted a recipe using the cookie dough sans RB extract with hazelnuts and toffee bars. I've also done white chocolate, bittersweet, and dried cherries--with and without nuts. Dried apricots and cranberries would be good, too. Or leave 'em plain. The choice is yours.


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So there you have it. My Saturday gift to you.
Last year, for my birthday, I told Chas all I wanted was these cookies. 
Turns out making cookies is hard for us. 


Now, we just let Chas' mom make the dough, freeze it, and give it to us. 
We handle the frosting and turning on the oven.