Temperatures outside are dipping, and the sun goes down at 5 o’clock. That can only mean one thing: It’s time to introduce some JOY into life with holiday cookies and spirits pairings.
Whether you suggest these ideas on your Instagram page, offer cookies paired with beer to go, or host a pairing and tasting event in your restaurant, here are 10 ideas for pairing holiday cookies with adult drinks!
1. Chocolate Chip Cookies & Milk Stout
If you’re looking for a last-minute play to get on Santa’s nice list, put out a stein of Frankenmuth Brewery’s Sweet Tooth Stout with that plate of chocolate chip cookies, and you can expect to find a full stocking in your dining room on Christmas morning.
2. Snickerdoodles & Apple Cider
Cinnamon and apples are a match made in heaven, so look for a crisp apple cider to pair with snickerdoodles. The 2019 House Cider from Troddenvale is an excellent one to try.
3. Shortbread & Belgian Tripel
A lighter cookie needs a lighter beer, and a Belgian Tripel, with faint notes of honey is a great choice. Try a leader in the field from Allagash.
4. Sugar Cookies & Prosecco
Sugar cookies are sweet, playful, and straightforward. Pair them with a super bubbly Prosecco or Champagne to allow the notes of vanilla to come through. Try Artigianale Prosecco for an ethically-produced option.
5. Snowballs & Madeira
Ok, follow me on this one: We’re pairing sweet and nutty with...sweet and nutty! Look to Madeira to pair with these confectioner-sugar-coated cookie balls, like the H&H Rainwater Madeira.
6. Chocolate Peppermint Chunk & Amber Ale
Balance the big flavors in a chocolate peppermint chunk cookie with the toffee and roasted malt notes from an amber ale, like Rogue’s American Amber.
7. Peanut Butter & Chocolate Stout
There may be no better combination on earth than peanut butter and chocolate, so don’t try to fight it. Instead, lean in with a chocolatey stout like Foothills’ Chocolate Imperial Stout.
8. Oatmeal Cookies & Cabernet Sauvignon
Oatmeal cookies have a lot going on, so it’s ok to pair them with a big wine, like the sustainably produced Frey Vineyards Biodynamic Cabernet Sauvignon, with its bold plum aroma and velvety mouthfeel.
9. Linzer Cookies
The fruit in a linzer cookie is crying out to be paired with a tangy, fizzy saison. Hill Farmstead’s Arthur is one of the best in the world, and its natural funk will bounce right off the jammy fruit of the cookie.
10. Gingerbread & Gingerbread Stout
Ok, it’s a little on the nose, but I swear by pairing gingerbread cookies with Hardywood Brewery’s Gingerbread Stout (or Barrel Aged Gingerbread Stout) for the perfect synergy of spice and nice.