Irish Cookie Bars
Beer cookie bar with a Jameson Caramel swirl topped with a fluffy and malty Guinness marshmallow.
Ingredients
- 3 envelopes Knox unflavored powdered gelatin
- 1 bottle Guinness Beer (11.2 ounces) opened and flat.
- 2 cups Granulated Sugar
- ½ cup Corn Syrup
- 2 Egg Whites from large eggs.
- 2 tspn Vanilla Extract
- ¼ cup Powdered Sugar
- ¼ cup Cornstarch
Irish Whisky Caramel
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 tspn Vanilla Bean Paste
- 1 tspn Apple Cider Vinegar
- 5 tbsp Butter softened to room temperature.
- ½ cup Heavy Cream room temperature.
- ½ tspn Salt
- 3 tbsp Irish Whiskey I used Jameson, please use whatever brand you like. Can also omit if you don't care for whiskey.
Beer Cookie Bar
- 2 sticks Butter room temperature, unsalted.
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar for the cookie dough.
- 2 Eggs Room temperature.
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 bottle Beer I used Real Ale Brewery Fireman's Four. Use a pale ale if possible.
- ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar (no, this isn't a typo) Used to make a beer syrup.
- ½ tspn Baking Soda
- 2 tspn Cornstarch
- 3¼ cups Flour
- 1 tspn Salt
Instructions
Irish Whisky Caramel
- In a medium saucepan mix the sugar, water, and apple cider vinegar together. Bring to a boil over medium heat with the lid on. Do not stir after it comes to a boil.
- Allow to simmer for 5 minutes then remove the lid and continue to simmer until the caramel reaches a golden amber color.
- Once the amber color is achieved, take the caramel off of the heat and whisk in the room temperature butter one tablespoon at a time. Whisk quickly and be safe, the caramelized sugar is very hot and can burn you.
- Once the butter is added and the caramel is smooth, add the heavy cream and continue to whisk.
- Place the caramel back on medium heat to allow to boil for another minute or two.
- Take the caramel off of the heat and add the vanilla bean paste and whisky. Stir to combine.
- Carefully pour the hot caramel into a glass jar and allow to cool at room temperature for an hour. Place in fridge to firm up until ready to use in marshmallows.
Beer Infused Cookie Bars
- In a sauce pan over medium heat reduce bottle of beer and sugar until for 10-15 minutes.
- You will need to stir regularly as the mixture is will be quite bubbly.
- The beer syrup will reduce down to 1/3 cup. It will be thick and look like honey.
- Allow syrup to cool for 30-45 minutes before using in the cookie bars.
- Melt 2 sticks of butter in the microwave. Cool if it's hot before adding 1 cup of brown sugar and ½ cup of granulated sugar. Mix to combine.
- Add both eggs, vanilla extract, cooled beer syrup, and salt and mix until glossy and no traces of egg remain.
- Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch into the wet ingredients. Stir until a soft dough forms.
- Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper making sure the parchment covers up the sides of the pan for the marshmallow topping.
- Press dough into the pan as evenly as possible.
- Spoon ½ cup of the whisky caramel sauce on top of the cookie, spread evenly.
- Bake at 350*F for 25 minutes. The cookie will be golden brown.
Guinness Marshmallow Topping
- Open beer to allow the bubbles to go flat. I left mine out overnight to make sure it was entirely flat before using.
- Mix together powdered sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Cover an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper, grease, then dust liberally with the powdered sugar/cornstarch combo. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, pour one half cup of flat beer and mix together with the gelatin. Leave to absorb while preparing sugar mixture.
- In a deep sauce pan, combine half cup of Guinness beer with sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
- Mix to combine then turn the stove on medium heat. The mixture will come to a boil and foam up. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't boil over. Stir and remove from heat if the bubbles are too aggressive then place back on heat to continue cooking.
- Once it reaches a boil, allow it to simmer for 10-12 minutes. With a candy thermometer test the temperature, you want the sugar syrup to reach 240*F.
- Once it hits 240*F turn off the stove and remove syrup from heat. Turn the stand mixer on low and slowly drizzle the syrup mixture into the bowl. Let the syrup run down the side of bowl and not on the mixer wires. .
- Once the syrup is all added, turn the mixer on high and continue whipping. You want this to whip on high until it has doubled in volume and is very fluffy and creamy before adding the stiff egg whites.
- In a separate bowl with a hand held mixer, beat the two egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. This took me 5 minutes.
- Turn the stand mixer off and add the stiff egg whites and vanilla extract. Mix on high for a minute.
- Scoop this fluffy cloud of malty goodness on top of the cooled cookie.
- Allow to rest for several hours for the marshmallow to set and firm up. I left mine overnight.
- Using a large knife, slice the marshmallow cookie bars into 24 pieces.
- These can be dunked or drizzled with melted chocolate of your choice. I used dark chocolate and dipped just one side. You can also serve without.
- Store tightly covered in a cool dry place.
- Enjoy, and Happy St. Paddy's Day!!
Notes
Three recipes in one! These cookie bars are for the beer, whisky, and dessert enthusiast and boy do they deliver. Full of malt flavor along with creamy marshmallow and chewy warm cookie bar makes these a great celebration cookie for St. Paddy's Day.