For the kid in all of us, pairing whisky with cookies can be a delicious combination that highlights the best flavors of each. Or you can enjoy a liquid version of a dessert with the Tough Cookie, created by San Francisco-based mixologist Heather Hoffman. This playful, buttery, spiced cocktail is something only those with mature tastes can truly savor. It blends caramel shortbread cookies with a hint of coffee and a whisper of gentle peat smoke.
The cocktail is a tribute to Hoffman's visits to her grandparents in the Midwest. “They were truly the epitome of cool—a couple whose warmth and charm left a lasting impression,” she says. “I find myself reflecting on cherished memories of hopping on a plane back home to gather with them by the crackling fire.”
No matter your relationship with your elders, this cozy cocktail may at least take you back to simpler times.
The Tough Cookie
- 1 1/2 oz. Highland Park 12 year old (or other lightly peated single malt scotch)
- 1 1/2 oz. cold brew coffee
- 1/2 oz. Biscoff cookie butter
- 1/2 oz. simple syrup
- Salted cream and Biscoff cookie crumbles for garnish
Add all ingredients to a shaker tin with ice and shake well for 15 seconds. Strain into a highball over clear cube ice. Garnish with salted cream and cookie crumbles.
