Root Beer Cookies

Sounds a little strange doesn't it?  I thought so too, but Rick LOVES root beer, so I thought it was worth a shot.  And...they were great!  I got this recipe from another great blog that I have listed on the right, Make and Takes . 

*Makes about 4 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups dark brown sugar (I used light/golden brown because I'm not a fan of dark brown sugar)
2 eggs
2 tsp. root beer 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)

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 root beer extract. Whisk dry ingredients together. Add a little at a time to the creamed mixture. The dough should be slightly sticky.  Chill for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease several baking sheets, or line them with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Roll into small balls (about 1″ diameter).  Place them on the pan, leaving a bit of space between the cookies. Gently press the tops of the dough. (If you leave out the water, sometimes the cookies don’t spread very much.) Bake for 6-8 minutes, rotating cookie sheet halfway through.  Let cookies cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.

*NOTE: They will look like they aren't cooked after the 8 minutes, but trust me they are.  They are supposed to be chewy cookies.

Frosting Recipe:
1 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. root beer 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 root beer 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 a few minutes to let the frosting set up. (It should dry a bit on the top.)

Again, let me know if you try these and what you think.  I'm always eager to see what other people think about recipes that I think are good.