Bourbon Bacon Peanut Butter Cookies
Bacon peanut butter cookies are THE BEST cookies ever. They're soft and chewy and packed with an incredible salty/smoky/sweet flavor from the bacon, bourbon, and peanut butter. It's the perfect combination and makes for one amazing cookie!
If you love peanut butter cookies as much as we do, also make sure to try our chewy peanut butter cookies and our gluten-free peanut butter cookies!

This recipe was originally published in 2012. We've updated the post with some new photos, more information, and an easier-to-follow recipe. But the delicious cookies remain exactly the same.
Bacon peanut butter cookies
If you're thinking that bacon, bourbon, and cookies obviously sound like a great combo, but aren't sure about the peanut butter? Trust us, it works.
Peanut butter and bacon go incredibly well together (some smart people have even been known to combine the two into sandwiches or burgers). But we think that making them into cookies is the best way to go. Sweet and salty always wins!
These cookies are made with both butter and bacon fat (AKA liquid gold) to give the cookies the best flavor. Then we mix crispy bacon bits right into the batter AND decorate the tops with even more bacon. The result is cookies that are sweet, soft, subtly salty and smoky, crunchy on the top, and absolutely heavenly.

How to make bacon peanut butter cookies
Making bacon peanut butter cookies is much like making regular homemade peanut butter cookies, only with the extra step of cooking the bacon.
- Cook the bacon until VERY crispy. You don't want any chewy bits of bacon. It's best to cook the bacon on medium to medium-low heat so that all the fat renders out and the bacon becomes incredibly crispy. Once the bacon is cool, try to crumble it; if it doesn't crumble easily or you feel chew parts, put the bacon back into the pan for a few more minutes.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl. We're looking at you flour, salt, leveners, and spice.
- Use electric beaters or a stand mixer to beat the wet ingredients together – butter, bacon oil, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and bourbon.
- Now mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, but make sure to stop as soon as they come together. You don't want to overmix them.
- Use a spatula to mix in the crispy bacon pieces and some chocolate chips then form the cookies and top them with more bacon.
- Once they come out of the oven, let them cool for a few minutes before digging in.
Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.

Recipe FAQs
Yes! These cookies freeze excellently. You can either freeze frozen cookie dough in balls to bake later or freeze the cooked cookies. Either way, they will last for up to three months in a well-sealed container in your freezer.
These cookies are made with bacon that is cooked very crispy. Bacteria needs moisture to grow, and there is very little moisture in this bacon. It is also cured with nitrates, which prevent bacteria growth. Because of these things, we keep the cookies on the counter and eat them within 2-3 days.
But the safest way to store these cookies is in your fridge. If you choose to store them in your fridge, make sure that they are in a container or bag that seals very well so they don't dry out.
The bourbon adds a wonderful flavor to these cookies. Spiced rum makes an excellent substitute. You can also use 1 tablespoon of vanilla instead, although it will change the flavor of the cookies.

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Bourbon Bacon Peanut Butter Cookies
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Ingredients
- 8 strips bacon
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ā teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup natural peanut butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons bourbon, or 1 tablespoon vanilla
- ½ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat until very crispy, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from the pan and, once cool, crumble into small pieces. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the crispy bacon bits to use to top with cookies. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon oil and let it cool. (Put it into a small bowl in your fridge to speed up this step.)8 strips bacon
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl.1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ā teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a large bowl, use electric beaters to mix the butter and reserved bacon oil. Add the peanut butter and beat for 1 minute. Add the granulated and light brown sugar and beat until creamy, about 2 minutes. Then add the egg and bourbon and beat until light and fluffy, about two more minutes.4 tablespoons butter, ½ cup natural peanut butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup packed light brown sugar, 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons bourbon
- Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in the crumbled bacon and chocolate chips.½ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
- Use a medium-sized cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tablespoons) and arrange the cookies 2-inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Gently press down the cookies then top with the 2 tablespoons of crispy bacon.
- Bake for about 10 minutes for chewy cookies or 12 minutes for crispier cookies.
- Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
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These were Awesome!!! Iāve already had to share the recipe. My new favorite. Thank you!!!
I’m trying these tonight with peanut butter whiskey.
That sounds amazing!
How much rendered bacon fat do you usually add? I have particularly fatty bacon and want to make sure I can adjust the butter and peanut butter to accommodate
2 tablespoons! It’s the bacon fat that you reserve and put aside in your fridge to firm up. š
How will these work for people who don’t drink alcohol. I’ve never baked with it before but do use it with sauteed mushrooms knowing the alcohol content burns off? Thanks! Sounds interesting š
Hi Colette,
I would think that the alcohol would burn off just like it does when you cook with it.
There really is only the tiniest bit of alcohol per cookie but if it is a big concern then maybe simmer the bourbon in a pan for a couple of minutes, let it cool and then add it to the cookie dough. You will want to use more bourbon then the recipe calls for since it will reduce when you simmer it.
Hope this helps!
These cookies are amazing with spiced rum in them instead of the bourbon too – Definitely needs the alcohol in it though – made them without and they were kinda bland. Thanks for sharing! WAS DELICIOUS
I totally agree that they need the kick of the alcohol. Great idea to add spiced rum!
Kristen – what type of bourbon did you use? I’m trying these for a tailgate tomorrow!
Hey zinnrunner,
I used bulleit but I think any kind of bourbon will work well. Hope you love them as much as I did!
I stumbled across this recipe when searching for the ‘best peanut butter cookie’ for my husband’s birthday. He loves bourbon, bacon and peanut butter separately but I had no idea how much he’d love them all together!! He swears they were the best cookies he’s ever had!
These cookies were so deliciously decadent. These have now become a staple for special occasions in our household! Thanks for sharing!
Hey Kristina,
You just put a huge smile on my face! So happy you guys enjoyed them!!
Just made a batch of chocolate cupcakes with bacon streusel topping. But peanut butter, bacon and chocolate…..MUST MAKE THESE!
Chocolate cupcakes with bacon streusel topping? OMG that sounds amazing!
Mmmmmmm! I’ve made bacon peanut butter chocolate chip cookies before, but I like the addition of bourbon!! I’m obsessed with adding bourbon to sweets… Does the flavor come through?
Hey Morgan,
The bourbon flavour definitely comes through. You could add an extra tablespoon or brush some on top of the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven if you want an even stronger bourbon flavour. Come to think of it, that’s probably what I’ll do next time š
This is a nice site and I want to make these cookies. Thanks for sharing.
Hey Danielle,
Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy the cookies š
My mother used to makes chocolate chip cookies with bacon and cheese in them! It is surprisingly good!!! Will have to try this recipe out! Thanks!
Bacon and cheese? That’s awesome! One day when I’m feeling brave I guarantee I’ll be trying that combo š