Grease is the Word

Did you know that October is National Cookie Month? Considering there are only two more days left in the month, we'd best get cracking. Plus, a lot of my friends are holed up and bracing themselves for Hurricane Sandy, so by now you're probably going stir crazy and are hungry. So whip these up and then sit back with a handful and watch movies. It may be awhile. . . . 

I first made these here and have been recalling how awesome and unique they were. I mean a classic chocolate chip cookie is hard to beat, but there is something special about these. Could it be the fact that they have a shadow of spice in every bite (thank you, Mr. Cayenne)? Or that they're there is buttermilk in them, which seemed kind of unusual? Or that they're made with bacon grease? If that doesn't pique your interest, I don't know what will. And no, the cookie doesn't really taste like bacon.

The cookie ends up being kind of dome shaped and a little more cake-like in the center, which I think is probably a result of the bacon grease and the buttermilk. Regardless, these are tasty and feel like Fall with the additions—a little smokier, a little richer. 

I usually do keep a jar of bacon grease around because my mom always did as did my grandmother. Well, she used a coffee can, but that's just splitting hairs. 

Anyway, it's not uncommon for me to throw a spoonful of bacon grease into savory dishes, like cornbread, beans or even shrimp and grits. However, this was my first sweet dish I've made with it. And it won't be my last. But for whatever reason, I was out of bacon grease, so in order to make this recipe I had to cook about 2 lbs of bacon literally just for the grease. But is it such a shame to be stuck with 2 lbs of cooked bacon? Well, my thighs think so, so after a few handfuls I called my friend, Ronda, to see if she wanted some. The conversation went like this:
Holley: "Hey Ronda, it's Holley. This is probably one of the most random calls you'll ever receive from me, but by chance are you interested in a pound of cooked bacon?"
Ronda: "Um, yeah."
This was followed by a text about 5 minutes after I dropped off the bag: "We just finished off the whole bag!"
Pretty much the same thing happens when you eat these cookies. 

Be safe everyone! 

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies with Bacon Grease
from The Homesick Texan

Bacon grease and softened butter

Cayenne and cinnamon speckled flour

Add roasted pecans and chocolate chips

Roll into walnut-sized balls

Bake for 17 minutes and enjoy!

Ingredients
1/2 cup bacon grease
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 cup roasted chopped pecans
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a cookie sheet. 
2. Cream together the bacon grease, butter, and sugar. Add the egg, buttermilk and vanilla and beat until fluffy. 
3. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne, and add to butter, sugar, egg mixture. Beat until well incorporated and then stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
4. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls, place on parchment-lined cookie sheets and bake for 17 minutes. 
Yield: approximately 40 cookies