Extra points for creativity, root beer fans far and wide will appreciate the addition of this gem to a holiday cookie platter. And don’t forget Christmas in July!

As many great recipes start, Tricia Trainer discovered her winning root beer float cookies accidentally. She spied them on a holiday cookie plate, thinking they were molasses cookies.

Clearly the root beer float extract pulls them in a different direction, although the color of the extract made the assumption a logical one.

I learned this while judging a cookie contest for Fig magazine in conjunction with Garden Spot Village, for which I had the sweet privilege of serving as judge.

As I initially skimmed through the many submissions, this recipe caught my attention for its sheer creativity. Never had I thought to make a cookie inspired by the classic soda. Until that day, I didn’t even know root beer extract was a thing!

Helpful Hints & Tips for Cookie Success:

You may use salted butter. Simply reduce the salt in the recipe to ¼ teaspoon.
Root beer extract is not a grocery store staple. Your best bet is to purchase it online. After a tester’s cookies turned out far lighter than my batch (like traditional sugar cookies), we compared notes and discovered that her root beer extract was clear while mine was the color of molasses. Links to both are included with the extract photo. We agreed that the darker color better aligned with the root beer theme, but feel free to choose based on the look you like.
The cookie provides a subtle hint of root beer flavor. If you’d like to go bigger, the place to adjust is in the frosting recipe, where you can better taste as you go.

Winning extra points for creativity, root beer fans far and wide will appreciate the addition of this gem to a holiday cookie platter! — Shank’s Root Beer Extract, pictured above, is very dark in color (like molasses) and retails for $8.99 on Amazon. Watkins Root Beer Concentrate, which we also tested, is clear in color and currently retails for $5.93. Note that the flavors are similar, but the cookies made with the clear extract will look more like a traditional, frosted sugar cookie.

What our recipe testers and taste testers said:

This was the most polarizing cookie! As you may imagine, those who don’t care for root beer were less interested while root beer lovers rejoiced. Overall, it was the cookie that produced the most animated conversation, and that added to the fun and festive feeling surrounding these cookies. And who doesn’t need a little more of that during the holidays? (Or anytime!)
This cookie needs the icing for the true root beer float experience, as without it, the cookie can taste bland.
These will be perfect for Christmas in July!
One tester said she can envision giving a plate of these along with bottles of a favorite root beer to her root beer-loving friend.
If you enjoy a cream cheese frosting for its hint of tang, that can be accomplished. As a fan, one of our testers made a second batch of the cookies, this time using her cream cheese frosting plus the root beer extract, and they were delicious as well. Her frosting is included in the recipe notes.

We’d love to know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated.

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