good question...why not "share" the recipe on a small card on the plate...that way your co-worker can make the choice...not a bad idea these days, with so many allergies...

I would use the extract, it will probably taste stronger anyway. I always say.... "its better to be safe then sorry".

If you think about it, there usually is alcohol in extract as well...

I have no clue...I make my own vanilla...and it's made with Gold Rum..My kids eat whatever cooked, baked or not with the "extract" in it..

I hope someone can give you a true answer.

I would just make sure the person knows you made it with alcohol and let him make up his own mind.

That's a common misconception, not all of the alcohol burns away. It depends of course on the amount of alcohol and the type and length of cooking. Most alcoholics avoid cooking with alcohol or eating anything prepared with it.

I'm not sure what you should do but at the very least put a recipe card there to let everyone know. Remember that there may also be individuals who avoid alcohol for religious or personal reasons. Maybe you'd even consider taking in an additional plate of cookies for those people.

Here is a link that might be useful: cooking with alcohol

Alcohol does not all burn away from baking. I know this because I get tipsy eating rum cake even though the cake is baked and the glaze is boiled. If you "flame" the alcohol I believe most burns off, but that doesn't apply in baking.

My husband is a recovering alcoholic and takes his recovery very seriously. He won't even use cough syrup because most have alcohol in them.

I kind of put it in the same category as giving divinity (pure sugar) to a known diabetic.

Much is going to depend on the person. True, alcohol does not all cook out or burn out but a little vanilla extract in some cookies is hardly an excuse for a drunk to go on a bender. Rum cakes are often soaked with rum after they're baked so that can explain the strength of rum cake and some rum balls. Flaming burns off some but again not all alcohol so it depends on how technical a person wants to get.

Offering pure sugar to a diabetic is not in the same galaxy as a little flavoring in a batch of cookies. You're hardly slamming a jug of Jack Daniels in front of someone and saying "drink up!"

Yes there's sugar in things too. My cousin is a nurse and her daughter is a very severe diabetic and has been all her life. My mother was horrified when she saw her give her daughter (then quite young) a half a donut one day. She said to my mother, it's really nothing to worry about when you think about it. There's only a tablespoon or so of sugar in an entire batch of plain cake donuts so the actual amount of sugar going into her is next to nothing and it helps her feel more like a normal person. Even with my mother's diabetes she could also have a few Life Savers candies a day, my cousin's doctor told him he could still drink a beer or two, just go in moderation. It's all in using common sense.

I'd tell them and let them make a decision. You can't be expected to look out for every possible problem in the world. Otherwise you couldn't offer someone something with peanuts, peanut oil, flour, oats, rye, and the myriad of other potential dietary sensitivities people may have or claim to have. Inform them and let them look out for themselves. Offering a couple of options is always nice, but then that could encourage more eating and then someone who's overweight could claim insensitivity! Part of being adult is taking responsibility for yourself and if you can't have something because of diabetes, allergies, religious beliefs or whatever, you have to be able to pass, not expect everyone else to look out for you.

Forgot to add, I think I might inquire ahead of time in a private spot. I'd just say I didn't want to make them uncomfortable, that I really don't know and don't want to offend by offering or not offering and let them tell you then. If it's a big deal to them, you can certainly share them with other people individually an not do it in front of him or, hopefully, he'd just say whether he'd partake or not and go ahead and do it for the others.

I'm a recovering alcoholic and if one of my co-workers made cookies, I would very much appreciate a sign with the cookies that reads:

Sambucca (YES, REAL SAMBUCCA) Cookies

Enjoy!

I wouldn't bother with the complete recipe. I wouldn't inquire ahead of time either in private or not. Your co-worker is an adult who should be capable of making their own decision. To me, some of the suggestions offered border on treating this person like a child and, if it were me, would be insulting. Keep it very simple.

By the way, one of my recovering friends used to drink vanilla extract by the bottle....she says that real vanilla extract provides quite a good drunk:)

My hubby is also a recovering alcoholic, so I asked him what he thought about this. He said if it were him, he would not eat the cookies. I said 'why not, most of the alcohol burns off during cooking?'. He said, but the flavor remains and might be a "trigger" to someone who is on the edge, so to speak.
But with that said, every person (and alcoholic) is different so if the person KNOWS what kind of cookies they are, then you've done your part. I agree with the above poster who said, let them make their own decision and enjoy!

Why take the chance. Take somethng else

I've done 2 things--when I make desserts to take to a function, where I don't know everyone, I ALWAYS include the recipe, so that those who have allergies or other issues with food will know if it's safe to eat them or not.

And I've had a recovering alcoholic at my home for dinner, and I quietly warned him that one of the dishes had alcohol in it--he appreciated the heads up and avoided it. Note, this was a large gathering--if he'd been the only, or one of a few guests, I would have avoided using any alcohol at all out of respect for his fight.

I don't think you need to make something else if that's the kind of cookie you like to make (This isn't a kid peanut allergy).

I'm picturing a plate of cookies you set out... if so and if he's an open recoverering alcoholic, just tell him the cookies have alcohol in them and let him make the choice.

If you are preparing a single plate for everyone as an individual gift..You can bring one for him, ask him if he'd like it or you can just go ahead and plan to give him a candy bar or a little something else instead.

Just a thought about patsr's suggestion to put a card by the cookies saying only: 'Sambucca (YES, REAL SAMBUCCA) Cookies'. I wouldn't have known Sambucca was alcohol. I suspect many recovering alcoholics wouldn't either, unless this had been their alcohol of choice. Maybe I'm just naive and I haven't that much time in bars, but my ex-husband was an alcoholic and he never went to bars, just stayed home and drank his beer (and vodka when he was trying to hide his drinking). I'd say it's a good bet he wouldn't have known was Sambucca was either.

I called AA once because I was going to make a flaming dessert and one of my guests was a recovering alcoholic. Some recovering alcoholics take a medication that will make them sick if they drink anything with alcohol and I sure didn't want to make him sick. AA suggested I not take the chance because all the alcohol does not necessarily burn off even when you're flaming it. I came up with another dessert.

Just an aside, every Christmas I make chocolate rum balls. Yes, with real rum. I've never made any substitutions. Alcohol is pretty fragile-it cooks off and evaporates. I've had children eat my Rum balls. Nobody ever appeared drunk.

There's not enough alcohol in rum balls or most other prepared foods to make someone drunk - it's the residual alcohol that effects an addict, even a recovering one.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I bring the cookies and set them out on a plate on a desk so anyone can help themselves. I think I will make a sign thats says Sambucca Cookies made with real alcohol and crushed almonds, just in case anyone has a peanut allergy.