I recently visited Thanksgiving Ranch in Southern Alberta with my Alberta Food Tours leadership team. We needed a retreat. Thanksgiving Ranch is the secluded hideaway of my dreams. It’s got beauty, charm, and great food. And, BONUS! The owners, Bradley and Christi Bustard, generously shared their beloved recipe for Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies. In this post I’ll share that recipe and the story of what it’s like to visit Thanksgiving Ranch.
A Visit to Thanksgiving Ranch
Thanksgiving Ranch is a 3600 acre natural wonder in Southern Alberta. Very few people know about it. Fewer would find it without the help of GPS and very specific extra directions. Being there is the reward for your effort.
The massive log ranch house lies five kilometers along a rutted dirt road from the entrance gate. For those not used to Alberta’s expansiveness, you will wonder if you took a wrong turn. Keep going. You will pass a long lake that hugs a curve in the road. Many species of birds stop here for a rest on migrations or make it their home for the season. Pincher Creek also twists through the land as it flows down from its mountain namesake.
The view south has you face to face with Pincher and its many towering neighbours. This is an area of the Canadian Rockies known as the Lewis Thrust. The mountains are considered new at 58 million years old. Gnarly, ancient Limber Pines dot the hilly countryside. They all tilt to the east from their exposure to the almost constant and sometimes fierce western winds.
In summer, there’s 1500 head of cattle in a rotational graze of the 36 paddocks. They are moved daily with a simple yodel-like call from the rancher. They live a stress free life while on the ranch. The family’s dozen horses are as friendly as a litter of puppies. Year round there’s an abundance of wild life leaving stealth tracks across the land.
Driving up to the main lodge you can see it is situated for surveying the panorama before it. Here, nature meets luxury. Leather chairs center before a floor-to-ceiling rock fireplace. Scattered Persian rugs add warmth. A grand piano, card table, and dining table for 14 speak of the essential purpose of the lodge. It’s a place to gather. Up to fourteen guests can do so with ease. Bedrooms are huge with puffy down duvets, fluffy soft towels, and spectacular views from all windows.
The Food At Thanksgiving Ranch
Christi tends the property’s beehives and she and the couple’s two sons help with the herd in summer. They also take guests on 90 minute horseback rides around the ranch. Bradley cooks all the guest’s meals. His family owned a bakery in nearby Pincher Creek and he grew up working there. He’s inherited some great recipes. His savoury cooking skills and kitchen know-how are part having a great palate and part being a former engineer. His kitchen is fully engineered and efficient with lots of useful gadgets to make cooking fun and easier. The Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies shared here are a great example of how delicious food is at Thanksgiving Ranch.
Breakfast is included. My travel tip to you would be to pay $55/person extra to have Brad cook your dinner. We enjoyed a charcuterie board to start. Our main was Alberta beef (from the ranch) steaks, B.C. salmon topped with Thanksgiving Ranch’s Bustard’s Mustard and Habanero Jam preserves, smashed potatoes, and broccolini. Dessert was homemade ice cream topped with Brad’s signatures sauces; Fat Ass Caramel and Oh Fudge Chocolate. An assortment of cookies and squares are always on the counter for snacking. All the sauces and condiments are for sale in their mercantile.
Activities at Thanksgiving Ranch
Beyond just enjoying the food, you can do a lot at Thanksgiving Ranch. Or, you can do next to nothing. The ranch is located only 30 minutes from the Waterton National Park gates. My top pick would be hiking one of the 96 highly-rated trails there. Otherwise, choose one of the following:
- Move in and write a book there (I can fantasize, can’t I?)
- Go horseback riding ($160 for 90 minutes)
- Explore three nearby UNESCO Sites: Waterton Lakes National Park, Head-Smashed-in Buffalo Jump, and Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park.
- Take a book and read in the Adirondack chairs or just sit there and watch the changing sky and mountainscape
- Take binoculars and nature watch (eagles, hawks, falcons, hummingbirds, bears, elk, deer, and moose frequent the ranch)
- Hike the property; hike in Waterton
- Swim in the indoor heated pool, have a sauna, and/or use the workout machines
- Golf in Pincher Creek or Waterton
- Go mountain biking
- Join the family in the daily cattle call
- Enjoy a bonfire in the evening
- Stargaze the night away
- Have a wedding or celebration there (they have an event barn for up to 70 guests)
- Have an executive retreat like we did.
- Enjoy the tranquility; it’s as rare as hen’s teeth.
So many visitors to Alberta (and locals) think the only place to enjoy the Rockies is Banff National Park. They don’t realize the spectacle that lies south of Calgary. I think the Rockies are every bit as impressive in Southern Alberta. The difference? In Waterton, Pincher Creek, the Crowsnest Pass, and the Lethbridge area, the only thing you’ll miss is the crowds. Learn more about Thanksgiving Ranch and how to book here.
Do let me know if you make these delectable cookies or better yet, if you visit Thanksgiving Ranch. Savour it all.
Note: I hope you enjoy Thanksgiving Ranch as much as I did on my hosted stay. Please note: While I was hosted, the owners did not see or approve my words before posting. Photos are a mix of my own and Thanksgiving Ranch’s. The cookie recipe photo is by Nicole Liboiron-Coles with baking and styling by me.
PrintThanksgiving Ranch’s Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brown butter and bourbon give them depth of flavour and a deep golden brown colour. There’s a few steps and advance planning needed but, I promise, they are worth it.
- Prep Time: 18
- Cook Time: 12
- Total Time: 30 minutes + 2 hours freezer time
- Yield: 3 dozen
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: Canadan
Ingredients
Ingredients:
For the brown butter:
1 cup unsalted butter
For the buttered pecans:
1½ Tablespoons butter
1½ cups finely chopped pecan halves
For the cookies:
2⅓ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 Tablespoons bourbon (I used Canadian Berbon from Bridgeland Distillery in Calgary)
2 eggs
12 ounces chocolate chips
Instructions
Instructions:
For the Brown Butter:
- Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook for about 10 – 12 minutes, stirring almost continuously, until the butter turns golden brown and has a nutty aroma.
- Pour the browned butter into a heatproof bowl, making sure to scrape all the toasted bits into the bowl. Let it cool to room temperature.
- Once cooled, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 2 hours, or until the butter firms up to room temperature consistency. The butter should be solid but still pliable when pressed with a finger—there should be no liquid left.
For the Buttered Pecans:
- Melt the 1½ Tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add chopped pecans and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until the pecans are lightly toasted and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
For the Cookies:
- Whisk the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda in a large bowl and set aside.
- Place the browned butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Add the vanilla and bourbon, then continue beating until fully incorporated.
- Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating for 15 seconds after each addition.
- Fold in the flour mixture gradually with the mixer on low speed and just until the flour is mostly incorporated.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and reserved buttered pecans gently.
- Use a large cookie scoop (about 1/4 cup per cookie) to form dough balls and place them onto prepared baking sheets. Freeze the dough balls on the tray for a few hours. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container for storage in the freezer.
For baking:
- When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 375°F. Place a few frozen dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, ensuring there’s enough space between each cookie for spreading.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are still soft. If desired, sprinkle with sea salt immediately after removing from the oven.
- Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Keywords: Thanksgiving Ranch’s Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
