Melinda and Chris
While not a favourite of mine, I find that Bourbon often adds an interesting twist to a lot of sweet treats (admitted: I don't know a whole lot about the savoury kitchen, aside from liking to eat from it) and it's always fun and interesting to see other takes on familiar recipes.
I'd say you succeeded pretty well with the cookies you sent my way, though I'd recommend giving them just a couple of minutes less the next time you make them, to avoid that slightly burnt surface. As for whether or not they're suitable for your niece... as long as the Bourbon (or any other kind of alcohol) is in the part of the treat that is heated up (in this case, the cookie that is baked) the alcohol will have evaporated leaving only the taste, so I'd say you're good there. Maybe leave the 'Bourbon' part out of the name when you send them to her, just to be on the safe side.
As for Bryn and Ben, well, they've been on the receiving end of my experiments for years, so they know the drill about trying out new things.