The other day at the library I overheard a tutor teaching a young boy how to identify the ‘main idea’ in an article that he was reading. Young Boy seemed smart. I think he got it.
So if Young Boy was reading SB today he would have no trouble telling you that the main idea of today’s post is cookies.
Baking cookies. Swapping cookies. Eating cookies.
Cookies. Cookies. Cookies. Cookies. Cookies.
Starting with some spectacular Momofuku Compost Cookies.
Since we have so much cookieness to discuss today, I’ll keep the talking to a minimum. But I did want to tell you about this book. Momofuku Milk Bar. I’m obsessed with it.
I just adore the unconventional, science + culinary arts approach that is Momofuku.
So when I signed up for the 1st Annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, I knew that I needed to get my Momofuku on with these Compost Cookies.
There are a lot of ingredients that go in to Compost Cookies, hence the name. But the final product is a revelation.
Graham crackers. Check.
Milk powder. Check.
Mini chocolate chips. Check.
Potato chips. Check.
Instant espresso powder. Check.
Drool coursing down your chin. Check. Check.
Trust me.
I made some modifications to the original recipe.
I omitted the glucose because I didn’t have access to it. I chopped full-sized butterscotch chips because I couldn’t find mini ones.
You can feel good about making some modifications as you need to.
But I hope you’ll take a moment to make these cookies.
Mine went off to three new friends, thanks to the lovely ladies that organized the Cookie Swap.
And I’d like to show you what I received from three more new friends:
First, I received these Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Candy Cane Cream from Meghan of Stir And Scribble.
Let me just tell you that Meghan knows her way around a Sandwich Cookie – absolutely amazing. Be sure to check out her blog.
Next, I received a tin of these gorgeous Cardamom Butter Cookies from Maggie of Kitchie Coo. Three things happen when you eat these cookies:
1. The cookie melts in your mouth.
2. Your mouth melts into an enormous smile.
3. You melt to the floor in a puddle of Cardamom Happiness.
You really need to peep Maggie’s recipe for these gems.
And later that same day, my mind was blown again by Gerry of Foodness Gracious.
Really, Gerry, you’re killing me with bullets of deliciousness via these amazing Pecan Butter Balls. I’m still recovering.
So, my friends, did you get the main idea of this post?
Did it have something to do with cookies?
Are you adrift on a sea of Cookiness, lying on a Cookie Inner Tube, watching pods of CookieDolphins gracefully jumping in the distance?
There’s Diddy’s yacht, The Cookie, sailing up to you. The butler, Sir Cookie, lowers the rope ladder, you climb aboard and Diddy approaches with a silver tray full of… brownies.
Apparently Diddy didn’t get the memo. But you did.
Make a cookie, share a cookie, eat a cookie, make a new friend today.
Happy Cookie Day!
Compost Cookies
adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar
For the cookies:
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. white sugar, granulated
2/3 c. dark brown sugar, tightly packed
1 large egg
1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. mini chocolate chips
1/2 c. butterscotch chips, roughly chopped
1/2 c. rolled oats
2 1/2 tsp. instant espresso powder
2 c. potato chips
1 c. mini pretzels
For the graham crust:
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. instant dried milk
2 tbsp. white sugar, granulated
3/4 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 c. heavy cream
To prepare the graham crust, toss the graham cracker crumbs, dried milk, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in the cream and butter and continue to stir. The finished mixture should be the consistency of loose sand that will hold its shape when compacted in your hand. Please note that the cookie recipe calls for one quarter of the graham crust recipe. I found that this graham crust recipe produces approximately 2 1/2 cups of graham crust, so you should use 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons for the cookies. You can use the remaining crust mixture in another recipe – it’s sweet, crunchy, versatile and delicious.
Once you’ve produced and set aside the graham crust, begin preparing the cookies by creaming the butter and sugars in a large bowl. Add the egg and continue to beat. Mix in the salt, soda, powder, flour and instant espresso until just incorporated – do not overbeat! As soon as you have a uniform dough, fold in the oats, graham crust, chocolate chips, butterscotch chip pieces, potato chips and pretzels. Fold gently (the potato chips will break but the pretzels should not) until all of the ingredients are evenly laced throughout the dough. Leave the finished dough in its bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 1 week. Baking these cookies chilled is important so don’t skip this step.
Once you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 375°. Pick off pieces of dough and, working quickly so as not to over-handle the cookies, shape them into rounds (use approximately 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie). Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes or until browned at the edges and fragrant. Remove, cool and serve or store, covered, for up to 1 week.
YIELD: approximately 36 cookies
I love the idea of a recipe that uses up the last little bits of the bags in my pantry. These cookies look amazing!
I recently found the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook at the library. I was so intrigued by it that I convinced my mother and sister to go there with me on our trip to NYC that we take every christmas break. I made these cookies a few days ago for a party. They were so so so good! Possibly the best cookie I have ever made, really. I love your blog, by the way–this is my first time reading it!
-Greta
We definitely agree on these cookies, Greta – they’re delish! Thanks so much for stopping by Scarletta Bakes!!
These just look so good! Love them and that they are from Momofuku!
I’ve heard such wonderful things about the Momofuku cookbook and the way your cookies look (and sound) I’m seriously sold. Love all the salty bits running through the cookie.
What a gorgeous cookie swap. I love all the meltiness that accompanies the cardamom butter cookies. Loving the sound of the compost cookies too and I am going to have to acquire a ‘technical system’ for my kitchen! I can see it being very useful!
I am such a spaz, I could not remember if I commented on these. I know I looked at them. Forgive the blondness, sometimes it just has it’s way with me. These are incredible. I swear I must live under a rock as up until recently I had no idea what momofuku was. The joys of living in the boonies. Super buzzed!
That Momofuku Milk Bar book is at the top of my cookbook wish list right now! Right next to The Country Cooking of Italy by Colman Andrews…
Weird. But I liked to crush up chips on my sandwiches as a child, so i see how this could be spectacular.
Compost cookies?! How clever…they sound amazing!
OMG…. compost cookies…with chips and pretzels…. this is amazing.
I absolutely LOVE these cookies! First time I had them back in NYC a few years ago I was hooked! Now, I’m super pumped that there is a cookbook for Milk Bar. Love it! Yours turned out just as amazingly awesome as theirs. Bravo!
Woah! I’m so happy to hear that my version stacks up to the original! The cookbook is a gem – a good holdover until I can make it to Milk Bar!!
Salty and sweet? My favorite!! I’ve wanted to try that recipe for awhile…looks great!!
Just have to tell you how much we ADORED these cookies! Yes, they’re gone now, but not forgotten. They were wonderful, thank you again! Susie
I’m so SO happy that you enjoyed them, Susie! Happy holidays!!
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I read “compost”!! But, these cookies look so great and I bet whoever received them must have loved them!! You also got some great cookies! I just read Maggie’s post and am so jealous you got to have them! Oh, and butterballs are a family favorite for me! Love it!
Yup. I totally hit the jackpot. I’m very lucky!!
YUM!!! That cookie swap looks like a lot of fun!
WOW!!! These cookies sound like the exact oppostie of compost! Or maybe I just like to eat trash
YUM!!
Awww…thanks for the shout out. I am so honored and love that you loved the cookies!
I love the cookies you sent to your lucky peeps, they look unreal. Sweet and salty and perfect. Wow.
This swap was so much fun, I wish it was Christmas season next year already so we could do it again. Happy Holidays!
Totally agree, Maggie! What do you think about a Valentine’s Sweet Swap?
Compost cookies! The name got my attention right away. And I love the cookies you got in the cookie swap.
Oh my, these look absolutely amazing!
As do the goodies you received
I had such a wonderful time with this cookie swap, my first one, too!
Wow your cookies sound out of this world & you received some pretty amazing cookies in return! I wish I could have (at least) one of each. Clearly I’m obsessing over cookies, see cookies all day eventually you’ll turn into a cookie monster.
Ha ha, funny post! Looks like you scored with the exchange, those cardamom ones look great and I’ll be checking out the sandwich ones also,
Take care…
So jealous that I didn’t get to find these in my mailbox!! Yum yum! Plus, it looks like you totally hit the cookie swap jackpot!
Compost cookies indeed, delicious compost cookies. Pretzels and graham crackers? Yes.
Aww, yeah! These cookies sound so yummy!
I had so much fun with the cookie swap. I cannot believe you added graham crackers to the Compost cookies. That is genius! I love that recipe and basically have to grab as many as I can before the husband eats them all. Great pick!