cookie dough monster

If this post (hard to call it a recipe) doesn’t fall into the Easy-Breezy category, I don’t know what does! Here’s the back story; a few weeks before Connor left for his sophomore year at NAU, he bravely went with me to Costco and requested the purchase of cookie dough. I faltered and bought it for him. Upon our arrival home, we unpacked and I placed the 5-pound tub in the freezer. There it sat until yesterday when once again I was unpacking from a Costco trip and couldn’t fit another thing in the freezer due to that enormous tub. Both Marissa and Connor actually like to eat the dough more than the baked cookies, but the tub had to go! Instead of just baking up 5 dozen regular chocolate chip cookies, I added various mix-ins. Don’t fret Connor, I will be bringing several dozen up to you in a couple of weeks.

All cookies were baked at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, switching the cookie sheets on the racks after the first 6 minutes.

For the Chocolate Chip S’mores Cookies, the marshmallows were pushed into the soft half-baked cookies halfway through the baking time. The same goes for the Chocolate Chip Kisses Cookies, the Hershey®’s Kisses are placed on top of the cookies when the pans switch shelves. I used 3/4-pound (12-ounces) dough per batch with 1/3 cup of the selected mix-in.

Keep in mind that the “meltier” your mix-in, the more the cookies will spread, as seen in the side-by-side comparison of the “melty” S’mores cookies to the more compact Chocolate Chip Toasted Pecan- Coconut Cookies That is your recipe for the day, with corresponding pictures below. OK, now I just feel bad, that is no recipe, so…

Another fantastic option, which I did not exercise because I didn’t have any potato or tortilla chips or pretzels on hand, is “Compost Cookies”. You may follow the recipe below or use the pre-made raw dough as the base. If you’re a salty/sweet lover like me, these cookies will delight you! They are modeled after, actually blatantly copied from, The Momofuku Milk Bar in NYC.

Momofuku Milk Bar’s Compost Cookies

(Adapted from Live! with Regis & Kelly: Christina Tosi’s Compost Cookies)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups of your favorite baking ingredients (chocolate chips, Reese’s pieces, Heath Bar pieces, M&M’s, etc.)
1 1/2 cups of your favorite salty snack foods (crushed potato chips, tortilla chips, pretzels, nut mix, etc.)

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment; cream butter, sugars, and corn syrup on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and pale yellow in color. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula.

On low speed, add eggs and vanilla to incorporate. Increase speed to medium-high and mix for a full 10 minutes. During this time the sugar granules will fully dissolve, the mixture will become an almost pale white color and your creamed mixture will double in size.

When time is up, on a lower speed, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix 45-60 sec just until your dough comes together and all remnants of dry ingredients have been incorporated. Do not walk away from your mixer during this time or you will risk overmixing the dough. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula.

On low speed, add in the compost of your favorite baking ingredients and mix for 30-45 sec until evenly distributed through the dough. Add in your favorite snack foods, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.

Using a 6-ounce ice cream scoop, portion cookie dough onto a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet a minimum of 4-inches apart in all directions. Wrap scooped cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour or up to 1 week.

Do Not Bake your cookies from room temperature or they will not hold their shape. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake 9-11 minutes. While in the oven, the cookies will puff, crackle and spread.

Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheet before transferring them to a plate or an airtight container or tin for storage. At room temperature, cookies will keep for about 5 days. In the freezer, cookies will keep about 1 month.

Makes 15 big cookies

Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies

Chocolate Chip Caramel Cookies

Chocolate Chip S’mores Cookies

Chocolate Chip Toasted Pecan-Coconut Cookies

Chocolate Chip Kisses Cookies

The aftermath of the baking extravaganza. Yes, Marissa, I saved you a little bit of dough! xoxo