Compost Cookies

Have you heard about these things? Oh man, if not be prepared to have your life changed forever. At least as far as snackfood and cookies go. The world famous chef, David Chang of Momofuko, Milk Bar and a number of other restaurants in NYC, has designed a cookie that changes everything we have all thought of mix-ins for cookies. Sure you have heard of adding chocolate chips, nuts, coconut, or even candy. But have you ever thought of adding potato chips, pretzels, goldfish crackers or breakfast cereal?! All at the same time. Well that is exactly what these cookies are all about. Wonderfully amazing idea, huh?!

I have been dying to try these things out ever since I first heard of them ages ago. But as you can tell by the list of ingredients- they aren't the most healthful cookie. Well I finally decided, who cares about healthy all the time!? Not me, that's for sure. I will just have some wonderful deliciousness to share with friends and neighbors (to keep me from eating the entire batch!)

Well first things first, go on a hunt through your pantry and pull out your favorite baking ingredients (chocolate chips, nuts, candy, cereal) and then choose any snack foods that intrigue you- remember anything goes!  Potato chips, pretzels, goldfish crackers, etc.  I decided to go with semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, rice crispies, cocoa crispies, plain potato chips and pretzels.  If you're going to do something then do it right.  Right?

The Momofuku Milk Bar Compost Cookie
recipe by Christina Tosi

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (that's two sticks, unsalted)
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 Tbsp corn syrup (I left this out because I didn't have any in the house. They turned out just fine. I probably wouldn't even bother trying them again with the syrup.)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups your favorite baking ingredients (options: chocolate chips, Raisenettes, Rollos, Cocoa Krispies)
1 1/2 cups your favorite snack foods (chips, pretzels, etc.)

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugars and corn syrup (which I left out because I didn't have any in the house- you don't miss it one bit) on medium high for two to three minutes until fluffy and pale yellow in color. Scrape down the sides with a spatula. On a lower speed, add eggs and vanilla to incorporate.

Increase mixing speed to medium-high and start a timer for 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 seconds just until your dough comes together and all remnants of dry ingredients have incorporated. Do not walk away from your mixer during this time or you will risk over mixing the dough. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula.

On the same low speed, add in the hodgepodge of your favorite baking ingredients and mix for 30 - 45 seconds until they evenly mix into the dough. Add in your favorite snack foods last, paddling again on low speed until they are just incorporated.

It tastes just as good as it looks.  But be careful, it does have raw egg in it!

Using a 6 oz. ice cream scoop portion cookie dough onto a parchment lined sheet pan. (This makes HUGE cookies.)  I did one baking sheet this size, and then reduced to a two tablespoon scoop. I liked this size much better.

Wrap scooped cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of one hour or up to 1 week. DO NOT BAKE your cookies from room temperature or they will not hold their shape.

Heat the oven to 400 F. Take the plastic off your cookies and bake 9 to 11 minutes. While in the oven, the cookies will puff, crackle and spread. At 9 minutes, the cookies should be browned on the edges and just beginning to brown towards the center. Leave the cookies in the oven for the additional minutes if these colors don't match up and your cookies still seem pale and doughy on the surface.

Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pan before transferring to a plate or an airtight container or tin for storage. At room temp, they'll keep five days.

I thought, with all the stuff you would be adding to these cookies that they would turn out super fat, but surprisingly they did not.  The cookies flattened out quite a bit, so be sure you leave enough room in between cookies on your baking sheet.  They were exactly how I like my cookies though- crisp on the edges and nice and chewy on the inside.  The best of both worlds, in my opinion.

I will definitely be making these cookies again.  They were so delicious, the perfect combination of salty and sweet- neither one stronger then the other.  Compost Cookies are so much fun, because I am sure that they would taste slightly different depending on what you threw in there.