Easter Cookies

I bought a bunch of Easter treats and I wanted to bake something with them.  What to make with speckled coconut M&M’s, pastel coloured M&Ms, and bunny shaped marshmallows? I decided to go with cookies, 2 ways.

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Toffee and M&M Cookies

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 Tablespoon flour

¼ teaspoon bakng soda

½ cup salted butter

¼ cup sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

¾ cup pastel coloured M&M’s

¼ cup toffee bits

Bunny marshmallows

Directions

1.  Whisk flour and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.

2.  In another bowl, whip butter and both sugars until fluffy.

3.  Add vanilla and eggs and beat until well mixed.

4.  Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.

5.  Add M&M’s and toffee bits, and mix until combined.

6.  Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.

To Bake:

7.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

8.  Drop tablespoons of batter on baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes.

9.  Gently press marshmallow into the center of each cookie right after taking them out of the oven.

10. Cool on baking sheet before moving to rack.

Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

½ cup flour

¼ cup cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

3 Tablespoons salted butter

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon instant coffee powder

1 cup coconut M&M’s

Directions

1.  In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.  Set aside.

2.  In a double boiler, melt chopped chocolate and butter.  Let cool slightly.

3.  In a large bowl, mix melted chocolate, sugar, egg, vanilla, and instant coffee.

4.  Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.

5.  Mix in coconut M&M’s.

6.  Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.

To Bake:

7. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

8.  Drop by tablespoons on baking sheet with lots of space between cookies (batter will spread).

9.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Gently press bunny marshmallows on cookies after taking them out of the oven. 

10. Cool on sheet before moving to rack.

Verdict:  These cookies are not super fancy or fussy, but are pretty tasty. These came out just the way I like cookies: flat, chewy, and caramelized along the edge.  I brought them to work and they were well received! The bunny marshmallow definitely says Easter!

Momofuku’s Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies - adapted

(one of) The main reason I want to visit New York is to eat at Momofuku’s Milk Bar.  They’re desserts look like they’re out of this world creative and awesome!  Crack pie, cereal milk soft serve, cinnamon bun pie?!!!  Needless to say that I super want the cook book.  In the meantime, I’ve found some of their recipes online, which I'm excited to try out.  First on the list is the Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookie.  This cookie, as with all their recipes, is a multi-step, time consuming process.  I’ve altered the recipe based on the comments made by others who have made it – reduced the sugar and butter and used chocolate chunks instead of chips.

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Cornflake Chocolate Chunk Marshmallow Cookies

Adapted from here.

Makes 20.

Make Cornflake Crunch first

Ingredients

3 cups cornflakes

¼ cup milk powder

2 Tablespoon sugar

¼ cup melted salted butter

Directions

1.       Heat oven to 275 degrees F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon baking mat.

2.       In a medium bowl, crush cornflake to large crumbs.

3.       Add milk powder and sugar and mix.

4.       Add melted butter and toss to coat.

5.       Spread onto the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until toasted.

6.       Cool before adding to cookie batter.

Cornflake crunch after baking.

Cookie recipe

Ingredients

½ cup room temperature salted butter

¾ cup sugar

1/3 + 2 Tablespoons tightly packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla syrup or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups bread flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

3 cups Cornflake Crunch

2/3 cup dark chocolate chunks

1 ¼ cup mini marshmallows

Directions

1.       In a large bowl, cream butter and both sugars with a beater on medium high for 2-3 minutes.

2.       Add egg and vanilla, and beat for 7-8 minutes.

3.       Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix on low just until dough comes together (1 minute).

4.       Add cornflakes and chocolate chunks and mix just until incorporated (30 seconds).

5.       Mix in marshmallow and mix just until incorporated (30 seconds).  Dough may be crumbly.

6.       Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerator for 24 hours.

Cornflake and chocolate.

Batter ready for the fridge.

To bake:

7.       Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line baking sheet with parchment or baking mat.

8.       Pack dough into a medium/large ice cream scoop.  Place on baking sheet 4 inches apart.  If the dough crumbles, gather it into a pile (as it bakes, the batter will incorporate the crumbs).

9.       Bake for 13 minutes.  Cool on baking sheet before moving to a rack. Keep dough in refrigerator between bakes.  Do not bake room temperature cookie dough.

Before baking.

After baking.

Verdict: These cookies were a hit with everyone, old and young!  They were crunchy and chewy, sweet and salty.  My friend’s picky 3-year old said that they were so yummy!  It was really fun to put all that energy into a cookie and have them turn out great.  Next step – go to New York and try the original!

Ultra Thin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I started a new job, and as nice treat, I thought I would bake my colleagues some cookies.  But what cookie should I bake?  You can’t go wrong with chocolate chip, but I wanted to go with something a bit different.  I came across this recipe for the Ultra Thin Chocolate Chip cookie which made a crisp cookie – quite the opposite of the chewy ones I usually make.  I decided to give it a try.

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Ultra Thin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from here.

Makes 21 cookies

Ingredients 

½ + 2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ + 1 Tablespoon butter, melted and cooled

¼ cup quick rolled oats

¼ cup sugar

1/8 cup packed brown sugar

1 heaping Tablespoon light corn syrup

1 Tablespoon cream (or milk)

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup dark chocolate chunks

Directions

1.       In a small bowl, whisk four and baking soda together.

2.       In a large bowl, whisk butter, oats, sugars, corn syrup, milk, salt, and vanilla.

3.       Mix in flour mixture.

4.       Stir in chocolate chunks.

5.       Rest dough at room temperature for a few hours (or overnight in the fridge).

To bake

6.      Preheat oven to 325^○ F.  Racks should be in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.

7.      Lay aluminum foil onto the cookie racks.

8.      Drop by (1/2 Tablepoon-ish) spoonfuls onto foil with plenty of space between cookies.  Flatten using parchment paper and the bottom of a cup until 2.5 inches in diameter.

9.     You can bake 2 cookie sheets at a time, one on the top and one on the bottom rack. Bake for 5 minutes, then switch racks for 4 minutes or until cookies are thin and very brown. 

10.  Slide entire foil onto the racks to cool completely.

Before baking: Press down dough with parchment paper and a cup.

After baking.

Storage Tip: I keep them in an airtight container with a cupcake liner filled with baking soda to remove the moisture and keep the cookies crisp.

 

Verdict: These cookies were so different from the ones I normally make.  They reminded us of Skor bars as the sugar in the cookies caramelized and crisped up.  Needless to say, they were deliciously addictive.  My colleagues liked them too as they were eaten up well before the end of the day!  I think I may have even created a baking environment as someone brought in home made blueberry-chocolate chip scones the next day – which were amazing!  By far, the moistest scones I’ve ever eaten.