Addictive Compost Cookies for Halloween

I’ve heard stories about their addictive cookies, most notably their “compost” cookies. When I mentioned compost cookies to my Chief Culinary Consultant, he gave me a very suspicious look, thinking that I meant compost as an actual compost pile. Rather, these cookies are in the vein of “everything but the kitchen sink” type of  ice cream recipes? It’s the perfect cookie for using up leftover ingredients that are hanging around your pantry. I’m talking oats, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coffee, pretzels and even potato chips and other easy desserts! I know it sounds absolutely crazy, and I was totally skeptical before I made them, but they just work.

You can certainly adapt these cookies based on what you have in your pantry and your personal taste preferences. I think that next time I will omit the coffee and swap out the butterscotch chips for more regular chocolate chips which is just the best easy dessert recipes. I only like butterscotch flavors in small doses, and it was pretty prominent in these cookies. A few years ago, I would have never entertained the notion of chocolate being combined with potato chips. Then, my Chief Culinary Consultant and I went on a tour of the UTZ potato chip factory and, after a visit to their store, came home with chocolate-covered potato chips. I was surprised that I actually liked them; I truly thought that they would be repulsive, but it’s that whole sweet/salty combination that kills me each and every time.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare Graham Mixture: In a small bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, milk powder, sugar and salt. Whisk together the butter and heavy cream, then add to the dry ingredients. Toss with a fork until the mixture is evenly moistened; set aside.

2. Prepare the Cookie Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. Combine the butter, both sugars and corn syrup in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg and vanilla, and continue to beat for 7 to 8 minutes.

4. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together, no longer than 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

5. Still on low speed, add the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, graham mixture, oats and coffee, and mix until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the potato chips and pretzels and again, mix only until barely incorporated, 15 to 20 seconds.

6. Using a 2¾-ounce ice cream scoop (or a ?-cup measuring cup), portion out the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pat the tops of the cookie dough domes flat. Wrap the sheet pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 week.

7. Bake the Cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange the chilled dough a minimum of 4 inches apart on parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet pans. Bake for 18 minutes. The cookies will puff, crackle, and spread. After 18 minutes, they should be very faintly browned on the edges yet still bright yellow in the center. Give them an extra minute or so if that's not the case.

8. Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pans before serving or storing. The cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.