Turn Leftover Junk Food into Your Own Compost Cookie Variation

My friend Brad is back in town for a monthlong break from his job in Afghanistan. We've been having a fun time celebrating his return, which includes baking some cookies, of course! How can you not have fun when you're laughing and talking and messing around in the kitchen?

Brad loved the Coconut, Walnut, and Chocolate Cookies I included in his Christmas care package, but I figured we needed to make something a little more adventurous. So, over the weekend, we made some junk-food tweaks to my Copycat Momofuku Compost Cookies, including:

1. replacing the potato chips with Cheetos
2. swapping the used coffee grounds for a packet of Via instant coffee from Starbucks
3. trading the regular pretzels for chocolate-covered
4. adding Bugles covered with peanut butter and chocolate
5. increasing the amount of Fritos

Fresh from the oven, these had the all the Compost Cookie elements I love--salty and sweet, chewy and crunchy--but the peanut butter and coffee elements were coming through a little stronger than I had anticipated. But no need to worry. After the cookies had cooled down completely, the flavors mellowed and mingled and came into balance, with the peanut butter, coffee, and chocolate complimenting each other and contrasting the saltiness and crunchiness of the Cheetos and Fritos.

All this goes to prove that you should feel free to add to and subtract from this recipe and use whatever salty/sweet and chewy/crunchy bits of junk food you've got on hand to make this recipe. I'm pretty sure the cookies will come out tasty no matter what. And if they dont? Well...add them to your compost heap!

Comments

[Sandra @ The Memory Workshop]

Fascinating! But I dont' understand the concept of leftover junk food...who ever has leftovers??

[Marya]

hi Greg!

I have a question for you, and it seems reasonable to post if after your latest compost cookie recipe, because it has to do with the exact opposite on the health spectrum. Compost cookies are SO good, but they are SO bad for your waistline, and well, I'm on a health kick. I need my sweets though, so I am wondering what is your healthiest cookie? I'm thinking it may be the XXX Cranberry. I was going to try to adapt the recipe by adding some pumpkin seeds for some protein and good fats, since it already has fruit (and no eggs!) Is there a good substitute for butter (i know, why would I want to sub butter???) I have a friend who said she uses canned pumpkin instead of butter in a lot of recipes, but I am doubtful that it would turn out good in a cookie recipe. Thoughts?

[Katy]

Marya, applesauce makes a good substitute for butter or oil in most recipes. Just be aware that it will make your cookies more cake-like than the original recipe - still good, just different!