Oatmeal CookieBlog

Compost Cookie Kudos...and Change-Ups

Jane, a reader and real-life recipe user, wrote in with some blog-love for my Copycat Momofuku Compost Cookies...and to share some recipe variations of her own:

I baked these cookies the other day, and they are excellent. I made a few changes: I omitted the coffee grounds (because my husband can't have caffeine), and used a 50 gram bag of "Humpty Dumpty Party Mix" and tortilla chips for the salty component, and banana chips, white chocolate chips, Cadbury mini eggs, mini chocolate chips and walnuts for the sweet component. Otherwise, I followed your instructions exactly, and they worked out beautifully. The cookies were a little fragile after 2 minutes of cooling, so I left them on the cookie sheet a little longer, before moving them to a wire rack. They are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Thanks for the great recipe, Oatmeal Cookie Guy!

Hi, Jane. Thanks for writing in! I love the idea of using the Cadbury mini eggs. That's an awesome addition/variation. Good job!

Some Peter Cottontail-Approved Easter Cookies

Bird, a reader and real-life recipe user, wrote in with some blog-love for my Golden Girls Cookies and a hankering to try my Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies:

your golden girls were a hit at my office, so i'm trying these out for easter! i'm sure they're going to be eaten just as quickly.

Thanks, Bird! I'm so glad that the folks at work liked the Golden Girls. I have to admit that this recipe is among my favorite and most popular. And these cookies hold a special place in my heart because it was the first stuffed recipe I ever tried. (That was way back when Oatmeal Cookie Guy was but a wee Oatmeal Cookie Boy.)

Bird's note got me thinking of which cookies I would want as an Easter snack. I'm a little biased, of course, but here are three recipes I thought you, dear readers, might like to include in your Easter spreads:

1) Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies 2) Golden Girls Cookies 3) Hot Cross Bun Cookies

A+ Adventurous Cookies

Krissy wrote in with some blog-love for my cookie creations:

These look yummy! I love reading your blog and I'm always interesting in seeing what you're cooking up! You make such adventurous cookies. I've been wanting to try a few, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I guess I'm intimidated by the stuffed cookies because they're unfamiliar. I'll let you know when I finally start experimenting!

Thanks, Krissy! Don't let those stuffed cookies intimidate you. Once you get into a rhythm, it's a snap. For real!

Chocolate & Sea Salt Satisfaction

My friend Alan made a batch of Chocolate & Sea Salt Cookies and had this to say:

Hey Oatmeal Cookie Guy,

I just made your Chocolate & Sea Salt Cookies, and they are amazing! One word of warning though - my boyfriend had one too many before doing yoga and got dehydrated and feels ill now...thank god for alka seltzer! I guess a word to the wise - only have Chocolate & Sea Salt Cookies AFTER yoga :)

Thank you!

Hey, Alan! I'm so glad you tried this recipe. But poor Gary. Yeah...I don't think cookies topped with sea salt and hot-room yoga are such a good match. Definitely save your cookies as a post-downward facing dog treat!

My Chili Is Hot

Katrina tried my winning office chili cook-off recipe and had this to say:

Whew! I love the recipe and the chili is a big hit at the office, but I had to add 2 cans of stewed tomatoes to my chili to cool it off enough for me to eat it. No, I can't handle the heat. Yes, I am a wimp! Thank you!

Hi, Katrina. Thanks for writing in! I'm so glad the folks at your office liked the chili. I love spicy stuff--the spicier the better--so feel free to adjust the heat in this recipe to what you like (or can handle).

Oatmeal CookieBlog Wears Its Valentine's ♥ Cookies on Its Sleeve

The online magazine Betty Confidential published my Spicy Valentine's Heart Cookies recipe. They had to alter the blurb and the recipe formatting a little to fit their style, but check this out!

Stay tuned for new Valentine's-themed cookies!

Whole (Wheat) Lotta Lovin' for Cranberry Crunch Cookies

Valerie, a reader and real-life recipe user, tried my really popular Cranberry Crunch Cookies and had this to say:

I think this is the best cookie recipe I've ever made! Thanks so much for your great blog! I used white whole wheat flour, but other than that followed the directions exactly and they are SOOOOO good!

Thanks, Valerie! Good on you for adding the whole wheat flour. This is a pretty healthy recipe with all the cranberries, almonds, and oats. But the whole wheat makes it even healthier. Good job!

Kid-Approved Fluffernutter Cookies

Katie, a reader, real-life cookie taster, and (now) real-life recipe user, made a batch of my Fluffernutter Cookies and had this to say:

Hey Oatmeal Cookie Guy!

My friend Kevin (age 5) and I made these AWESOME cookies today! I am glad that I had previously had a cookie stuffing demo, but they were alot easier than I had expected. Kevin's brother Dylan (age 7) liked the cookies. We decided they were just like a fluffernutter, minus the Wonder Bread!

Hey, Katie. Hooray! I'm really glad you, Kevin, and Dylan liked these guys. There's nothing better than baking up a batch of Fluffernutter cookies to warm up a day of February flurries.

Copycat Compost Cookie Kudos

JS5981, a reader and (now!) real-life recipe user, tried my Copycat Momofuku Compost Cookies and had this to say:

Hi CookieGuy,

I finally made my first batch of cookies and these were it. My wife and I had a wonderful time making them and they turned out delicious. Thanks again for such a great and unique recipe, we can't wait to tackle the next one.

Thanks, JS! It makes me really happy to know you tried a recipe and that you liked it so much. I wish you good baking with the next batch!

The original Compost Cookie was born at Momofuku Milk Bar in my old stomping grounds of NYC. It's got all sorts of funky stuff like coffee grounds and potato chips.

My version includes that stuff plus oatmeal (of course), pretzels, Fritos, and peanut butter chips. I guess it's more of a leftovers or kitchen sink kind of recipe, but the word compost = cash money...ka-ching!

Super-Duper Snickerdoodles

Carol, a reader and real-life recipe user, wrote in about my Oatmeal Snickerdoodles and to suggest a recipe variation:

These are delicious and addicting! I made them the other night, and my husband and I can't stop eating them. Good thing it's "only" a two dozen batch... I love the texture - great combination of cakey/soft/chewy. The cookie itself isn't too sweet, making the cinnamon-sugar coating a perfect touch. I used 3/4 t. baking soda, no cream of tartar. My first pan could have used more coating, so I did extra rolling for the second pan. Still had a lot of the cinnamon-sugar left over. I would roll them even more next time, and get a really good coating on them. I love playing with chai spices in baked goods, so next time I make these (and oh, there will be a next time) I may try using a chai spice mixture in place of the cinnamon, just for fun. Thanks for another wonderful recipe, Greg!

Thanks, Carol! So glad you liked these. The chai spice sounds like an excellent idea. I've thought about doing a chai cookie (codename: "Chai Oh My") for a while. You've inspired me to give it a go soon.

Cranberry Crunch Cookies Score...Again!

Katherine wrote in with some glowing quotes for my Cranberry Crunch Cookies:

Wow! These cookies rock they are really amazing!! Thanks for sharing your recipe.

Thanks, Katherine. I'm so glad you liked them! These guys have really turned out to be crowd pleasers. (Have I mentioned this is an award-winning recipe? I kid, I kid. Of course I've mentioned it!) There's something about the combination of graham crackers, dried cranberries, and almonds makes everybody happy.

Oatmeal Cookie Guy Published...Sorta

A photo I submitted to This Is Why You're Fat got published in that blog's spinoff book. Yup. That's my pic of the "Ditch Dogs," mac 'n cheese-topped hot dogs, from Ditch Plains in NYC. Ahh...memories.

The Cookie of Christmas Past, Present, and Future

Lissa, a reader and--now--real-life recipe user, wrote in to sing the praises of my award-winning, very tasty Cranberry Crunch Cookies:

These cookies are awesome. I couldn't make them fast enough for my family to eat past Christmas. I made 4 batches within 3 days. Thank you so much for sharing.

Hi, Lissa. Thanks for writing in! Wow...I think you've got some serious Cranberry Crunch Cookie fans on your hands. I'm so glad my recipe was a part of your Christmas.

Hearing stories like yours makes me glad that I keep doing this cookie thing.

PB&J Is A-OK

April, a reader, real-life recipe user and cookie taster, and buddy from workplaces past, wrote in to say this about my jelly-stuffed peanut butter cookies:

Hey there! I made your PB+J cookies this year for Christmas and they were a HUGE hit!!! Thanks for making me look like a genius baker (although I did give you credit, of course!) I hope you and your family had a great Christmas!!

Thanks, April! I'm so glad you gave these guys a try and that they were a hit with your guests. Merry Christmas to you and yours, too!

"Best Cookie Ever!"

I got an email from Natasha today with the subject line "Best Cookie Ever!" I knew I was in for a nice dose of blog-love:

I am a newcomer to your blog and I tried the Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cup recipe during the snowstorm this past weekend (in NJ)...they were amazing!  I just wanted to thank you for posing it!  Happy Holidays!

Thanks, Natasha! I'm so glad you liked these guys...and that my blog and recipe kept you occupied during the storm.

Happy Holidays!

Fabulous Florida Cookies

DPLK, a reader and real-life recipe user, wrote in a few days ago to comment on my Florida Cookies:

Hi OCG!! I made these a while ago and really loved them! I goofed a bit and used quick cooking oats (1-minute) rather than my usual old-fashioned oats because I was trying to get rid of them, and I think it made the cookies a little more "mealy" than they otherwise would have been, but they were still delicious and chewy after they were fully cooled. Citrusy, crunchy buttery pecans, sweet white chocolate....mmmmmm--you're awesome at coming up with good flavor combos. I'll definitely be making these again in the future =) Hope everything is going well with you! Happy holidays!

Thanks, DPLK! These were a big hit with my officemates when I came up with the recipe. So glad you continue to like them.

Quick oats are OK in a pinch, or if you use them accidentally. (I've done that once or twice myself!)

Double Love for Triple X Cookies

Kim, a reader, real-life recipe user, and fellow food blogger, wrote in to sing the praises of my XXX Cranberry Cookies:

These are amazing. I think we decided these were better than the strawberry ones - and we thought those were the bomb! Thank you.

Thanks, Kim! I'm so glad you liked my XXX Strawberry Cookies. But I have to agree with you. The cranberry version is pretty darn good! It's definitely among my favorites.

Thanks for the Thanks!

Carol's a big fan of my Cranberry Crunch Cookies. But I think this recipe won her over all over again:

Hi Greg! I'm glad I reminded myself of your Cranberry Crunch cookies, too - I picked up what I needed the other day and just made a batch of these tonight. I'm bringing them to a Thanksgiving party tomorrow, but of course I had to sample a couple now (have to make sure they are as good as I remember them to be...they are!) Thanks again for this great recipe. I know there will be some happy folks tasting them tomorrow!

Thanks again for your thanks, Carol! I hope the cookies were a success at your Thanksgiving party.

Fabulous Flat, Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Shikin, a reader and real-life recipe user all the way from Singapore, wrote in with some blog-love for my Flat, Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Hello =) Just so you know, I've baked about a million and five batches of these oatmeal cookies. Everyone loves them! Two weeks ago, I asked my students what they wanted on the last day of school (which was last Friday). Guess what they unanimously agreed on? Yes, you got it. THIS COOKIE. So in I came with an unbelievable amount of cookies and milk for 40 10-year-olds and we spent the last hour of the school term eating EXCELLENT cookies and chatting. So thank you for the gift of these cookies. I already love them. That they made my 40 children happy make me love the cookies a whole lot more. Much love from the Singaporean crunchy cookie lover, Shikin

Thanks, Shikin! I'm really glad these cookies helped make your end-of-term celebration a success. I'm so happy you and your students like them. :-)

Reader Query: Oatmeal Cookie Guy's Best Cookie Ever? II

Carol, a reader and real-life recipe user, wrote in to remind you--and me--about my Cranberry Crunch Cookies:

I admit I haven't tried the ones that OCG recommends (but I'll have to soon), so I can't compare - but his Cranberry Crunch Cookies are to die for. I made them several times last fall and they were a consistent hit. I adore them!

Thanks, Carol! I can't believe I forgot about these guys. And this is an award-winning recipe. I'm going to add them to that earlier post.

People-Pleasing Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

Olivia, a reader and real-life recipe user, had this to say about my Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies:

I'm a HUGE fan of pumpkin cheesecake and made these last night. They are AMAZING! I never would have thought to bake with graham crackers!

Thanks, Olivia! I'm so glad you like them. And kudos to you for taking on a stuffed cookie recipe. The process is a little involved, but it's well worth the labor. As for the graham crackers... Well, I gotta give myself a pat on the back for that one.

Email from an Expatriate

Koreen, a new reader, sent me the loveliest email last night:

I recently moved to London from beautiful Los Angeles and while my fiance is away all day I am learning to cook. I have always loved baking (I was nicknamed Betty in high school for Betty Crocker) and when I found your site, I think I found heaven. Thanks!

Hi, Koreen! Thanks so much for writing in. I hope you're adjusting well to life in London and enjoying baking--and this blog. It all sounds very Julie & Julia! For an American take on a British classic, try out a batch of my Lemon & Gooseberry Biscuits.

These Peanut Butter Cups Runneth Over with Blog-Love

Maureen, a reader and (now!) real-life recipe user, wrote in to say she tackled one of my stuffed cookies first:

I stumbled across your blog several weeks ago and have been salivating over your recipes... well, I finally jumped in and made a batch last night.  I decided to go with the Peanut Butter Cup, even though I was a little intimidated by the idea of stuffing the cookies.  Oh my goodness!  These are the best cookies ever, and everyone that tried one (that was at least 10 people today) said the exact same thing.  My roommate said "these are like heaven bundled in heavenliness."  I think she likes them :)

Anyway, I just wanted to drop you a line and say thank you.  I will certainly be attempting more in the near future!

Hi, Maureen. Thanks for writing in! I'm so glad you and your real-life cookie tasters liked them. (They are pretty really good!)  :-)

Wow...I've got to hand it to you. My stuffed cookies are among my most popular, but the assembly process can be a little intimidating. Good on you for taking such a big cookie-making leap! I can't wait to hear how other recipes turn out for you.

Really Better Than Grandma's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Yvette tried my Better Than Grandma's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recently and wrote in to say this:

You know I have made many many oatmeal raisin cookies...but these cookies after they came out of oven I think me and the hubby ate a whole dozen!!!! Great job...love your recipes....keep it up...I look forward to reading your blog.

Thanks, Yvette! It is really hard to resist a good oatmeal raisin cookie. And this is a good oatmeal raisin cookie. I usually prefer my cookies cool, but these are exceptional straight from the oven. Serving them warm with some vanilla ice cream would be heaven in a bowl...or on a plate.

Kind Words for Cool-Weather Cookies

My blog buddy Amelia wrote in to share some kind words about my Sweater Weather Cookies:

Hi Greg, I baked these yesterday and they were a hit with the fam! BTW, I love the SW cookie name!

Hi there, Amelia. Thanks! I'm glad you and the family liked these guys. I have to admit that I was really, really happy with this recipe. They turned out just how I wanted them to! Yay fall. :-)

Let the Blog-Love Shine In

Jessica, a reader and real-life recipe user, wrote in to say some really nice, blog-lovey things:

I once wrote you to inquire about your brown sugar measuring methods, and you graciously (and promptly!) replied, and my baking attempts have been the better for it.

I'm writing you now to thank you for sharing your efforts. You're doing something wonderful, something that brings lots of people at least a minute or two of warm, chewy, tasty happiness. And that is a Great Thing.

Thanks so much, Jessica. Your email made my day...no...my month!

Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together

Tracey, a reader and real-life cookie taster and recipe user, tried my Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cup Cookies and had this to say:

Well Greg, another Sunday and another cookie recipe under my belt! These were a bit more time consuming, and a little fussy, but, man are these delicious! Absolutely tasty and perfect! Thanks, yet again, my friend! Thanks for the recipe and great cookie advice!

Thanks, Tracey! The process for making stuffed cookies is a little complicated, but it's so worth it.

This Blog-Love Isn't Cherry-Picked

Tracey, a reader and real-life cookie taster and recipe user, wrote in to spread some blog-love:

Just wanted to tell you I just finished making some Cherry Vanilla Crispies...THEY'RE AMAZING!! Thanks for sharing your awesome recipes with the world! The cookies are just perfect!

Thanks, Tracey!

PB L-O-V-E

Amanda K., a reader and real-life recipe user, wrote in to say she really likes my peanut butter cookies:

I've had your blog bookmarked for a few months now and keep forgetting to comment: your peanut butter cookie recipe is AMAZING!!! The combination of the cereal, peanut butter and peanut butter chips is delicious and they stay so soft! I haven't tried the stuffed ones (I usually just add some chocolate chips) but as far as I'm concerned you're a cookie genius!! Thanks for sharing your creations!

Thanks, Amanda! I have to admit that I'm really proud of my peanut butter cookie recipe. For fall, I've got some new PB recipes in mind. Here's a hint: Anybody up for some PB and apple cookies?

Update: Take a look at these!

Three Cheers for Cherry-Vanilla Crispies

Here's a sampling of the feedback my real-life cookie tasters gave me on my Cherry-Vanilla Crispies:

From Keyana:

Delicious!! Thank you! PS-you should see everyone run over there. It’s a feeding frenzy!

From Fran:

Delicious!! Thanks so much!!!

From Meredith:

DELICIOUS! (as always...)

From Rebecca:

YUM! I’ve been hoping a Greg cookie would make an appearance soon...

From Jen:

Delicious! Thank you!

Thanks, everybody!

Sweet Dreams Are Made of...Cookies

Em, a reader and real-life recipe user, wrote in to say this about my Fourth of July Cookies:

After seeing the pictures of the process of making them, I had a dream that I made these cookies. I was disappointed when I woke up and there were none actually made! Darn.

Hey, Em. Darn, indeed! Check out this analysis of cookie-related dreams from the Dream Interpretation Dictionary:

To dream that you are eating, giving, receiving, or stealing cookies signifies that you will let trivial problems and minor disputes annoy you. To dream that you are baking cookies, signifies feelings of optimism or an increase in productivity. You may also experience a rise in status.

That, or maybe you just really wanted some cookies!

Three Cheers for XXX Cherry + Chocolate Cookies

My blog buddy Amelia made my XXX Cherry + Chocolate Cookies and wrote in to say this:

I love the intense cherry flavor in these cookies. Another delightful recipe, Greg!

Thanks, Amelia! I'm so glad you and your son liked these guys. Oh...and your pics look great! :-)

Spreading the Cookie Love

Check out my article on strawberry cookies at BettyConfidential.com. My recipes for XXX Strawberry Cookies and Neapolitan Cookies are featured.

Dark Chocolate and Lemon Love

My neighbor Laura is a reader and real-life cookie taster. Every week, I leave a baggie of fresh-from-the-oven cookies downstairs for her to pick up from the doorman. It turns out she's a big fan of my (Dark) Chocolate Lemon in the Coconut Cookies:

Greg, when I go to Heaven (where I am reasonably sure I will be going if there is one) lots of charity, inherently good, etc, etc this is what will be served at every meal. Not dessert, the meal. Dark Chocolate Lemon in the Coconut Cookies will be my reward for being a good and kind person here on Earth. I will be able to eat as many as I want, I will never gain an ounce. Naturally you will be the gatekeeper handing out bags of cookies on the way in.

Thank you so much, these are AMAZING!!!!!

Awww, shucks. Thank you, Laura!

Watch Out, Girl Scouts

DPLK, a reader, real-life recipe user, and fellow food blogger tried out a batch of my Samoa-inspired cookies called The Girl Scouts Are Gonna Be Jealous. Here's what she had to say:

I think some people declared that they liked it more than the actual Samoas! Definitely everyone who tried it loved them, and I got many requests for the recipe. I think people liked the chewy oatmeal component to it that isn't present in the real Samoas.

Favorite feedback I got: "What did you put in these things? They're like girl scout cookies on crack!"

Wow. Thanks, DPLK! These cookies are good, but the Girl Scouts are very, very steep competition. I tore through my two boxes of genuine Samoas in no time!