Copycat Momofuku Compost Cookies

Well, after several requests for my take on the famous Momofuku Compost Cookie, and after several samplings (see here and here), I've finally done it!

The original includes a bunch of salty stuff and a bunch of sweet stuff: potato chips and pretzels combined with used coffee grounds, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and graham crumbs.

My version adds Fritos to the mix, replaces the butterscotch chips with peanut butter chips, and omits the graham crumbs because I thought they muddied the sweet/salt balance.

Another difference between the original and my version is the texture. Usually, I like my cookies chewy, but I the potato chips, pretzels, and Fritos got me in a crispy cookie mood. To make these cookies crispy, I added more butter, decreased the amount of dark brown sugar, and added white sugar. 

Makes 3 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Copycat Momofuku Compost Cookies.)

Creamables	1 1/2 sticks butter 3/4 cup dark brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar 2 tablespoons dry, used coffee grounds
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 1 tablespoon vanilla
Dry Ingredients	1 cup oatmeal 1 cup flour 3/4 cup roughly crushed potato chips 1/2 cup roughly crushed pretzels 1/2 cup roughly crushed Fritos 1/2 cup peanut butter chips 1/2 cup chocolate chips 1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
3. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk together until smooth.
4. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
5. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
6. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
7. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
8. Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
9. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

Comments

[stripeydots]

Fritos is one of my favorites, I'm sooo intrigued with this cookie recipe! Must make soon! What substitute would you recommend for the coffee grounds?

[Anna]

Ooooooh. I've been waiting for this one. Since I've never tried the compost cookie, I figured I'd leave it to someone in New York. I'm glad it was you.

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hi, Amelia. You really do have to try it! I love the salt/sweet/crunch. You can probably leave out the coffee grounds. I think they're in the original recipe just for the novelty of it. I included them in my version as a nod to the original, but I'd say you could skip them. But if you want a hint of coffee flavor, try using a tablespoon or two of expresso powder. That should do the trick. :-)

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hi, Anna. If you come to NYC, you've got to try Momofuko. The cookies were good, but I *loved* the shakes. So good but so bad for you. I made my version a crispier than the original, which I thought tasted good but was a little too gooey/underdone in the middle. (I like my salty stuff crunchy.) I hope you give these a try. :-)

[Anna]

We're coming in July and it's on my list!

Everyone I've talked to has said the compost cookies are "eh" but that the cornflake marshmallow chocolate chip cookies are excellent. Still, I'm going to give your version of the compost cookies a try because you've made adjustments.

I don't think it will be difficult to clone the cornflake-marshmallow cookies since I already have a bunch of good cornflake cookies to use as a base.

Now I have an excuse to buy Fritos. Yahoo!

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hi, Anna. I agree with those you've talked to. I liked the cornflake & marshmallow cookie the best of the three kinds I sampled. Very much like a cookie version of a Rice Krispees treat. You've got to try a shake there. Doughnut-flavored ice cream + cereal-flavored milk = delicious!

I felt like such a junk food hound when I bought all the ingredients for my compost cookie. I had intended to use 3/4 cup smooshed Fritos and 1/2 cup smooshed potato chips, but I couldn't resist snacking on the Fritos. Salty/crunchy things are my downfall. :-)

[Meow]

I love their banana cookies.

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hi, Meow. I didn't see the banana cookies. Hmmm...now I have a reason to go back!

[jayna]

I haven't tried this cookie yet, but I wanted to say that I appreciate your explanation of how you tweaked the recipe to give the cookie a different texture. Any other tips like this?

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Thanks, Jayna. I'll do a new post with some more tips. But in the meantime, check out these older posts:

http://oatmealcookie.typepad.com/the_oatmeal_cookie_blog/2008/02/mouthfeel-multi.html

http://oatmealcookie.typepad.com/the_oatmeal_cookie_blog/2008/07/mouthfeel-multiple-choice-ii.html

[Laura]

Hi OCG! I found your blog from Cookie Madness's discussion of the compost cookie. Fascinating! A little scary ingredient-wise, but fascinating. I am especially intrigued by the coffee grounds. I love to add coffee powder to my peanut butter chocolate chip cookies because I think it really amplifies the brown sugar and peanut butter flavor even more than it presents itself as a flavor itself.

Right now I am so into coconut and golden syrup in oatmeal cookies. I just made some Anzac cookies and they were so good!

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hi, Laura. Isn't Anna the best? Coffee and peanut butter. That's a really good idea! I found golden syrup at a British store in my neighborhood. I might have to try using it in a recipe. Thanks for stopping by! :-)

[Meeri]

Mmmm, these compost cookies look just like the original! I'm about to post on my copycat ice cream version of milk bar's cereal milk soft serve. It turned out to die for!

[Elaine]

A good friend gave this recipe in a jar. Just whipped them up. They taste real good. Will pass this on to many others.

[Cheryl]

Momofuku's gave their recipe to Live with Regis and Kelly last week, so I made them this weekend. The cookies were awesome. I used Ruffles, Mini Cheddar Goldfish, Ritz Crackers, Cocoa Crispies, Mini Chocolate Chips, Heath bits, and Rolos. The only change I would make next time is to have pretzels instead of the Ruffles because they would be great with the Rolos.

[Rex Roof]

Interesting that the Regis & Kelly recipe doesn't include coffee grounds.

[Jane]

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!