All About Cookies Copyright © 2022 by MomoMilk, LLC. Photographs copyright © 2022 by Henry Hargreaves. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House.
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Christina Tosi's Cereal Cookies Are a Nostalgic Treat
The Milk Bar owner and baker is a bonafide cookie expert.
Welcome to The Pioneer Woman Cookbook Club! This month, we're featuring Christina Tosi, baker, James Beard Award-winning chef, owner of Milk Bar, and cookbook author of All About Cookies. Read on to learn her favorite baking tips, why she thinks cereal milk flavors work so well, and grab a delicious cookie recipe just in time for Christmas!
Like many chefs and bakers, Christina Tosi's origin story begins with her mother. Not with a particular family recipe, as you might think, but with the openness of a mom willing to try just about any recipe her cookie-obsessed daughter developed. "My poor mother, Greta, would remark every time, 'Ooooh. Yum!'" Christina writes in the introduction to her new book, All About Cookies. "She nibbled through each disaster after a long day's work with a big, proud smile." To all the parents who have been in those shoes, we salute you.
Fast forward, and this instilled spirit of experimentation drove her to open her famed bakery, Milk Bar. Oh yes, if you didn't already recognize the name—Christina Tosi is the founder of the enormously popular cookie brand. She's the woman who pretty much singlehandedly proved to the world that a cookie is not just a cookie.
Just look at the Cinnamon Toast Crunch (CTC) Marsh Cookies in her new book. "That particular day was a chilly winter one, and I wanted something gooey, warm, and soulful," she explains. Christina opened the doors to her pantry, surveyed the shelves, and waited to see what ingredients spoke. Enter: marshmallows, CTC cereal, and homemade cinnamon white chocolate chips. Sounds like the perfect combo of goo and crunch, soft, warm, cozy, yet new and exciting.
In many ways, the success of Christina's brand is her exceptional ability to balance that tug-and-pull impulse between comfort food and excitement. "I think people like to feel seen, heard, understood with food, and cereal milk taps into that," says Christina. "The bottom-of-the-bowl moment we all grew up with just connects us heart-to-heart like nothing else can."
Her new cookbook is full of delightfully surprising cookie recipes and reimagined classics. You don't redefine the cookie industry without taking a few risks, and she encourages readers to do the same. One of her top tips for tweaking recipes is possibly a bit controversial. "I believe in tasting as you go. Take a bite of the dough - a small one won't hurt, I promise - and check in with yourself." She wants you to ask yourself if it's the dough of your dreams. If not, throw in a handful of pretzel bits or double the chocolate. "You never know until you taste."
Another pro tip for baking better cookies: harness the power of the tester cookie. That means baking one portion of your cookie dough before committing to the whole batch. "This lets you test your oven, the timing, the rack placement and also gives you a chance for final adjustments," Christina explains.
If you're looking for fun new Christmas cookies this year, All About Cookies has you covered! Try the wintery magic of these CTC Marsh Cookies for yourself or give them out as tasty food gifts. They don't require a ton of special ingredients, equipment, or loads of time. As far as desserts go, these cookies are a nostalgic home run!
- Yields:
- 12 - 18
- Prep Time:
- 20 mins
- Cook Time:
- 12 mins
- Total Time:
- 32 mins
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Chips:
- 1/2 c.
white chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp.
vegetable oil
- 2 tsp.
ground cinnamon
For the Cookie Dough:
- 2 c.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal + more for topping
- 16 tbsp.
unsalted butter softened
- 2/3 c.
light brown sugar (packed)
- 2/3 c.
sugar
- 1
large egg
- 2 c.
+ 2 tablespoon flour
- 1/4 c.
milk powder
- 1 1/2 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp.
baking soda
- 1/4 tsp.
baking powder
- 1 1/2 c.
mini marshmallows
- 1
recipe Cinnamon Chips
- Nutrition Information
- Calories4787 Fat239 gSaturated fat142 gTrans fat7 gCholesterol723 mgSodium2465 mgCarbohydrates609 gFiber17 gSugar359 gProtein55 gVitamin D12 mcgCalcium1198 mgIron23 mgPotassium1412 mg
- Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.Powered by
Directions
- Step 1To make the cinnamon chips: Toss the white chocolate chips with the oil in a small bowl, then sprinkle in the cinnamon and toss to coat the chips evenly.
- Step 1To make the cookies: Heat the oven to 300°. Spread 2 cups of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
- Step 2Increase the oven temperature to 350°. Pan-spray or line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Step 3In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg, and beat until smooth.
- Step 4Add the flour, milk powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and paddle on low speed until just combined, about 20 seconds.
- Step 5Paddle in the toasted cereal and mini marshmallows until just incorporated.
- Step 6Add the cinnamon chips to the dough mixture and mix until homogeneous.
- Step 7Using a 2 3/4-ounce cookie scoop (or a 1/3-cup measure), scoop the dough onto the prepared pans 2 to 3 inches apart. Use the palm of your hand to flatten the domes. Add 2 to 3 pieces of untoasted cereal to the top of each cookie round.
- Step 8Bake at 350° until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Step 9Let the cookies cool briefly on the pans, then transfer to a plate or an airtight container for storage. At room temperature, the cookies will keep fresh for 3 days; in the freezer, they will keep for 1 month.
If you're not a Cinnamon Toast Crunch fan, feel free to sub in your favorite cereal or any combo of cereals you have in the pantry. This cookie recipe is epic with them all. Use your intuition to determine whether toasting the cereal of your choice will deepen the flavor (no to fruity flavors, yes to Frosted Flakes, etc.). Christina also recommends adjusting sugar varieties (e.g., all granulated sugar for Cap'n Crunch) and chocolate chip flavors (milk chocolate chips for Cookie Crisp) based on the cereal you swap with.
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