Bad Blogger & Milkbar Cornflake Crunch Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies

hello. i'm here today. remember me? i used to update you a few times a month with stories, recipes, and photos..hopefully all delicious.

where have i been? clearly not staring at this white piece of paper with the cursor blinking at me. but i have been here, in the metaphysical sense. moving homes, going to weddings, petting kittens at local shelters (no adoptions, yet), getting the stomach flu, cheering on sports teams, climbing mountains (literal/proverbial), spending late nights on the phone with old friends, planning parties, i n s t a g r a m m i n g, boarding the planes, deplaning the planes, reading books, walking dogs, watching chopped (send help), watching jeopardy (i'm fine), attending conferences, stamping my passport, enduring existential breakdowns (pretty much a weekly occurrence at this point...is this what "leaning in" feels like??), dipping my toes in the atlantic and pacific oceans...and, believe it or not....baking.

the thing is, i moved to a new home in january. not far. a total of 3.4 miles to be precise (ish). but something about getting settled in a new home with a new kitchen and new roommate really threw me off my baking/photographing/blogging game. where is the vanilla again? is this oven properly calibrated? where's the best light? how does one use this dishwashing contraption? so i was slow to get back into it. slow to bring myself back here. but putting words on a page feels good. creating something feels good. sharing and inspiring feels good. even if none of it is perfect.

if you want to take a peek at what i've been making this past year, check out my instagram feed. and if there are any votes for a more thorough blog post about any of those treats or meals, i'd appreciate the guidance.

for now - something simple. cookies. because cookie dough is my spirit animal. these were inspired by tracy shutterbean. do you know her? you should. she has the sparkle and has such an artistic eye. lady - you inspire me!

these cookies were quite the hit when i shared them with friends this past summer. we were loading back in the car, with wet hair and dirty feet, after a day of floating the clackamas river. it could have been a function of the summer heat, or potentially the high alcohol to food ratio we endured that day, but 30 seconds after i opened the tupperware with these cookies, they were gone. GONE. ravenous, my friends are. and as you'll see, they're pretty huge.

these are a little more involved than your average dough, because you have to make the cornflake crunch first. but the result will be well worth it. i have found countless uses for the leftover crunch, my favorite of which is on top of vanilla ice cream. i know it doesn't sound life changing, but i swear, it's like crack. (upon further research, milk powder has small traces of MSG in it, which could explain the otherworldly taste.)

hope you enjoy and i look forward to sharing more this year. comfort/creativity/community. it's all here.

Cornflake Crunch Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies

(inspiration via shutterbean; original recipe via Momofuku Milk Bar)

Cornflake Crunch

5 c. cornflakes

1/2 c. milk powder

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

9 tbsp. butter, melted

Heat your oven to 275 F. Pour the cornflakes in a large bowl and use your hands to crush them to about 1/4 their original size. Add the milk powder, sugar, and salt. Toss to mix. Add the melted butter and toss to coat. The butter will act as a glue, binding the ingredients together and creating small cornflake clusters. Spread the cornflakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes. Cool the cornflake crunch completely before using in a recipe. These will keep in an airtight container for a week at room temperature; for ~a month in the fridge or freezer.

The Cookie

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp

1 + 1/4 c. granulated sugar

2/3 c. light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1+1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1+1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3 c. cornflake crunch (~3/4 of the recipe)

2/3 c. mini chocolate chips

1 +1/4 c. mini marshmallows

Instructions:

Combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg and vanilla, and beat on high for 7 to 8 minutes. (Sidenote: 7 to 8 minutes? Sounds like overkill, right? I agreed, but Christina Tosi is religious about this creaming process. And I quote: "I will go so far as to say it is the most important step in making a Milk Bar cookie." This process is what defines the consistency (crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside) of these cookies. So set the timer and get it done.)

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, powder, soda, and salt. Mix until the dough just comes together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Still on low, add the cornflake crunch and mini chocolate chips until just incorporated. Add the marshmallows and mix until just incorporated.

Using a 2+3/4 oz. ice cream scoop (or a 1/3 c. measure), portion out the dough on a parchment lined sheet pan. 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. (Christina warns to not bake the cookies at room temp - they won't hold their shape.)

Heat your oven to 375 F. Arrange the chilled dough balls on a parchment lined sheet pan 4 inches apart. Bake for 18 minutes. At 18 minutes, the cookies should be browned on the edges and just beginning to brown toward the center. If they still seem pale and doughy on the surface, leave in the oven for an additional ~1 minute.

Cool completely on the sheet pan before transferring. These will keep at room temp for 5 days; in the freezer for a month. (Slow clap to you if you manage not to consume them all within 5 days.)