Tag Archives: oatmeal

April 17, 2013 · 5:00 am

Peanut Butter Oat Bites

Peanut Butter Oat Bites // Pale Yellow

One of my goals of 2013 was to include more healthy recipes on the blog this year.  Although I haven’t been posting my meals on the blog, going vegan in February has definitely helped me to eat healthier.  The intent of my goal was to bake healthier too.

Peanut Butter Oat Bites // Pale Yellow

To me baking healthier isn’t about reducing butter and sugar per se, it’s more of a diversification of what I considered a dessert or sweet snack.  These bites are a perfect example of that.  They were great to grab after work or while traveling as a satisfying treat without much guilt.  It’s hard to go wrong with creamy peanut butter, dates, oats, and mini chocolate chips.

Peanut Butter Oat Bites // Pale Yellow

This past weekend I traveled to San Antonio with Jackie for the NSTA annual conference.  For those of you not in the know, that’s the National Association of Science Teachers.  As you can imagine, only the coolest of the cool are invited!  We had a great time learning about the new science standards and updating our teaching repertoires to bring back to our staff.  In between conference events, we definitely found time to explore San Antonio and sample some delicious Tex-Mex cuisine.  It’s a fantastic city.

Peanut Butter Oat Bites // Pale Yellow

Our trip started a little rocky with delayed planes, serious danger of missing our connection, and a brief stint of running through the airport.  I was so glad I had thrown these bites in my bag!  They kept off the crazies that come from being hungry and no plan for the next meal.  It was also great to have a mini snack while getting ready to go out for dinner and drinks in the evening.

Peanut Butter Oat Bites // Pale Yellow

The bites take a moment in the food processor to come together.  They are no bake and simple.  I’m sure you could adjust the mix-ins and included other dried fruit, nuts, and seeds.  Next time I’m going to make a double batch and store them in the fridge.  These bites are satisfying and tasty!

Peanut Butter Oat Bites // Pale Yellow

One year ago – Grasshopper Pie

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Peanut Butter Oat Bites

Adapted from The Frosted Vegan

Yield – 8 (easily doubled or tripled)

1/2 cup pitted dates

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon almond milk

pinch of salt

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor.  Blitz until well combined.

  2. Use a 2-tablespoon scoop to portion the bites.

  3. Roll into tight balls and place in mini cupcake liners.

  4. Store in the fridge.

Peanut Butter Oat Bites // Pale Yellow

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February 21, 2013 · 5:00 am

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Pumpkin Oatmeal // Pale Yellow

Who wants to eat pumpkin pie for breakfast?  Healthy, vegan pumpkin pie.  I know I do.  Hands down, pumpkin pie is my favorite food.  The creaminess of the pumpkin, the flavor from the spices, and the crunch from the crust combine to form the best thing I eat every year.  Yet for some reason I only ever eat pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, maybe that’s why pumpkin pie always tastes so magical.

Pumpkin Oatmeal // Pale Yellow

This idea was dreamed up after thinking about how to make oatmeal more interesting.  I enjoy the flavor and texture of oatmeal, it’s just really tedious to eat some mornings.  And by some mornings I obviously only mean weekend mornings, I never have time for hot breakfast on a weekday.  I have added cinnamon, brown sugar, and fresh apples to oatmeal before, so why not combine something tedious with my favorite ingredient – pumpkin.

Pumpkin Oatmeal // Pale Yellow

I made this oatmeal twice in one weekend.  Once on Saturday as an experiment and again on Sunday to enjoy, savour, and photograph for blogging purposes.  I rarely make the same recipes on this blog twice in one year, yet this recipe was made twice in two days.  That. good.

Pumpkin Oatmeal // Pale Yellow

The ingredient list looks long, but you can always substitute all of the spices for pumpkin pie spice (1/4-1/2 teaspoon) if you have that on hand.  Spice to your liking, my spice ratio yields a strong flavored oatmeal.  The coconut milk can definitely be replaced by any type of milk, but I would definitely use milk; it provides so much richness and creaminess to the oatmeal.  I promise, for a treat so tasty, this comes together super fast, promise.

Pumpkin Oatmeal // Pale Yellow

I still have some pumpkin in the fridge, I think it’s time to whip up another batch this weekend…

Pumpkin Oatmeal // Pale Yellow

One Year Ago – Chocolate Cupcakes with Swirled Vanilla Frosting

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Pumpkin Oatmeal
Yield – 1 serving (multiply as needed)

1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup water
1/2 vanilla coconut milk
3 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
scant 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
scant 1/8 teaspoon cloves
scant 1/8 teaspoon allspice

  1. Add all the ingredients to small saucepan and place over low heat.  Stir to combine.
  2. Continue to cook for 12-15 minutes stirring frequently, especially at the end to make sure the oatmeal doesn’t stick.
  3. Cook until the liquid has been absorbed.  Eat immediately.Pumpkin Oatmeal // Pale Yellow

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February 6, 2013 · 5:00 am

Naughty Crack Cupcakes

Naught Crack Cupcakes // Pale Yelow

Dean is a very good friend.  Everyday after work, even though it is out his way, he drives me home.  It’s beyond thoughtful and beyond considerate; our daily discussions on the commute home are often hysterical and and always much needed.  Dean is essentially the big brother I have always wanted.naughty bars // pale yellow

One day during Friday’s-fourth-floor-Chinese-food-lunch, I asked him what kind of cupcake he wanted for his birthday.  He said crack pie mixed with Irene’s naughty bars, the two best things he has eaten from us.

naughty bars // pale yellow

Hmmmmmmm, can a crack pie be converted into a cupcake and mashed with a naughty bar?  Yes. It. Can!  Here is living proof.  It’s not pretty, but it sure is tasty.

naughty bars // pale yellow

Basically these are mini crack pies with chocolate chips and salted caramel inside.  Besides burning them to a crisp, there is NO way for this to go wrong, no way.  I’ve thought about adding chocolate to crack pie before, because I love chocolate and I believe that is the only possible way to make crack pie better.

naughty bars // pale yellow

When I made nutella crack pie I was slightly disappointed, there just wasn’t enough chocolate, but a few simple chocolate chips is all crack pie really needs to take it to the next level.  And the little bits of salted caramel are perfection.

naughty bars // pale yellow

Not that crack pie needs to be improved, but this recipe does it.  Gooey, sweet, salty, chocolatey, and a bit of crunch in one decadent, rich dessert.  What else do you need in life?naughty bars // pale yellow

One Year Ago: Lemon Bars

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Naughty Crack Pie
Adapted from Crack Pie
Yield – 14 cupcakes

Oat Cookie – for the crust
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
75 grams light brown sugar
40 grams sugar
1 egg yolk
80 grams flour
120 grams rolled oats, old fashioned type
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
  2. Beat together the butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.  Scrape down the bowl and add in the egg yolk, beat to combine for another 2 minutes or until the mixture is white.
  3. Add the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until just combined.
  4. Spread as thin as you can onto the parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  5. Let cool completely.

Crust
Oat Cookie
15 grams light brown sugar
1 gram salt
5 tablespoons melted butter

  1. Use a food processor to grind the oat cookie into fine pieces.  Mix in the brown sugar and salt.
  2. Add the melted butter and mix until everything is moistened.
  3. Press 2 tablespoons of of crust into 14 silicon cupcake liner.  Press the crust firmly into each liner.  Set the remaining crust to the side.
  4. Place the cupcake liners on a cookie sheet.

Crack Pie Filling
150 grams sugar
90 grams light brown sugar
10 grams milk powder
12 grams cornstarch
3 grams kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3/8 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 egg yolks
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
salted caramel sauce

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Mix the sugar, brown sugar, milk powder, cornstarch, and salt in in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on low speed until everything is well mixed.
  3. Add in the melted butter and beat for 2-3 minutes or until all the dry ingredients are moist.
  4. Beat in the heavy cream and vanilla for another 2-3 minutes.  Scrape down the bowl as needed.  Make sure there are no streaks.
  5. Beat in the yolks until they are just mixed in.  Try not to over beat and add too much air in the mixture.
  6. Pour 2 tablespoons of batter in each shell.  Bake for 10 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips in each cup.  Add about a 1 1/2 teaspoons of caramel sauce into each cup.  Sprinkle the remaining crust on top.
  8. Bake for 5 more minutes and then open the oven door for 5 minutes and reduce the heat to 325 F.  The filling may bubble over, but it will be ok.  Bake the cupcakes until the tops are brown and there is only a slight jiggle when you shake the pan.
  9. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerated.  Garnish with powdered sugar.

naughty bars // pale yellowDean & Irene – Is this what you’ve been waiting for?

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January 9, 2013 · 5:00 am

Naughty Bars

Naughty Bars // Pale Yellow

Get your mind out of the gutter!  These bars are naughty because of all the butter, sugar, and chocolatey goodness. Meaning these are naughty to eat because there is not one healthful ingredient besides the oats.  Yet somehow in a dessert, it’s all going to be okay.  I know a lot of people go all “healthy” and “new year’s resolutions” in January, but I’m going to keep things real.  Let’s start the year with a naughty treat.

Naughty Bars // Pale Yellow

This recipe comes my friend Irene.  She has made this decadent treat for us several times at work and I thought it would be a delicious addition to the dessert tray I made for the family Christmas party.  This bar was the right decision!  I was asked several times about what the bar was and told how good it was.  The next day when my grandparent’s were over for lunch my grandpa wrapped one in a napkin and stuck it in his pocket for later!

Naughty Bars // Pale Yellow

Irene may make the naughty bars, but she doesn’t enjoy eating them.  I enjoy making AND eating them.  The crust is sweet and crunchy with a gooey, caramel layer on top.  Immediately following the caramel layer is the chocolate layer.  One would think the chocolate layer would harden considerably during the cooling phase, but it doesn’t!  The chocolate layer stays perfectly chewy and the crumble topping is a lovely finish to the bars.  Do yourself a favor, be naughty, it feels so good!

Naughty Bars // Pale Yellow

One Year Ago: Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes

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Naughty Bars
Adapted from Irene’s recipe
Yield – 30 bars

3 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
50 caramel squares (14 ounce bag) unwrapped
1/2 cup milk
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a 13×9 pan with foil.
  2. Melt the butter and add in the brown sugar, flour, oats, soda, salt, and vanilla until combined.  Press half the mix into the pan.
  3. Bake for 10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile wrap the caramels and melt with the milk in a small saucepan.  Pour the melted caramel over the baked mixture and then sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top.
  5. Crumble the rest of the oat mixture on top.
  6. Bake for another 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
  7. Let cool completely overnight in the fridge before slicing into bars.Naughty Bars // Pale Yellow

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November 16, 2012 · 5:00 am

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes a recipe is so good it is made twice in the same week.  Sometimes a recipe is so good it can be called happiness cookies!  The last two and a half weeks have been strange: hurricane, massive damage, no work, Nor Easter with 2 inches of snow, 65 degree F days.  Returning to work/life has been difficult.  I made some of these cookies to pass out to friends who could use a little pick-me-up.

Not only were these cookies well received, more were requested!  Since these cookies are super easy to throw together, I happily obliged. This recipe makes a TON of cookies even though I cut the original recipe in half.  Granted, my cookies are smaller, but personally I would rather eat two four small cookies than one giant cookie.  I made 5 1/2 dozen cookies in less than an hour with clean up, try to beat that!

I have heard about the Neiman Marcus cookies before but I had never thought to make them myself.  This recipe is heavily adapted; I cut the original amounts in half, omitted the Hershey bars (but added more chocolate chips of course!), omitted the peanuts, made the cookies smaller, and added more salt.  The extra salt is a must, just like under-baking.

Three notes about the photos – 1. I find it difficult to photograph cookies in an interesting manner.  They are brown circles, I need help with props.  2. With that being said, the photos do not do these cookies justice.  When I look at some photos, I’m like “I want to eat that NOW!”  Not so much with the photos of these cookies.  3. The milk looks brownish because it is almond milk, I don’t drink a lot of cow’s milk, so that’s what I usually have in the kitchen.  PS – I totally ate a cookie with said milk immediately following this picture!

The result? A wonderful chewy and chocolatey cookie.  The sprinkle of Kosher salt on top balances all of the chocolate inside and provides great contrast.  Grinding up the oatmeal adds fantastic texture, this is not a regular oatmeal cookie and there are certainly NO raisins in my oatmeal cookies!  This my friends, is a wonderful chocolate chip cookie recipe to have on hand.  I have seen bloggers throw this cookie into the ring as the best chocolate chip cookie, to be perfectly honest, this cookie recipe is fantastic.  The best?  My favorite?  I don’t know, my favorite, best tasting cookie always seems to be whatever warm one I have in my hand…

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies {Neiman Marcus}
Adapted from Bakers Royale
Yield – 66 cookies (2 tablespoons)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher salt + more for sprinkling on top
24 ounces chocolate chip (I used a mix of dark and semisweet)

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Cream the butter and sugars together on high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for 3 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, pulse the oats in the food processor 4-5 times.  You want the oats broken up, but not in a fine flour.
  4. Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time and beat to fully incorporate.  Beat in the vanilla too.  Scrape the bowl as needed.
  5. Whisk together the ground up oats, flour, soda, powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
  6. Add the dry to the wet and mix on low until almost incorporated.  Add in the chocolate chips and mix until just combined.
  7. Use a two tablespoon scoop to portion dough onto the cookie sheets.  I was able to get 15 cookies per sheet.
  8. Sprinkle each ball of dough generously with Kosher salt.
  9. Bake 2 sheets for 12-15 minutes.  DO NOT OVER BAKE.  Please watch closely.  Once cookies lose their shininess, pull out of the oven and let sit for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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August 13, 2012 · 5:00 am

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

I have just spent the past two weeks in Michigan visiting family and friends.  I made these bars the day before I left as a sweet treat and to give myself something to post the morning after I return to Brooklyn.  A lot has happened since I made these bars!

  1. I drove and drove and drove: out of New York, through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and finally into Michigan. I drove across Michigan and down to Saint Joe and up to Baldwin.  It’s times like this I miss the weirdos on the subway, I’m tired of driving!
  2. So many babies! There was sweet and smiley Isaiah who apparently doesn’t crawl!  There was also baby Andie who has gotten so big since the last time I saw her, she is one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen! And finally there was Lukas who is currently training for several potential olympic events including, but not limited to rowing, diving, and water polo.  Trampoline has been ruled out for obvious reasons…
  3. I finally returned to Baldwin and saw my parent’s cabin, but more on that in a future post ;-)
  4. Infinite amounts of wine and Oberon have been drank, pounds of meat have been eaten, and few vegetables found there way to my face, a true Midwest adventure!

A bit about these bars – they are a delightful treat! The oatmeal fudge bars are a perfect sweet snack for little breaks between errands and packing. The bottoms are firm and crispy and the fudge is chewy and chocolately.  The crumble on top is the final crunch to complete the bar. These bars are perfectly rich and sweet without being too much so. Make these bars the next time you are having a chocolate craving, attending a BBQ, or simply want a fudgy distraction!

Print the Recipe.

Oatmeal Fudge Bars
Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
Yield – 20 squares

1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup + 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup + 1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
8 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 egg

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F and line an 8×8” pan with foil.  Spray the foil with cooking spray.
  2. Mix together the oats, 1 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup flour, powder, soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
  3. Melt 8 tablespoons of butter in the microwave.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix together.
  4. Take 3/4 of the oat mixture and add to prepared pan.  Leave the remaining oat mixture for the topping.
  5. Press the oat mixture in an even layer in the bottom of the pan.  Bake for 12 minutes until it is golden brown.  Let cool for about 20 minutes in the fridge while you make the filling.
  6. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter with the chocolate chips in the microwave.
  7. Let the chocolate cool for a few minutes and then mix in the egg.
  8. Mix together 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, instant coffee, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
  9. Add the chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
  10. Pour the chocolate mixture over the oat crust and spread evenly.
  11. Sprinkle the remaining crust on top of the chocolate evenly.
  12. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

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August 3, 2012 · 5:00 am

Nutella Crack Pie

Crack pie maybe one of the most delicious things ever, but there is always room for a little improvement!  Right?  I think the jury is still out on whether or not nutella improves crack pie.  Crack pie just maybe perfect all on its own!  I’m not saying you shouldn’t try yourself some nutella crack pie, because that would be false.  I’m just saying despite being delicious, I don’t know if you need nutella in your crack pie.

A few weeks ago when we had lobster night I made two different crack pies – regular and nutella.  We also had steak.  It was kind of an awesome meal, like the last meal before you’re about to be executed meal.  And there were margaritas too, yep, life is pretty awesome!

I know this post is kind of fluff like the random Lost episode where the couple gets buried alive and you learn NOTHING about island.  Let’s get real though, do you EVER learn anything about that island?  No, but I love you Lost!  Anyway, I’m in Michigan for two weeks and I need content to fill up the blog.  Is it really that bad to look at more pictures of crack pie???

Nutella crack pie is simple to make and becomes even simpler when you just add nutella to one of the two crack pies that come out of one recipe for crack pie!  Is that confusing?  One recipe of crack pie makes TWO pies.  So take one pie, leave it alone, but take the second pie, add 5-6 tablespoons of nutella, and swirl around.  Bake and enjoy!  Have yourself a little side-by-side taste test!  And then pretend Sawyer is sitting next to you without his shirt on, perfection!

Print the Recipe.

Nutella Crack Pie
Adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook, page 246
Yields – 2 pies (12 pieces each)

Oat Cookie – for the crust
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
75 grams light brown sugar
40 grams sugar
1 egg yolk
80 grams flour
120 grams rolled oats, old fashioned type
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
  2. Beat together the butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.  Scrape down the bowl and add in the egg yolk, beat to combine for another 2 minutes or until the mixture is white.
  3. Add the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until just combined.
  4. Spread as thin as you can onto the parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  5. Let cool completely.

Crust
Oat Cookie
15 grams light brown sugar
1 gram salt
4-5 tablespoons melted butter

  1. Break up the oat cookie into small pieces and mix with the brown sugar and salt.
  2. Use a food processor to grind the mix into fine pieces.
  3. Mix the pieces with the melted butter, start with 4 tablespoons, add more as needed, and mix until everything is moistened.
  4. Divide the crust between two greased 10” pie pans and press in evenly.
  5. Place the pie plates on a cookie sheet to collect drips.

Crack Pie
300 grams sugar
180 grams light brown sugar
20 grams milk powder
24 grams cornstarch
6 grams kosher salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
8 egg yolks
10-12 tablespoons nutella

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Mix the sugar, brown sugar, milk powder, cornstarch, and salt in in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on low speed until everything is well mixed.
  3. Add in the melted butter and beat for 2-3 minutes or until all the dry ingredients are moist.
  4. Beat in the heavy cream and vanilla for another 2-3 minutes.  Scrape down the bowl as needed.  Make sure there are no streaks.
  5. Beat in the yolks until they are just mixed in.  Try not to over beat and add too much air in the mixture.
  6. Pour the mixture between 2 pie crusts and dot the top of each with 5-6 tablespoons of nutella.
  7. Use a butter knife to swirl the nutella throughout the crack pie mixture.
  8. Bake for 15 minutes.
  9. Open the oven door for 5 minutes and reduce the heat to 325 F.
  10. Bake the pie for another 5 minutes or until the tops are brown and there is only a slight jiggle when you shake the pan.
  11. Let cool to room temperature and then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
  12. Remove from the freezer and cut.  Keep the pies refrigerated.  Garnish with powdered sugar.

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July 25, 2012 · 5:00 am

Crack Pie

Lobster night!!!!!!  For the past three years my roommates, my friends Nicole & Matt, and Christopher have gotten together to indulge in a lobster dinner.  The event started after I confessed to Nicole that I had never had lobster before and she insisted that we buy some lobsters, kill them, and eat them!

The first year we sat on our back deck making a mess of lobsters, potatoes, rolls, corn, salads, and cupcakes.  To be perfectly honest, I didn’t really like the lobster that year!  It was a great dinner party, I just had a hard time swallowing the lobster.  It’s an awesome experience to start the night with a living creature and ending the night eating it’s insides.

The second year went smoother and we lost the unneeded food like starches and I enjoyed the lobster much, much more!  And the most important contribution to the second lobster night was crack pie.  I had only heard about it because of another foodie friend raving about it like crazy and sending me the link to the recipe.  So I made it, I was skeptical, but then we ate it.  And we each had a second piece, and then we stopped cutting pieces and just started eating straight out of the pie tin.  We were crack pie converts!

I have no idea what makes crack pie so incredibly delicious, it just is.  It’s like the feeling you have after eating a delicious dessert in a dessert.  Crack pie is sweet and creamy with the right amount of crunch from the oatmeal cookie crust.  You know you’re making something serious when you bake a cookie for the sole purpose of turning it into crust!  If you don’t believe my description, that’s fine, but please, make yourself some crack pie, and try tell me you’re not a convert!

Print the Recipe!

Crack Pie
Adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook, page 246
Yields – 2 pies (12 pieces each)

Oat Cookie – for the crust
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
75 grams light brown sugar
40 grams sugar
1 egg yolk
80 grams flour
120 grams rolled oats, old fashioned type
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
  2. Beat together the butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.  Scrape down the bowl and add in the egg yolk, beat to combine for another 2 minutes or until the mixture is white.
  3. Add the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until just combined.
  4. Spread as thin as you can onto the parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  5. Let cool completely.

Crust
Oat Cookie
15 grams light brown sugar
1 gram salt
4-5 tablespoons melted butter

  1. Break up the oat cookie into small pieces and mix with the brown sugar and salt.
  2. Use a food processor to grind the mix into fine pieces.
  3. Mix the pieces with the melted butter, start with 4 tablespoons, add more as needed, and mix until everything is moistened.
  4. Divide the crust between two greased 10” pie pans and press in evenly.
  5. Place the pie plates on a cookie sheet to collect drips.

Crack Pie
300 grams sugar
180 grams light brown sugar
20 grams milk powder
24 grams cornstarch
6 grams kosher salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
8 egg yolks

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Mix the sugar, brown sugar, milk powder, cornstarch, and salt in in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on low speed until everything is well mixed.
  3. Add in the melted butter and beat for 2-3 minutes or until all the dry ingredients are moist.
  4. Beat in the heavy cream and vanilla for another 2-3 minutes.  Scrape down the bowl as needed.  Make sure there are no streaks.
  5. Beat in the yolks until they are just mixed in.  Try not to over beat and add too much air in the mixture.
  6. Pour the mixture between 2 pie crusts and bake for 15 minutes.
  7. Open the oven door for 5 minutes and reduce the heat to 325 F.
  8. Bake the pies for another 5 minutes or until the tops are brown and there is only a slight jiggle when you shake the pan.
  9. Let cool to room temperature and then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
  10. Remove from the freezer and cut.  Keep the pies refrigerated.  Garnish with powdered sugar.

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April 13, 2012 · 5:00 am

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookie made with Brown Butter

My roommates and I went on a road trip Easter weekend to Vermont.  What does every road trip need?  Cookies!!!!!  I wanted a simple cookie that would last easily in the car.  Plain chocolate chip cookies can get a little boring so I thought about what else I could make.  After a little browsing on Pinterest, I stumbled upon this pin.  Looks easy and delicious, let’s start baking!

Brown butter has really intimidated me for some reason.  The idea of watching butter cook until it reaches the perfect color freaked me out.  Finally I faced my fear and yielded delicious results!  Browning butter really isn’t that hard and it only takes a few extra minutes.  As a bonus, the smell is amazing!  Think nutty, warm goodness in your face!

Besides the browning of the butter and refrigerating the dough for thirty minutes, these cookies were really fast to put together.  Think of them as a mature chocolate chip cookie.  The browned butter really adds depth and flavor throughout.  The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon and I baked these with the cinnamon, but I thought the cinnamon overpowered the cookie.  I don’t think it is necessary – let the brown butter shine!  Also, the chocolate chunks are gooey and delicious!  I tried to show every step of the browning process below.  This way you won’t be scared like I was of browning butter.

Melted butter

Loss of cloudiness

Loss of cloudiness

Brown? Not yet.

Brown? Yesss!

Print the Recipe.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Brown Butter
Adapted from How Sweet It Is
Yield – 24 cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cups rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups chocolate chunks

  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Watch and whisk while the butter melts.  Once it turns brown, about 7 minutes, remove from the heat and let cool, but do not let solidify.
  2. Whisk together the flour, oats, salt, and powder.  Beat together sugars and butter, beat in the egg and the vanilla.
  3. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix together.  Add in the chocolate chunks.
  4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 375 F.
  5. Using a medium sized scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) place scoops on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Press one chocolate chunk onto the top of each cookie.
  6. Bake for 10-12 minutes and then let cool on a cool rack.

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