The Perfect Cookie

There is really nothing better than a freshly baked cookie. It’s a a sugary, comforting handful of love. I really haven’t met a cookie I didn’t like, but I think my favorite is the Monster Cookie.

Years ago, I worked in downtown Minneapolis and one of my jobs was to order in lunch for everyone who wanted it. My favorite place to order from was Key’s Cafe. They served enormous omelettes, salads and sandwiches. They also served gigantic cookies the size of dinner plates. I think this was my first introduction to Monster Cookies.

A Monster Cookie is an oatmeal, peanut butter cookie with chocolate chips and M&Ms. The origin of the name is not completely clear. Some say it’s because of the monstrous list of ingredients, but it could be just because they are usually huge cookies.

Over the years, I have made many versions of Monster Cookies and they never disappoint. But I always like to experiment and improve upon things.

When I went to New York this past summer, I visited one of Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar locations and bought her book “Milk Bar Life” as my souvenir.

That girl knows her cookies! One of her famous recipes is a Compost Cookie, which has everything but the kitchen sink in it. It has chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, graham cracker crust, pretzels, coffee and potato chips. There is a lot going on in those cookies. What I liked best was the combination of salty and sweet.

I took a few notes from Christina Tosi’s book and set out to make these Monster Cookies my own unique treat. One thing I have learned from the book is that dry milk can be added to almost any cookie recipe. A small amount adds depth and chew to the cookie. It really is amazing.

So, I started with a basic Monster Cookie recipe, but added dry milk and some additional mix-ins. I do love the combination of salty and sweet, so I added some kosher salt and pretzels to the recipe. To add more crunch, I added peanuts.

I have a silly resistance to using my kitchen mixer because it’s not a big grand thing, it’s a handheld mixer that pops in and out of a stand with a bowl. The problem is that the bowl is not very big, so sometimes a large batch like these cookies can prove to make a bigger mess than it’s worth.

All this is to say that I did not use my mixer the first time around. I used my muscles and got a great arm workout, but I don’t think it got mixed as well as it should have. If you have a proper stand mixer and it has a paddle attachment, that will makes these cookies so much easier.

My first batch proved too chunky, and the cookies came out too lumpy bumpy. But they tasted delicious, so I was on the right track. That batch went to my husband’s office for “disposal.”

My second round was much the same, but I chopped the peanuts finely and broke the pretzels into smaller pieces. I also used the mixer for creaming the butter and sugars and then again for combining the oat mixture with the cream mixture. It did, in fact, make a mess of my kitchen, flinging oatmeal here and there, but it mixed the dough better than hand-mixing. Having mixed the dough better and adding in smaller pieces helped the cookies hold together a little better and still taste delicious.

They have become a hit. My youngest says they must have nicotine in them because they’re so addictive and she is regularly sharing them with friends at lunch. My husband’s office is waiting for a taste of round 2.

While we can decidedly say these cookies are not healthy, they are made with whole grain oats, so you do get some fiber. You also get some protein from the peanut butter and peanuts. But really, cookies aren’t about health, they are more of a special treat that adds a bright spot to your day. I do make my cookies smaller than the average Monster Cookie, so there is a little less guilt in 1 or 2 cookies.

Whip up a batch of these More than Monster Cookies and pour yourself a nice cup of coffee or tea to enjoy with them. You won’t be sorry.