It is a truth universally acknowledged that the best part of the cookie is the cookie heart. The "heart," in Chefanie speak, is moist middle, where the cookie is thickest. In a circular cookie, the heart only lasts for 1-3 bites depending on the cookie size. However, it is the pinnacle of the cookie eating experience; it is what the first and last bite frame. Burgers similarly have hearts, but today we are talking about cookies.
A common problem with baking cookies is that the dough often spreads, and many of us have been victim to the agony that this spreading induces. However, if you look on the bright side and use a cookie cutter after the cookies have baked, spreading maximizes the area of cookie heart, so sometimes it makes sense to prepare cookie dough deliberately so that it will spread -- and then cut it afterwards. This is how I do my Kitchen Sink cookie.
RECIPE
Ingredients:
- 2 sticks unsalted melted butter
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3 standard-sized bags of M&Ms
- 3 standard-sized Reece's Peanut Butter cups (6 individual cups, total)
- Handful of pretzel sticks (the hard kind)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bow, mix butter and sugar together.
- Once fluffy, mix in eggs.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Incorporate.
- Mix in M&Ms, Reece's, and pretzels.
- Spread the dough over the baking sheet. The dough should be 1/2 inch in thickness.
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut the cookie cake.
- Enjoy.
Note: Dough can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.
Serves 12. 30 minutes total time.