Crispy Business

After making a flurry of cookies that asked for under-set centers which stiffen to the perfect chew factor once cooled, I approached this deliberately crispy, non-shortbread cookie from Food52 with a dash of trepidation. The main selling factor of making them was the kitchen sink point. Got little amounts of granola, some salty nuts, chocolate chunks and/or other snack-ish items that could be used up? Throw it into this salty-sweet everything cookie. The other great thing? Crispy cookies are good in their own right... I'd forgotten.
 

The dough comes together in a stand mixer but with minimal creaming/mixing--that's what gives you the crisp factor. I then opted to scoop and freeze dough balls to bake in the next few days, and the dough lends itself to that, just let the balls thaw few minutes while the oven preheats.

I chose a combination of leftover granola, salted cashew and dark chocolate, and you can do anything in that territory. Leftover Halloween candy? Sounds like a deal. Low in flour, bound together with minimal egg, good butter and just the right amount of regular and brown sugar, these cookies shine by way of their add-ins, so choose wisely. In the terrain of flour, I replaced just a smidge of all-purpose with some oat flour. The recipe below will yield 7 regular size cookies. Because 7 is a magic number and it's Halloween week! Enjoy : )

Marvelous Kitchen Sink Cookies
(Adapted from Food52-the large batch recipe is here)

Makes 7

• 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 T oat flour (I just ground oats, or use all all-purpose) 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1.75 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 a beaten egg (12 grams)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup granola 
• 2 T rough chopped salted roasted cashews or other nut
• 2 T (heaping- about 30 grams) chopped chocolate 

1. When ready to bake, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2.  Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.
3. In a mixer, beat butter and sugars at medium-low speed until just combined, about 20 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute longer. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. Add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl again.
4. On low, add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated and smooth. Gradually add granola, chocolate and nuts, and mix until just incorporated, ensuring that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.
5. Scoop dough into balls, (each about 29 grams for me, or medium scoop size/ 1.5 T).  Freeze at least 20 minutes, or refrigerate at least one hour before baking. (MN note: I froze balls for a half hr then transferred to freezer bag to bake later)
6. Place cookies on prepped baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake just one sheet at a time until cookies are deep golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes (add a minute perhaps if frozen), rotating baking sheet halfway through. Let cool completely before gently moving cookies to wire rack.