Fall Feeding & Compost Cookies

What is it about Fall that just makes me want to EAT? Not just eat, but eat ALL THE TIME. It's not even cold out now, but my body seems to be in pre-hibernation mode. Hurry and eat! Winter is coming!

If my appetite and cravings are any indication of the winter forecast, we are in serious trouble, people.

Right now, I really want some of these cookies. Mind you, these aren't any old chocolate chip cookie. These are "compost" cookies, a cookie so good that it was given an ugly name in attempt to deter you from eating it. But you don't scare me, compost cookie. Instead, your name intrigued me; and so, I made you.

And then I shared you, because you were so strange and delicious and I knew that I wouldn't be able to stop myself from eating the entire batch in two days flat. Unfortunately, you got the best of me. I brought a few to share with a friend over lunch and "left them in the car", then later told her that "they crumbled in my purse". But by that time, they were actually happily in my tummy.

Crazy [delicious] compost cookie = Potato chips, coffee grounds, graham cracker crumbs, oh my! Plus, there are some normal things like chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and peanuts. Jessica from How Sweet It Is got really crazy and used salt and vinegar chips in her original recipe, and she used rainbow sprinkles, which I makes me want to reevaluate the name "compost". Everything with sprinkles is pretty :)

Honestly, there are so many creative mix-in options that I'm surprised anyone can narrow it down. Ritz crackers, Chex cereal, dried fruit, nuts, granola, tortillas, Frito's...popcorn? Without a doubt though, add the 1/2 tablespoon of coffee grounds and make sure they are good coffee grounds (*bonus points for local coffee grounds!*).

Oh, and did I mention it was Food Day? Happy Food Day! I failed to eat local (does a leftover apple cider donut from Carter Mountain count?), but plan to stock up on some fresh foods at the farmers' markets this weekend. Also, I attended a Fall-themed beer & cheese tasting at a local market, Ellwood Thompson's. It was so delicious and surprisingly enlightening!

How are you supporting the movement towards healthy, affordable, and sustainable food?

Compost Cookies

Slightly Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Servings: ~18-24 cookies

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (or 1 stick unsalted, 1/2 salted), melted & cooled
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon coffee grounds
~3 cups mix-ins:
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup crushed plain potato chips, or sticks
1/3 cup peanut butter chips
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup salted peanuts
1/3 cup shredded coconut
Other mix-in ideas: pretzels, sprinkles, flavored chips, cereals, leftover halloween candy :)

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare a baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

• In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine butter and sugars until combined. Add in the egg, yolk, and vanilla and stir until combined. Next slowly add in the dry ingredients (flour mixture). Once combined, fold in the coffee grounds and all of your chosen mix-ins. You may have to use your hands in order to fully incorporate the mix-ins.

• Using a cookie dough scoop or hands, shape into balls (Jessica suggests 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized balls). Slightly flatten the dough balls; and bake for 9-12 minutes or until the centers are just set. Cool and feast!