White Chocolate Rice Crispy Corn Cookies

Momofuku Milk Bar purists, don’t get mad at me.

I took Christina Tosi’s famous corn cookies and modified it like I’m prone to doing – by adding more chocolate (in the form of white chocolate chips) and something that’ll give it a little pop: rice crispies.

That’s how I ended up with another long blog title, a recipe title that boasts of too many things. (I really believe that it’s better to call a recipe exactly what is it, instead of coming up with recipe titles that may or may not imply drug use.) But the boasting is worth it, as these cookies turned out wonderfully well. And while the title is long, the actual recipe is not. In fact, it’s pretty simple. Which is not something you can easily say about Milk Bar desserts.

And it has corn! From a hefty amount of corn powder (made from freeze-dried corn). Did I ever tell you guys that I used to not like corn in savory preparations? Growing up in the Philippines, I’m used to eating corn in dessert items. Sweet corn ice cream, corn with butter and sugar and coconut, sticky rice cakes with corn, corn pudding. One of the traditional summer treats there is maiz con hielo, a refreshing mix of shaved ice, sweet corn, milk, and sugar.

So to me, corn belongs in dessert.

Of course through the years, I’ve learned to like corn that’s not in dessert, too. How can I not like grilled corn with cotija cheese and chili lime aioli? Or corn with bacon, chiles, and Thai basil?

But enough about corn. Let’s get down to business. You have to understand two things: 1) the white chocolate chips will bring a stronger, sweeter taste than if you were just baking the corn cookies as is; it will muddle the corn flavor a little bit… but when did I ever let go of the chance to add white chocolate chips? And 2) the rice crispies will add a fantastic, crackling texture to the cookies, so if you are planning on leaving them out, I urge you to re-consider that decision.

Yield: 30 cookies

White Chocolate Rice Crispy Corn Cookies

Ingredients

2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup corn powder
1/4 cup corn flour OR 1/4 cup all purpose flour + 4 teaspoons corn powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup rice crispies

Directions

  1. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg, and beat for 7 to 8 minutes.
  2. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, corn flour, corn powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together, no longer than 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  3. Fold in white chocolate chips and rice crispies.
  4. Using a standard cookie scoop (a generous 1 tablespoon of dough), portion out the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Pat the tops of the cookie dough domes flat. Wrap the sheet pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 week (I did two hours). Do not bake your cookies from room temperature - they will not bake properly.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  6. Arrange the chilled dough a minimum of 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined sheet pans. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pans before transferring to a plate or to an airtight container for storage.

The second time I made these cookies (I made two batches a week apart), I used two eggs and added two extra tablespoons of corn powder. The resulting cookies were cakier and denser, closer to cornbread in texture and flavor. So if you like cornbread, you should do these modifications.

recipe adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar Corn Cookies

Add these cookies to your Christmas Cookie List! It might turn you into a corn for dessert convert, too.

   

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