Momofuku-inspired Salted Frosted Flake Crunch Cookies

Feels like the blog has been a bit quiet, eh?  The fact is, I do much of my blogging on weekends or weeknights since I have a regular 9-5 job.  And most weeks, that works out just fine.  But I've been a bit busier at work lately and I've gotten down to some nitty gritty wedding planning and before I know it, it's 10pm and I've fallen asleep on the couch with my laptop balancing on top of my chest and a blank blog post in front of me.  

Classy.

So the good news is, I've been baking just as much as normal.  And photographing just as much as normal.  It's the editing and writing that have been lacking.  So can I ask you all to do me a solid?  Instead of me writing the post out, why don't you all just swing by my house and we can just chat instead.  I think it's be a lot easier on me.  

Thanks man, I owe ya' one.  

But while I'm here, maybe I can tell you about these cookies anyway.  If you're familiar with Momofuku recipes, you'll know that they're crazy and whacky and time-consuming and ah-maz-ing and totally worth it.  

So yeah remember that thing I said about not having a lot of time lately?  Not ideal when you're making a Momofuku recipe.  I had to be strategic.  I took the awesome "crunch" recipe in the book and I used a quicker cookie base recipe (theirs requires ample chilling time, of which I did not have) and I'll be damned if it wasn't pretty spectacular.  

The cookie base is chewy and full of nutty browned butter flavor.  The Frosted Flake crunch is malty and sweet and buttery and a dash of sea salt at the end is, while optional, totally necessary in my book.  

Here's the recipe!  

Momofuku-inspired Salted Frosted Flake Crunch Cookies
makes approximately 2 dozen

Ingredients
For the crunch

• 2 1/2 cups Frosted Flakes
• 1/4 cup milk powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted

For the cookies

• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) of unsalted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• sea salt to finish

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 275 and line a baking sheet with parchment or silicon mat and set aside.
2.  Pour the cereal into a medium bowl and smash it a bit with your hands to crush it into smaller pieces. Add the milk powder, salt, and sugar and stir to combine. Add the melted butter and stir to coat the cereal. Spread the mix on the baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes, stirring half way through. Allow to cool completely (they should be crunchy and delicious) and reserve 1 1/2 cups.  (**This recipe makes more than necessary so save some for snacking!)  

3.  Make the cookies: Raise the oven to 325 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicon mat.  Set aside. 

4.  Brown the butter by melting it over medium-high heat.  Once melted, the butter will begin to foam a bit and then subside.  Begin swirling the pan and watching for the white bits at the bottom to begin changing color.  When they've browned and the butter smells nutty, remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.  

5. Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the butter and sugars until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is thick. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until mixed and glossy. Gradually add the flour and mix until a dough forms (it may look crumbly at first, but it will come together). Then add the reserved Frosted Flake crunch.
6. Using a 2 tablespoon scoop, divide the dough and shape each portion into a ball with your hands. Leave about 2 inches between cookies. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.
7. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown. The centers should be soft and look slightly underdone. Do not over bake! Let cool about 3-5 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Enjoy!

Recipe inspired by Momofuku Milk Bar and adapted from How Sweet Eats.