Man Cookies

      One of life's great pleasures is eating a cookie.  And when you think about it, there are different cookies for different occasions.  For me, the ginger snap is inextricably tied to Halloween and trick or treating.  They're good when they are fresh and crisp, but also just as good then they are softened up and gooey.  Oreo cookies remind me of an after school treat, dunked in a glass of milk.  And the sophisticated petite fours are representative of high society and a ladies' tea party.  Toll house cookies (see VinnyPost April 25) are the snack of choice in the brown bag lunch for students and employees alike.  And it would not be Christmas without a sugar cookie covered with green and red sprinkles.

     But Man Cookies are only for an occasion like last night at the firehouse in North Wales as we awaited the impending hurricane.  We were all sitting around eating a portion of the ten gallons of chili I had cooked up earlier and drinking some strong coffee kindly donated.  Coffee so strong that you could float a horseshoe on it.  It is an occasion like that when only a Man Cookie will do.

     Man Cookies are special and definitely not for just anyone.  First off, they are the size of a small hubcap.  So large, in fact, that a batch of dough only makes a dozen of them.  And then there are the manly ingredients: bacon, honey roasted peanuts, pork fat, chipotle powder, cinnamon, peanut butter and chocolate chips.  They are not for the faint of heart.  And they are packed with energy with far more character than some fancy store bought energy bar.  Beside the egg for protein there is a whole cup of sugar (granulated and brown) that goes into the mix to provide that needed burst of power to respond to any emergency.

     If you think you are man enough to try one, here is the recipe:

MAN COOKIES

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour                 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 tsp baking soda                            1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp baking powder                       1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon                   1 large egg

pinch of chipotle powder                   1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp kosher salt                              1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts, chopped

5 strips bacon (1/3 lb)                         1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

4 Tbsp unsalted butter-room temperature

     Preheat oven to 350F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, chipotle powder and salt in a large bowl.  Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate; reserve 2 Tbsp of the drippings and set aside to cool.  Crumble the bacon, discarding any chewy bits.

     Beat the butter and reserved bacon drippings in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.  Beat in the two sugars until creamy, about 4 minutes, then add the egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.

     Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 2 additions, scraping down the bowl as needed, until just combined.  Stir in the peanuts and all but the 2 Tbsp of the chocolate chips and bacon.

     Form the dough into 12 balls and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.  Flatten with your fingers (the cookies will not spread out in the oven); press the reserved bacon and chocolate on top.  Bake until golden, 12-14 minutes.  Let the cookies cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

recipe courtesy of:

Food Network Magazine, June 2011, p. 95