Eats - Cookies Your Way

Hello! Our daughter's school is having a carnival fundraiser and requested contributions of cookies for the carnival's "Cookie Walk". Since I enjoy baking I always try to honor such requests; I signed up to bring six dozen cookies. 

I'd recently come across an interesting cookie recipe from a community cookbook that I'd picked up at the thrift store. It was basically a drop cookie but with a number of optional additions. I'll give you the recipe, then explain how I made them my way.

Goulash Cookies

Blend 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup butter, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Add all or as many as you prefer: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup raisins (cooked for five minutes and drained), 1 cup nuts, 1 cup crunchy cereal, 1 cup crushed potato chips. Makes large amount of cookies so use large bowl. Drop by rounded teaspoon on ungreased pan (I'm sure the recipe contributor meant a baking sheet). Bake at 350 12-15 minutes. (recipe doesn't mention it, but if you make cookies enough, you know what to do next - let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then remove). 

And how did I make them my way? Well, for starters, I used 2 cups white wheat flour and 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; I'd like to think that using at least some whole wheat flour adds nutrients and fiber to the cookies. 

I added the oatmeal and the crushed potato chips. We don't typically have potato chips around the house, so I had never added them to cookies before. I saved some potato chips from a recent restaurant meal to use in this recipe. And for "crunchy cereal", I tossed in some Rice Krispies. 

Now, I would have been fine with adding the raisins and the nuts, but a lot of people don't like raisins in baked goods, and nut allergies are an issue as well. So, even though the recipe didn't list it as an option, I added 2 cups of chocolate chips. 

I use a vintage food scoop (estate sale find) for measuring out cookies; it equals about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough. I ended up with 60 2 1/2" cookies. (of course, I made more cookies from another recipe so that I'd have the full six dozen).

Want to see how they turned out?

Yes, that cookie tasted just as good as it looked! Because of all that fat, it had a nice crispness to it (traditional chocolate chip cookie recipes typically call for butter and/or shortening; they don't usually have vegetable oil in them as well). The crushed potato chips added more richness, and they, plus the Rice Krispies, also gave these cookies a nice crunch! 

Why is this recipe entitled "Goulash Cookies"? I'm not sure why; perhaps the name comes from the recipes for American-style goulash, that skillet supper dish that probably has as many variations as this cookie recipe could.

No potato chips? Try crushed pretzels. Use any kind of "crunchy cereal" you have on hand instead of Rice Krispies. If you like nuts, put 'em in, or use a different kind of dried fruit in place of raisins. Add coconut. Use any flavor of baking chip. Chop up some candy bars to sub for baking chips. Make them your way! 

As for me, since my cookies do have that nice crunchy texture, I'm going to label them "Crunchy Chip Cookies" for the carnival fundraiser - I think that sounds better than "Goulash Cookies"!