Lots to unpack here with Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin. They're the authors behind the new cookbook Fabulous Modern Cookies. Both writers stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about just how they're shaking up the cookie recipe world, with some new and different takes on classic recipes. This time around, they're going back a ways to an oldie...it's called a Moxie Cookie and it's made with the Ritz Crackers and Cream of Tartar. Two things you certainly would not expect in a cookie recipe. The chefs told Tonia that Cream of Tartar offers a green apple-esque flavor profile when you follow the recipe, with the crackers it turns into a crispy and chewy cookie that might just surprise you!
40 crackers (133 grams) of Ritz biscuits
½ cup (71 grams) pecan nuts, toasted and cooled (see note)
½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
teaspoon cream of tartar
Half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large egg white (35 g)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled but still biodegradable
- Place two racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain bread measuring 18 x 13 inches
Sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Place the biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and blend until they turn into small crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl. Add the pecans to a food processor and grind them well as well. Add the ground nuts to the bowl with the biscuit crumbs. (Alternatively, the crackers can be crushed by hand directly into the bowl and the pecans can be chopped by hand.)
- Add the brown sugar, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the bowl. Mix these dry ingredients together by hand using a silicone spatula. Add the egg whites, lemon juice and melted butter and mix until all the dry ingredients are moistened and the mixture is formed into a cohesive mass. Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes before washing it off.
- Portion 1 tablespoon (18 grams) of dough, using a #60 ladle, roll into balls, and arrange 13 servings evenly on first baking sheet. Flatten the balls a little with your fingertips. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough and arrange it on the second baking tray.
- Bake until the edges of the cookies are firm and beginning to turn brown, 13 to 17 minutes. Halfway through the baking process, rotate the pans front to back and top to bottom. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on a baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. After cooling, cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
