Cookies like the Americans

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 380 g flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 180 g butter, soft… not liquid!
• 45 g vegetable fat (Biskin), room temperature
• 180 g sugar, white
• 180 g brown cane sugar (important for consistency), finely ground
• 1 pack of vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp syrup (caramel syrup)
• 2 large eggs, (L)
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened for chocolate version OR:
• 150 g white chocolate, roughly chopped, if desired, OR:
• 1 cup chocolate (drops) OR:
• 1 bag of macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped OR:
• 1 cup cranberries, raisins or other not too wet fruit OR:
• 1 cup nuts, coarsely chopped (walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios etc.) OR:
• 1 cup candy(s), soft cream toffee, roughly diced OR:
• 1 cup chocolate (Smarties)

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 40 minutes

variable in ingredients and soft to the bite, makes about 36 pieces

Preheat oven to 175°C (top/bottom heat). Mix flour, salt, and baking soda. In another bowl, cream the butter, vanilla extract, and sugar until fluffy. Then beat in the egg, one egg at a time, until the egg yolk is evenly mixed with the butter. Knead in the flour mixture and only then add the nuts, chocolate, etc. Chill the dough for about 1/2 hour. Then use a tablespoon to scoop out walnut-sized pieces (with the skin on), roll into a ball, place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, and flatten slightly. Use a maximum of 12 balls on one sheet, NO MORE, as they will spread out! Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes. They are done when they are lightly(!) browned around the edges and have a high dome. The first batch usually takes 1-2 minutes longer. I don’t know why this happens to me. Place on a wire rack to cool. The cookies will collapse and look like the ones you’re used to from the franchises. Please wait about 6 minutes before removing them from the baking sheet to a wire rack, as the sugar needs to stabilize first, otherwise the cookies will fall apart. If you follow the instructions, you’ll find that you’ll end up with really nice, soft cookies that, in my opinion, taste and have the same crunch. My son even says they’re even better, like the ones from Subway.