Caramel Corn Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Are you an oatmeal raisin or chocolate chip kind of cookie person? It’s a debate that has extremely passionate people on either side, we know. Here’s a jazzed up cookie that takes the best of both (and chucks the raisins because, come on!). This salty-sweet combo features caramel corn made simply with a glaze of maple syrup, then mixed into oatmeal cookies with a bit of chocolate chunks thrown in for good measure. We developed it for this holiday season, but of course it works for anytime. Feel free to customize it with any mix-ins you’d like (just no raisins, okay?).

This recipe was also a chance for us to experiment with gluten-free cookie baking, as it can be made gluten-free using GF oats and 1-to-1 gluten-free flour. As we’ve mentioned in the past, we’re personally not gluten-free, but have several close family members and friends who are, so gluten-free recipes are “universal” in that they work for all! While Alex and I agreed that the texture when made with gluten-free 1-to-1 flour is a bit drier and more crumbly, the cookies are quite satisfying. Because with popcorn and chocolate, how could they not be? The addition of oats for nutrient density and the relatively small serving size also makes them a good “healthy-ish” cookie option. Stay tuned for a few more healthy-ish cookie options for this holiday season. Happy baking!

PS For the record I actually like oatmeal raisin cookies, I just find chocolate chip to be superior. But that’s just me.

This caramel corn chocolate chip oatmeal cookies post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. All opinions are our own; we’re fans of their products and use them often. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who keep A Couple Cooks in action! 

Caramel Corn Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

 

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by: a Couple Cooks

Serves: 24

What You Need

• 1 teaspoon neutral oil (like grapeseed or vegetable)
• 2 tablespoons yellow popcorn kernels
• 1 tablespoon plus ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose or gluten-free flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
• ¾ cup rolled oats (such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅓ cup 60% bittersweet chocolate chips

What To Do

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. To make the caramel corn: In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat with one kernel of popcorn, covered. When the kernel pops, add the remaining kernels and cover immediately. Shake to coat the kernels with oil, and heat over medium high heat, shaking the pan every 15 seconds until the vigorous popping has stopped, about 1½ minutes. As soon as the popping slows down, take the saucepan off of the heat and wait for all popping to finish. Pour the popcorn onto a paper towel, then gently roll the popcorn kernels in the paper towel to break them into smaller pieces. Add the maple syrup and 1 tablespoon butter to the hot pan; it should start bubbling immediately. Stirring frequently, boil syrup for 3 minutes over medium heat until it becomes darker and caramel in color. Then turn off the heat add the larger pieces of the popcorn to the maple syrup mixture (leave the small pieces and unpopped kernels on the paper towel and discard); add the sea salt and stir to fully coat. Place the finished caramel corn in a single layer in a bowl and place it in the freezer for 5 minutes to harden. Once hard, break up the caramel popcorn into single pieces.
3. Soften 1 stick of butter to room temperature. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract for 1 minute. Then add the flour, oats, baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and beat on low until just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and use a spatula to fold in the popcorn and dark chocolate.
4. Scoop dough into balls and place onto the prepared baking sheets, making about 24 cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges and tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven, allow to rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

Loosely inspired by Smitten Kitchen via Joy the Baker

3.5.3208

 

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