# creating a cookie recipe



## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

My kids and I purchased some cream-filled oatmeal cookies at a local bakry and are trying to recreate the recipe. I have actually  been trying for months and am just not getting it. The other day I picked up a box of mini-cookies there and it had all of the ingredients listed, since then I've made several batches mixing the amounts but still no luck. I either have them too thin, too sweet, too floury...too something

Their cookes are not too sweet and are thick and soft yet firm. Not crispy at all. The color is a light brown (wish I had a pic to post that would make a big difference). Also there isn't a lot of raisins or oatmeal in their cookie. In fact the raisins appear to be chopped.

Another thing I'll point out, when you look at their cookie you can almost see a handprint on some of them. That tells me they're firm and moldable before you bake them. The closest to this texture that I've found is from the Karo website.

This is a huge challenge for us and hope some of you pro's can help us figure it out. I would even be willing to send someone a cookie in the mail to taste what they taste like (warning though...you'll want more...they are the best I've ever had and unlike any I've ever tasted). There is not a recipe on the web to match these (I've searched for months).

So here we go this is what's on the outside of the container, any help you can give on the amount of each ingredient would be wonderful:

Bread flour, salt, whole eggs, raisins, oats, brown sugar, veg.shortening, corn syrup, baking soda. *may contain traces of nuts & soy*


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

is that the exact order the ingredients are listed in? The ingredients should be listed in order with the main ingredients listed first and so on so I'm surprised salt is listed after flour, I expected butter or sugar next, or maybe they are made with a commercial packet mix?

I have many recipes for oat cookies with about the same ingredients but am not sure of the texture you describe fits, like you said if you could get a picture up of one of the biscuits that'd help alot


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

Okay, here's a picture of one of their cookies. This one looks a little more moist than usual but it tastes perfect! The ingrediants were listed in that order and I don't _think _they use a packet mix but I could be wrong. I can't tell you how much it means to me to have some help figuring this out. Thank you!!


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

thanks for the picture. im going to have a go at experimenting in the kitchen. will let you know if day or two how i get on, One more thing, is that ingredients list for the whole cookie, filling and all or just for the actual cookie?


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

I think it must be just the cookie. It has to be just the cookie because it doesn't include powder sugar in the list and I'm sure he uses that in the filling. It also has no spices listed but I feel like it must have a spice or two, although there is no real spicy flavor that I can taste. When I sniff the cookie it just smells like the bakery and that's almost how it taste...like a donut smells. Does that just confuse the heck out of you or what, lol

I would seriously be willing to mail you one if you'd like. You'll enjoy tasting them for sure


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

i'd love to taste them but you'd be sending them to Ireland! I did a bit of experimenting today and although firm on outside and soft and chewy inside, none had that wet look inside. They softened more inside after i put on the filling and left them for a while, but not to that extent. I brushed some with a little syrup and then added the filling that softened it up without ruining the outer crunch. 

I get what you mean about the smell i think, so i added custard powder to the recipe, as this has that sort of smell, well i think so anyway!

For the next batch, i'll add some more sugar, oil and maybe less flour; will let you know how i get on, yum,


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

You have this household so excited! My children can't believe a real pastry chef is helping us! Everytime I scroll down the page and see that photo my stomach growls for one. They are so good! If you have your own bakery these will certainly draw a crowd! Thank you again for helping us!!!


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

Aw thats so nice, well I hope I can help! I've got a recipe now that certainly looks like the texture of yours, hopefully it'll taste like it but maybe you can adjust it to get the taste right.

If the texture is a little too soft, I'd recommend increasing the butter and reducing the oil maybe adding a bit more flour or oats.





65g salted butter at room temperature (if using unsalted, add a teaspoon of salt to recipe)

125g soft brown sugar

60g vegetable oil

40g glucose (corn syrup)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

30g custard powder

90g plain flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon (put this is because you thought maybe there was spice)

125g raisins

1tsp baking soda

175g oats (the day before I made a thick porridge with half the oats and enough milk to make a thick porridge, which sets when cold)

Preheat oven to 170C

cream the butter and sugar and glucose, add the egg

Break up the cooked oats so that they are broken up and mix into the above mixture

Add the remaining ingredients

You can place the mixture in the fridge to firm a bit or cook straight away

Place spoonfuls of the mixture on a prepared tray and cook for about 10 minutes or so

Leave cool totally and then fill with the filling

I hope this recipe is helpful and maybe gets you one step further to your ideal recipe, let me know


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

Thank you so much! We will be giving these a try in the next day or two and I'll let you know.  They do look right


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

i forgot to say, when you've made the mix, cook only one or two biscuits, if the texture is too soft, add more oats, then cook 1 or two biscuits again. Adjust recipe until you get the result you want, don't forget to take note of how much oats you're adding so you'll know for next time. 

For a firmer texture i added an extra 200g oats to the mixture.


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

Oh, great idea. I haven't had a chance to make them yet. I don't have custard powder here but I'm assuming I can just mix some corn starch and vanilla, is that right? I'm hoping to fix these on Friday, I'll let you know how they turn out


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Truly a lovely post gals.

Kind regards and Happy 17th.

Margaux Cintrano.


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

mom244now said:


> Oh, great idea. I haven't had a chance to make them yet. I don't have custard powder here but I'm assuming I can just mix some corn starch and vanilla, is that right? I'm hoping to fix these on Friday, I'll let you know how they turn out


In the first batch I experimented with I used only flour, so you could replace it with 30g flour or like you say the cornflour. I really hope these work out for you. Fingers crossed its what your looking for.

Thanks Margcata, Happy Saint Patrick's Day to you too.


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

I just wanted to let you know we haven't had a chance to make these yet. Our family has caught a stomach virus and have been sick most of the week. I was in the bed yesterday and feel like I need to still be in the bed today  

I have converted your measurements into US measurements, so I will fix them soon...I can't wait!


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

I was looking through your recipe and was wondering if I was supposed to use the oil and butter? The ingredients I had called for veg shortening, should I just substitute the butter and oil with 1 cup of shortening?

Also, I'm still a little confused about the custard powder. Is that something an American bakery would be using, if so, what exactly is it, lol.

I found this stuff called Baker's Mystery Flavor, ever heard of it? I'm wondering if maybe that's what they use.

I hope I'm not being too much of a pest. Thank you for your help.


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

Hi hope you feeling better,

I've never heard of Baker's mystery flavour, I presume it gives that artificial taste that you often get in commercial foods, some people love it some people hate it.  But one things for sure, its a dead give away that something hasn't been baked from scratch, (unless of course it has had that mystery flavour added!).  In my bakery, we made everything from scratch - croissants, chocolates, puff pastry, bread, icecream, cakes-everything with no additives whatsoever- I don't think you can beat the taste and wouldn't want to taint it with that artificial taste.

I never used custard powder in my bakery, although I know many bakeries would use a powdered custard product.  It is often just cornflour with colour and flavouring -I only added it to the recipe because it gives a kind of commercial, 'store bought' taste to the cookie. But don't know if that was the effect you were looking for

I used the oil and the butter, when I made it with just butter, the cookie didn't stay gooey inside after it cooled.

And of course you are not being a pest, I'm looking forward to hearing how these turn out, maybe they are way off the mark!


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

Oh no, I've already bought the mystery flavor, lol. The bakery that I go to does everything from scratch (I think). I fixed my porridge last night, but tonight we have a middle school bible club to go to, I'll try this recipe soon


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

sure use it sure! I'd love to know what is in the mystery flavour and if it does it make things taste like they are 'shop bought'?!  This is turning out to be a really interesting experiment don't ya think?  I think that cornflour may have added to the gooeyness along with the oil (I used olive oil the first time and I think it was nicer than the veg oil, richer i think but did not leave a olive oil taste).  They  kept their gooey texture better the next day  when I didn't replace the 30g of cornflour/custard powder with the same amount of flour.  

I must say, even if this isn't anywhere near the recipe you are looking to reproduce I certainly learned a lot about what makes a chewy, gooey biscuit and I'm gonna keep on experimenting until I get a perfect chocolate chip version!


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## karinasmith (Mar 21, 2012)

thanks for the tips and advice, some really great stuff, I am going to try a few of them out now!


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

karinasmith said:


> thanks for the tips and advice, some really great stuff, I am going to try a few of them out now!


would love to hear how your experiments turned out. If you using recipe above dont forget itll need adjusting as it gives a very soft cookie.

I was told today that custard powder is called vanilla pudding in the us. dont know if that correct?


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

Oh vanilla pudding, yes! We have that, lol. Haven't thought of it being in a cookie though.

I did try the recipe but I must have converted the measurements incorrectly because my cookie was way too sticky and very cake-like.  I think if I could get the correct ratio of shortening, flour, brown sugar, and corn syrup, I'd have it  I'm going to keep at it but I'll wait until my Baker's Mystery Flavor comes.

Thank you for your hard work!! I'll let you know what I figure out.


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

Hello! I'm still attempting to figure this recipe out. A few weeks ago I found out they put day old donuts in their cookies so now I'm trying to adjust ingredients to make it work but I keep getting a dry cookie or a sticky cookie. 

The base recipe that I'm using (I got from this board) is as follows:

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup shortening

1/2 cup corn syrup

mix on med for 4 minutes

Add and mix an additional 4 minutes

2cups bread flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups oats 

1/2 cup raisins

donuts (not sure how many to add but I've been doing about 4-6)

I've tried several different things but the last thing I tried was decreasing certain ingredients as follows:

2 eggs

*3/4 cups brown sugar

*1/4 cup shortening

*1/8 cup corn syrup

mix on med for 4 minutes

Add and mix an additional 4 minutes

2cups bread flour

*1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

*1 cups oats 

1/2 cup raisins

*6 donuts (apprx 2 cups when chopped fine)

This cookie was too dry. It should be moist and chewy. I also tried just adding the donuts without adjusting the recipe but it was too dry and cakey.

Suggestions?


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

It may taste like a cookie but it looks like a Whoopie to me.

Have you tried using a recipe from a tried and true oatmealcentric (I don't think that is a real word lol) source like Quaker?

Look at all of their pix and then choose one that looks closest to what you need.

Bake it one or two times AS WRITTEN and then sit back and ask your self what could be subbed out.

Only change ONE ingredient or measurement at a time or you will end up confused.

Check out this website..... http://ruhlman.com/2009/04/dough-and-batter-ratios-the-chart/

I have the book but the chart looks handy dandy to have on the pantry wall.

mimi


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

That chart is great! I just need to figure out what the donuts would be a substitute for. Flour, sugar, fat or quite possibly all three. The chart will help. Thanks!


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

Okay looking at that chart, it says the ratio for sugar is less than fat? I'm not sure I agree with that...or either I'm just not understanding the chart.


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

I was thinking about this thread last nite and thought back to my years in the kitchen at Gma Van's knee.

Being a housewife who's husband worked for a bakery during the Great Depression (and then the rationing during WW2), she had to be resourceful.

Nothing was thrown away and I barely remember but do recall her talking about using crumbs (all crumbs including cornbread) instead of flour (or "drys") in her next days dishes.

In fact her meals were planned around the use of food that would otherwise go to waste.

A delicious leftover habit.

I am not sure if she ever used a recipe (wayyy before my time) but did a quick search and found lots to read about.

For example..... http://www.the350degreeoven.com/2013/08/cake/what-to-do-with-leftover-cake-or-cake-crumbs/

In order to write/tweak a recipe you must first understand the nature of various ingredients and how they react (or don't) with each other.

Not something you learn overnite and not something I actually enjoy (way too short on the attention span) I use recipes and formulas picked up over the years and just twist them for different requests.

mimi


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

"In order to write/tweak a recipe you must first understand the nature of various ingredients and how they react (or don't) with each other." I totally agree, that's my biggest problem 

Thanks for the link...off to check it out 

 I took some of the dough I had in the fridge and tried baking it less time and it actually helped some. We're getting closer...


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

Thanks a great website! I have printed the recipe for cake crumb cookies and will give it a shot as soon as I get some donuts! Thank you so much!


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

mom244now said:


> Thanks a great website! I have printed the recipe for cake crumb cookies and will give it a shot as soon as I get some donuts! Thank you so much!


I think the whole point behind the crumb fortified dish is to use leftovers.

So in the spirit of this thread I challenge you to either make your own (best choice IMO) or find and purchase day old donuts before you proceed.

Altho I suppose if you are wanting to have your (I am calling them Whoopie Pies) copy creation mirror the bakery's you will have to purchase the donuts from there.

Speaking of the bakery.... have you thought to just ASK for the recipe?

Worst that can happen is they say no.

mimi


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## mtullius (Feb 20, 2014)

After finding that donut crumbs are used and seeing that corn syryp is used, I have come up with an idea. Maybe they are just donut crumbs, oats and raisins held together with corn syrup. Kind of like Panmelati or cake balls. The corn syrup would be cooked, to soft ball stage at least, then everything added. When cool enough, formed and chilled until firm, (perhaps baked) then filled.


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## mom244now (Mar 9, 2012)

flipflopgirl said:


> Altho I suppose if you are wanting to have your (I am calling them Whoopie Pies) copy creation mirror the bakery's you will have to purchase the donuts from there.
> 
> Speaking of the bakery.... have you thought to just ASK for the recipe?


Yes, I get the donuts from there but they never have day old glazed on their 1/2 shelf- now I know why 

I actually told them my children and I were trying to make them but they didn't offer a lot of help so I've just been researching and experimenting. I'm really getting close.


mtullius said:


> After finding that donut crumbs are used and seeing that corn syryp is used, I have come up with an idea. Maybe they are just donut crumbs, oats and raisins held together with corn syrup. Kind of like Panmelati or cake balls. The corn syrup would be cooked, to soft ball stage at least, then everything added. When cool enough, formed and chilled until firm, (perhaps baked) then filled.


Never even considered this. I'm not sure I would know how to make them this way


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