Homemade Cookie Butter
It wasn't until a couple of years ago that the words "cookie butter," meant much to any of us, even though "cookie" and "butter" seemed to paint a delicious picture. These days, the phrase "cookie butter" will likely be met with a smile, a hug or an emphatic "Heck yeah...YUM!"
In the most simplistic terms, cookie butter is spreadable speculoos cookies; a crunchy, Belgian, carmelized-gingerbread-like treat. You can find it at specialty stores and grocery stores not only in Europe but all over the U.S. OR, you can make your own cookie butter with cookies made from Skratch Labs Cookie batter!
The beauty in making your own cookie butter is this -- yours doesn't need to taste like caramelized gingerbread. You could add chocolate, warm winter spices, extra vanilla, nuts....the list goes on. Below you'll find one of our favorite recipes for you to use as a jumping off point. We eat it in sandwiches with bananas stuffed in pockets for long bike rides, but it's also an excellent DIY holiday gift.
Homemade Cookie Butter
One batch Skratch Labs Cookie batter, baked
1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar (plus some if you want a sweeter cookie butter)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/4 cup sunflower oil, or any neutral flavored oil, plus more if necessary
In the bowl of a food processor, place all of the baked Skratch Labs cookies, and process on high, until cookies are finely crushed. Measure out 1 1/4 cup of ground cookies, loosely packed. (Save the leftover crumbs for other uses like sprinkling over ice cream or topping your soon-to-be-made cookie butter!) Add the confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar and spices to the processor bowl. Process just to combine, then add the oil and process some more. At first, it will look like nothing’s happening, be patient and remember that good things take time.
After 3 to 4 minutes, stop the food processor. Depending on how powerful your machine is, the mixture will have turned from crumbs to paste. Scrape the bowl down with a fork or rubber spatula and then taste the mixture. Add more sugar or spices as necessary. Put the lid back on and process for another 1 to 2 minutes. Soon, the paste will have started clumping to the sides of the bowl. Sweet success is imminent! At this point, if the mixture is not as fluid or as incorporated as you’d like it to be, add in another 1/2 tablespoon of oil.
Around 8 to 10 minutes in, you know the end is near when the paste clings to the sides of the bowl. Depending upon how much oil you’ve put in, the consistency will range from that of commercial cookie butter to a very runny cookie butter. Both are desirable… and delicious!
Transfer the cookie butter to a sterilized glass jar with a screw-top, rust-proof lid. Cookie butter will firm up as it cools and some oils may surface. Stir before enjoying, and store at room temperature away from direct heat for up to 5 days.
