Guess who’s hopping on a plane to the windy city?
And don’t forget St. Louis, home of (apparently) the frozen custard. And other mid-West-y things…
Annnd…one of my favorite people in the whole wide world who’s currently in med school in good ol’ SL. I’m so excited! And it’ll be my first time properly visiting the mid-West, too.
I loved his email to me earlier this month about all the things he had planned for us. He knew I was busy out of my brains this quarter, so he went ahead and proposed an itinerary that looks something like this (which I’m sure he doesn’t mind my sharing, it made my day):
Talk about sweet! I’m so excited already, and I don’t leave until Tuesday. Just 96 more hours until touchdown..
So in case you’re wondering what this has to do with these fantastic cookie butter cookies I have for you today–these are the only thing getting me through today and Tuesday (otherwise known as the interval when I still have to grade final exams like the madwoman I am).
You can prepare these in literally less than ten minutes–then just scoop ’em on a tray, pop ’em in the freezer or fridge, and let them set up while you brush your teeth and blowdry your hair.
Then as you’re heading out the door, just grab these chewy, oat-y, perfectly spiced cookie butter cookies and take the windy city with you wherever you go–because I guarantee you, these big babies will blow you away. (Ha ha ha…)
Move on, airline peanuts–and Chicago-St. Louis, here I come (pun-tiful and all)!
No-Bake Cookie Butter Lover Cookies I originally saw this and adapted it from sugarcrafter Yield: 2 dozen cookies Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 7 tablespoons milk (I used 2%–whole milk would be preferable)
- 1/2 cup margarine or butter
- A pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cookie butter (you can get a jar from Trader Joe’s)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups quick-cooking oats
Directions
- In a medium pot, combine sugar, milk, margarine, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, then stop stirring and allow to boil for exactly one minute. (Boiling for the right amount of time will give you the right consistency of cookie–gooey, but not so gooey that you can’t pick them up!)
- Turn off heat and stir in cookie butter, vanilla extract, and oats. Allow mixture to cool slightly, then spoon by heaping tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. (I pressed them flat and used a round cookie cutter to give them uniform shapes.)
- Pop the tray into the freezer for 30 minutes or into the fridge for an hour, or until cookies set up. Peel them off from the parchment paper and watch your friends get blown away, just as if they were standing in the smack middle of the windy city!
You’ll love Ted Drewes! At least I assume that’s where you’ll be having your frozen custard (aka “concrete”). There are actually two pretty good medical schools in St. Louis – Wash U and St. Louis U – which one does your friend attend? Your trip sounds like tons of fun. And you’re beginning it which these terrific cookies! Life is good. 😉
I did get to try Ted Drewes–my friend insisted on taking me, and boy was it good stuff! I don’t think I got to try the concrete, though; I just got a sundae and we ate it in the perfectly cool weather. What fun! My friend attends SLU. It was an all-around fantastic trip…thanks again so much for the tips and the comment, John.
Oh hey, didn’t see this until now. Guess I should visit here more often–your layout looks fresh! So honored to have made it onto your post. I think we covered the basics pretty well didn’t we? Can definitely check off the “do things in Chicago” part. Your post reminded me of Gooey Butter Cakes, the other St. Louis dessert. You’d probably like it; it’s incredibly sweet :P. I’ll send you some one of these days.