Missouri Cookies tutorial: A No-Bake Healthy Snacks option

Be it Hanukkah, Christmas, Easter, or any other celebration of the sort, one thing is certain. It’s a time of gathering family and folks from far and wide! States, countries, or sometimes even different continents – you get to meet and catch up with loved ones you haven’t interacted with in quite a long time.

It sounds all fun and laughter until, of course, you are the host and have to prepare snacks and meals and organize the home. While we may not be able to help you out with the latter, we can for sure give you ideas for the first part of the preparation.

Spoiler alert: Try Missouri cookies for snacks that you can serve not just to your friends and family but also to any other formal guests you may be expecting! An easy-to-make, chewy snack, Missouri cookies don’t take too long to make and are comparatively healthier than other munchies.

In this article, we have penned down the Missouri cookies recipe for you so you can enjoy a nibble without worrying about the hassle.

All About Missouri Cookies

The origin of the Missouri cookies is yet unearthed. However, quite popularly known as the cookie with fifty names (that’s the number of variations it has to its terminology!), you probably have already tasted it without knowing its name or ingredients.

No-bake cookies, preacher cookies, haystack cookies, and frog kisses are just a few examples of the variations to its name. And no, before you ask what’s there in a name, let us tell you this.

There IS more to the name of the Missouri cookies than you can comprehend. Every alternative name of this cookie holds significance with respect to the history of the cookie, including its (probable) place of origin, shape, taste, and even the method of preparation.

Moreover, the versatility of this cookie extends not only to its name but also to the occasion that you can use it for. Yes. Serving Missouri cookies need not be limited to festivities but also other formal events like baptism ceremonies, baby showers, kitty parties, or sleepovers. You can also prepare these cookies for yourself as a form of indulgence in self-care because you deserve goodness!

No Bake Cookies: Texture and Preparation

Missouri cookies fit the bill for every small or big celebration, as we have mentioned earlier. But did you know that these cookies do not require you to bake them? Surprising, isn’t it? What is even more surprising is that, despite the minimal ingredients and almost zero preparation time, these no-bake cookies are delicious and fulfilling. They have a crunchy texture that feels gummy when placed inside the mouth.

Yet, they don’t feel sticky enough to make it an annoying task to eat them, and that is the uniqueness of these lesser-known cookie variants. Now, before you get revved up for making the cookie, check out our Missouri cookie tutorial explained step-by-step and in simple terms that make it easy for you to follow.

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Missouri Cookies Recipe

Before we delve into the most-awaited Missouri cookie recipe, here is a checklist for you to stock up on before you get hands-down into the process of making them.

Ingredients

Tools

Detailed Process to Cook Missouri Cookies

So now comes the segment you have all been eagerly waiting for – how to make a Missouri state cookie. Without any further delay, let us delve into the sequence of cookies Missouri tutorial.

Step 1: Make Chocolate Mixture

Place unsalted butter in a saucepan and melt on medium heat. Once the butter melts, add cocoa powder, whole milk, white sugar, and salt. Whisk thoroughly. Now turn up the heat and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil for up to 1 minute. Now that the contents have turned into a liquid mixture turn off the heat and remove the saucepan. This forms the chocolate base of your Missouri cookies.

Additional tip: During the heating process, stir the mixture with a spoon for a few seconds before it comes to a full boil. This prevents clumping of the concoction, delivering a smooth texture.

Step 2: Prepare the Dough

While the chocolate mixture is still hot, add vanilla extract and chunky peanut butter. Mix well using either a spoon or a whisk. Once you get a semi-solid texture, add rolled oats into the saucepan. Combine the ingredients carefully using a spoon such that the oats are evenly distributed throughout the blend.

Step 3: Make Missouri Cookies

Yes, it’s THIS simple. Once you have completed Step 2, make small cookie molds. This you can easily do by using a cookie scoop to mold the oatmeal and chocolate combination. You can even use a spoon to make the cookies. Place the cookie casts on parchment paper or wax paper and let them cool. Your Missouri cookies will be ready once the mix cools and settles down (and slightly hardens). This will take about 30-45 minutes.

Pro tip: Remember to keep the tray in a place where your children don’t touch it (we are sure they won’t be able to resist eating before the temperature of the cookie blend drops!). Who are we blaming? We bet you won’t be able to resist it either! Moreover, you may accidentally shift the tray by a nudge by the elbow while you are working on other preparations, so keep the tray aside.

If the mixture is not given time to settle down, you won’t get the real texture of Missouri cookies.

Step 4: Amp Up The Flavor

This is not really the next step but is actually a part of Step 3. However, this step is entirely optional. Hence, we have mentioned it separately. Add peanuts to the cookies for a healthier and crunchier option. You can add a bit more flavor or make it look more enticing to your kids by adding chocolate chips or rainbow sprinkles when the dough mixture is cooling down. You can either add it to individual cookie molds or in Step 2 when mixing oatmeals into the base of the cookie.

Step 5: Serve with Complete Delight

Whether you choose to add chocolate chips or decorative sprinkles, you can serve Missouri cookies once the molds have cooled down and solidified to give them the characteristic crunchy texture of a cookie. You can even add chocolate sauce or strawberry icing as a means of garnishing.

Recipe Count

The Missouri cookies recipe stated above yields nearly 35 cookies. So, if you want to make more or less cookies, adjust the ingredient quantity accordingly. The entire process takes about 45 minutes (15 minutes of prep time followed by 30 minutes of cooling time).

Serving Style

Serving two cookies per child or three to four for every adult is the ideal serving count when it comes to plating a portion of Missouri cookies. You can serve it with tea or coffee for your guests. Place a chocolate dip or maybe even a dip of maple syrup if you are serving it without any other accompaniment.

You can make it as a weekend or holiday snack or even a regular evening snack and serve it with a glass of cold milk to your children.

Variations to the Missouri Cookies Recipe

The ingredients that we have mentioned for the Missouri cookies recipe are, as you know, easily available. And we bet every reader will have at least 8 out of 10 ingredients already stocked up in their homes if not all.

Thus, these ingredients are generally at one’s disposal if one would like to make these cookies on a weekday evening without any previous plan or preparation. However, just in case you’re short on one or a few of the above ingredients or are allergic to any, here are a few variations that you can try.

• Butter:Margarine is the most widely-used butter substitute, and you can use it for your no-bake cookies as well in the same amounts as butter. Butter-flavored shortening or peanut butter can also be used as a substitute for butter for making Missouri cookies in equal amounts as butter itself.
• White Sugar:Brown sugar in equal quantity is the closest alternative to granulated white sugar. For healthier options, you can go with ¾ cups of maple syrup or honey instead of sugar for preparing your cookies.
• Cocoa Powder: Use a bar of chocolate in place of cocoa powder for Missouri cookies. Melt it first before adding it to the saucepan for boiling.
• Whole Milk: Cream is usually the best milk substitute, but, in this case, the cream won’t give you the same taste, so we would rather ask you to refrain from using any alternative for this ingredient. However, if you are lactose intolerant or vegan, you may use oat milk, nut milk, or soy milk for the recipe.
• Rolled Oats:Quinoa flakes are a good substitute for oatmeal and provide the same texture and consistency as the original ingredient.
• Parchment Paper: If you are not really into baking, parchment paper or wax paper may not be available in your home at all times. And, if you are too lazy to visit the superstore at the moment and don’t want to order online either, you can use aluminum foil. Another simple DIY hack would be to grease a pan to create the perfect non-stick surface for placing your cookie dough to cool.

Important Points to Mind While Preparing Missouri Cookies

Missouri cookies may feel like an easy go, and for sure, they are. But here are a few pointers for you to keep in mind to prevent any mess or have any unrealistic expectations regarding consistency or such.

• When you scoop out the cookies in the final step, they may have a haystack-like shape. That is TOTALLY fine because the uneven, rugged texture adds to the authentic vintage essence of the Missouri cookies.
• If, however, you are very particular about the shape of the cookies, you have three options. You could use a cookie cutter to mold them into the shape you like, or you can roll out the dough using a rolling pin for a flattened appearance. You can also choose to shape the cookies like a ball using both hands.
• Omit using vanilla extract if you are not a fan of the flavor. Vanilla essence serves as flavoring, hence, is not an essential component of the cookies.
• If the chocolate mix feels too runny before you have to spread out the dough, despite adding peanut butter (it shouldn’t, but just in case!), you can add chocolate syrup to thicken the consistency.
• If you are short of time, you can transfer the cookie dough into the fridge to speed up the hardening process, that is, the third step of the Missouri cookie tutorial.

What to Serve Missouri Cookies With?

Missouri cookies paired with a cup of tea or coffee are a classic. To revive a touch of nostalgia, you can dunk them in cold or warm milk (as per your taste) and eat a bite that makes you relive your childhood memories.

Also, here’s our personal choice – add a block of your favorite ice cream in between two Missouri cookies to make your cookie sandwich! With guests coming over, you may serve these no-bake cookies with a side dip of chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, a glass of cold water, beer, a bowl of fruit, or peanut butter. So you see, the choices are endless!

Storage Tips and Tricks for Missouri Cookies

For those wondering, yes, Missouri cookies can be stored for a comparatively longer time than baked cookies. Store them in an airtight container, and they will stay fresh for up to a week.

If you want to store them for longer, you can put them in an airtight container or a Ziploc pouch and place it in the fridge to keep the cookies fresh for up to two weeks.

Additionally, Missouri cookies can be frozen, too! The best way to do this is to flash freeze them for a few hours or even overnight, followed by storing them in a freezer-safe container and freezing them for up to six months! Before you decide to munch on them, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.

The fact that these cookies are a healthier snack option than other cookies or sugary treats makes them a popular item in children’s homes and for sudden guest arrivals. Thus, with the flexibility of storing for such a long time, most people living with hectic schedules have it prepared and refrigerated for those quick nibbles.

Conclusion

Missouri cookies, though a lesser-known name, are quite popular in households and event snacks owing to their easy preparation and fast preparation time. The crunchy texture and the gummy chocolatey feel in the mouth is an almost heavenly delight that both kids and adults love.

You can choose to have it as a single item or with an accompaniment ranging from a glass of water to a chocolate dip. Whichever way you decide to snack on it, we bet you won’t be able to stop at one, and neither will your guests!

So prepare a large bunch when you have a gathering at home because falling short of one of the most delicious starters is the last thing you would want to face, right?

So, when are you preparing Missouri cookies by yourself? What accompaniment will you serve it with? If you have already tasted them, did you like the taste? What did you have it with, and what are you willing to experiment having it with? Let us know in the comments section below.