Inspired by the holiday baking season, I recently thought, "If Wisconsin were a cookie, what would it taste like?" And just like that, the #homestatecookie challenge was born. Read on for my Wisco-inspired cookie recipe, and share your own state recipe using the hashtag #homestatecookie.
The Inspiration
The entire Up North brand was created out of a love for Wisconsin and the Midwest. And while that inspiration usually spurs a new coffee mug design or tee idea, I recently started to wonder what my home state would taste like as a cookie. I pulled together some of the products Wisconsin is known for growing and producing—cherries, cranberries, oats, maple syrup and potatoes—and got to work. As I pulled the test batch out of the oven, I realized I had a winner. A little sweet, a little salty, and hearty yet soft. "The Wisconsin Cookie" is all of the best of the Midwest, wrapped up into a tasty treat.
The Recipe
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried cherries
Salted potato chip garnish
1. Mix together flour, baking soda, apple pie spice and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowel, cream together room-temperature butter and cream cheese, sugar and brown sugar.
3. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Blend using a hand mixer.
4. Add eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Blend together until completely mixed.
5. Using a spoon, mix in oats and chopped dried cranberries and cherries.
6. Chill dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8. Remove dough from refrigerator. Using a spoon to measure, roll the dough into evenly-sized balls and place on a cookie sheet.
9. Top each cookie with crushed potato chips.
10. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350. Let cool before serving.
Recipe makes 24 cookies.
The Challenge
And now for the fun part! I would LOVE to see what you think your state would taste like as a cookie. Maybe you have a totally different idea for Wisconsin? Or you want to bake a citrus cookie for Florida, or a sunflower cookie for North Dakota? The possibilities are endless. Create your recipe and use the tag #homestatecookie when posting to social media. I can't wait to see what you whip up!
-N