From the author, Lynn Cahoon: When I was thinking about the recipe for this book, I wanted something from my past. A memory. The way a dish tastes or a memory of a meal stays with you. I made brownies while I was editing this and almost went with that recipe since the rich chocolate taste is still in my mouth. Instead I give you a childhood treat. Quick Cookies were probably the first cookies I learned to make. And the ones I messed up, more often than not.
The secret is in the chocolate mixture you cook on the stove. Cook it too long, and your cookies will turn into a crumble (that's really good over vanilla ice cream - not all failures have to be trashed.) Not cooked long enough, and the cookies won't set. You want a soft ball stage for the chocolate. Drop a bit into a glass of water and reach in. If it turns into a ball, you're ready to stir it into the oats.
Cook the sugar, cocoa, milk, and butter together in a heavy saucepan on the stove, boiling 3 - 4 minutes until mixture reaches the soft ball stage.
Pour the chocolate mixture over the oatmeal and stir in the peanut butter, vanilla, and marshmallows (if using) until well combined.
Drop onto a greased (or parchment-lined) cookie sheet until set.
I've made these cookies three times already, twice using quick cook oats (we preferred this texture best) and once using regular oats (the texture seemed too chewy to me since the oats aren't cooked).
I used both a candy thermometer and an instant read thermometer to monitor the mixture until it reached the soft ball stage (235 degrees). Both batches of cookies turned out crumbly (but delicious!). I cooked the third batch to just 231 degrees and they turned out perfect! I like the accuracy of using a thermometer so there's no guesswork.
To evenly distribute the peanut butter and vanilla, I stirred them into the chocolate mixture BEFORE adding to the oats and marshmallows.
To make a decorative (and delicious) drizzle, I melted 1/4 cup chocolate chips in the microwave then placed in a piping bag. Drizzle in a variety of patterns if desired.
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