Everything But Cookies
Sometimes called Everything But the Kitchen Sink Cookies, this recipe is from an old church cookbook from the 60’s where they’re simply ‘Everything But Cookies.’ They look plain Jane but are filled with goodies; one of our favorites!
If there is a story to tell about this recipe, it’s that I forgot about the recipe for Everything But Cookies and should not have. It was one of the last of my text only recipes from the 1990’s that I added to this blog when I recorded simply text; a list of ingredients and instructions and yes that was it; so much easier then too!
I re-discovered the recipe recently which is good; it needed to be refreshed and introduced to more people. Plus I do like to start making holiday cookies early and this year Everything But Cookies are now on my list…they should be on yours too!
Somehow, some way, this family favorite managed to slip through the cracks and the only other place it is recorded is in a tattered cookbook from a Catholic Church in Florissant, MO; actually it’s a miracle that I even have it.
You know how some siblings can be, well, how can I say this nicely? Controlling? Yes, that would be one of my sisters; the controller of the memories.
She has everything; hand me downs of furniture, all of my mom’s treasures including her cookbooks, all our family photos, I mean everything; she wouldn’t even give me a photo of me with my dad! And she used to have the cookbook in question.
One day, many, many years ago, I borrowed it to make this Pasta Dish with Tomatoes and Broccoli (fantastic by the way) and well, I sort of forgot to give it back to her, on purpose.
I do not feel guilty, not one tiny little bit. While these little cookbooks can contain some dishes I will never make (boy did people love jello in the 60’s), I remembered a couple of treasures and I could not let it go.
These cookies are among those treasures. Surely the title alludes to them being ‘Everything But the Kitchen Sink Cookies’ and a wise cook shortened that title to ‘Everything But Cookies.’ And these are not beauties either, nope, nor are they difficult to make. Here’s what you’ll need for ingredients: (complete recipe at bottom of post).
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, use pecans if you prefer, toasted
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut, sweetened
- 1 cup lightly crushed cornflakes, I put them in a ziploc bag and gently run a rolling pin over them
They do require some time to chill and I suppose if you have more time than I did, they could have been formed a bit more perfectly. But I was running out of daylight (I’m gonna miss DST; it’s good for photographers!).
BUT no one cares. No one will hand these cookies back to you and say, ‘No Thank You,’ they’re not quite pretty enough. They look so Plain Jane that someone might take them out of courtesy but once they have a bite?
They might steal the whole tray. See, somewhere in that simple list of ingredients which includes toasted walnuts, coconut, and cornflakes is the most precious of all ingredients, magic. The shortbread base would be great all by itself but add some flavor and crunch? Perfection!
Everything But Cookies are a shortbread type cookie with a combination of ingredients that seriously delivers on taste. But you know what brings the magic? Cornflakes. They add a great crispy texture that is indescribable…you have to taste them to find out!
They remind me a bit of another favorite; these Potato Chip Cookies...this one has the same crunch from potato chips and a hint of salt and they are equally divine!
Those crumbled bits of cereal stay crisp in the dough and after they’re baked they offer such great texture that if you’re like me and my family you might consider these right up there with the world’s best cookies. I kid you not. We love them. You will too!
More Favorite Shortbread Cookies
- Potato Chip Cookies
- Heath Bar Shortbread Cookies
- Salted Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
- Rosemary and Lemon Shortbread Cookies
PIN IT! ‘Everything But Cookies’
More Shortbread Cookie Recipes
- Pecan Butter Balls
- Potato Chip Cookies
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
- Rosemary and Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Heath Bar Shortbread Cookies
Everything But Cookies – Walnuts, Coconut, and Cornflakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup chopped walnuts use pecans if you prefer, toasted
- ½ cup shredded coconut sweetened
- 1 cup lightly crushed cornflakes I put them in a ziploc bag and gently run a rolling pin over them
Instructions
- Cream butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the oil and beat on low speed until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla, mix until smooth, then stir in the salt and baking soda.
- Combine the oats and flour and add the mixture to the work bowl; stir just until mixed. Stir in the walnuts, coconut, and cornflakes.
- Using a 2 Tbsp measure, scoop balls of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least one hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place cookies 2” apart on cookie sheets with parchment paper. Lightly press down with the bottom of a flat bottomed drinking glass. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms just start to turn golden brown.
- Cool at least 5 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to rack to cool completely.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for one week or frozen for up to 1 month.
I love those recipe books-full of gems. I have loved this recipe for over 50 years. Got it from the woman who was the cook at my church camp in Michigan in the 60s. She called it “Ethel’s Good Cookies”. I never thought to ask who Ethel was and now nobody knows.
P.S. my recipe puts fork prints like peanut butter cookies and they are sprinkled with powdered sugar while warm.
Ooh…sounds good; I’ll have to try that!
I love them too…while I sure have a lot of new cookbooks from more well known authors, those old books and my treasured Junior League cookbooks always have gems. Thanks for sharing your story; and thanks for Ethel! Who knows where the recipe originated but I’m just glad it did!
P.S. my recipe puts fork prints like peanut butter cookies and they are sprinkled with powdered sugar while warm.
I love those recipe books-full of gems. I have loved this recipe for over 50 years. Got it from the woman who was the cook at my church camp in Michigan in the 60s. She called it “Ethel’s Good Cookies”. I never thought to ask who Ethel was and now nobody knows.
Can’t wait to try these! I lost my recipe like this. Are the flakes plain or sugar frosted? Thanks!
Just the regular ones PJ. Hope you love them too!
I never properly appreciated cookbooks of that sort until maybe 20 years ago. Yes, there’s a lot of dreck in them (all those Jello recipes; which were one of the main reasons I used to scoff at them), but there are some treasures, too. And they give access to some great recipes that have been lost to time, but also how recipes evolved over time. Anyway, this recipe IS a treasure — looks really good. And I think every family someone that resembles your sister. 🙂
I think I started to recognize their value a bit more after moving away from home in my late twenties. I wanted those reminders of home…and now have them from St. Louis, North Carolina, and Colorado; they might have some recipes that I wonder why they were included but they also have such treasures.