Hey Bookie Club! Start your ovens….Did someone say cookies?!
This isn’t a regular book club, you know! Every month to celebrate finishing another new read, I whip up a cookie recipe to match the theme of the book. This months’ book was Every Summer After by Canadian author, Carley Fortune! I brainstormed a cookie concept, and even ran the idea by Carley herself to make sure it was on point (and was it ever)! So without further ado, it’s time for Moose Tracks Cookies!
Not in the club? Join here!
An ‘Every Summer After’ Themed Recipe
The perfect summer read needed the perfect summer cookie. This book is set in Ontario’s Canadian cottage country, with a plot filled with ice cream shops, lake houses and re-connected lovers. You had me at ice cream, Carley.
As teenagers, Sam and Percy shared many an ice cream cone together: Cotton Candy for Percy and Moose Tracks for Sam. Years later as adults, they sit on the same bench, and enjoy the same flavours of ice cream. It’s not the only thing that hasn’t changed so many years later….Cue the happy tears!
I feel like Percy would have approved of Sam’s favourite flavour being the focus of the cookie recipe: after-all, cotton candy just wasn’t quite as appealing to me LOL! You’re welcome;)
What is in Moose Tracks?
Moose Tracks is made of vanilla ice cream filled with peanut butter cups and chocolate or fudge. For this recipe, I kept it simple and used Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (my weakness).
How to Make an Ice Cream Sandwich
To take this recipe to the next level (and perfect for hot summer lake days), you can make it into an ice cream sandwich! Simply scoop your favourite ice cream (I used vanilla, but oh the possibilities) between two cooled cookies, and either eat right away or freeze for later if you can resist gobbling them up on the spot.
Moose Tracks Cookies
Moose Tracks Cookies
These Moose Track Cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with peanut butter and chocolate goodness. They are outrageously good and even better as ice cream sandwiches!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups chopped small (approx. 1.5 cups)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and sugar together on high until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla along with the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between the addition of each until well incorporated and fluffy.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two batches, mixing to combine after each addition. Stir in the chopped Peanut Butter Cups. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or overnight if desired.
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Using a cookie scoop (#40 size) or around 2 tablespoons, scoop out the cookies into balls and place on the baking sheet, leaving 2-inches between each cookie. Bake for 5 minutes, remove the pan from the oven, firmly tap the pan on a hard flat surface a few times, and continue baking for another 5 minutes, until light golden brown around the edges. Remove the pan from the oven and firmly tap the pan again on a hard surface (this keeps the cookies from being too fluffy).
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Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and repeat with the remaining cookie dough. Store in a sealed container for up to 1 week at room temperature or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
I added chex, peanuts, Mini reeses, m&ms, and chocolate chunk for extra pow!!