One or Two Smart Cookies

Last year it was The Little Cookie That Could. This year, it is the collaborative cookie! The Star Tribune announced we five finalists and I couldn't be happier that the forgotten classic Melting Moments have finally got the attention they deserve. I also couldn't be happier that my friend and colleague, Dianne Sivald, is the winner of this year's contest!

And about that collaboration... Orange-Almond Melting Moments are the epitome of "it takes a village."
I was introduced to Melting Moments years ago by a delightful woman named Daisy who generously shared her stories and recipes with me. I've been making Melting Moments ever since.

Fast forward to this year's cookie contest. I intended to enter Chocolate Biscuits; a nice cookie, but it lacks that certain "it" quality. Then I thought about that old stand by, Melting Moments. Melting Moments adapt well to many flavors, so I brought in several batches of test cookies for my coworkers to taste.

My boss said that the almond Melting Moment reminded him of the Kringle sold at local Scandinavian bakeries. But the first batch of test cookies felt too sweet. They needed a base note for balance. Sriracha to the rescue?

"No," my Sriracha-addicted drinks-a-case-each-month daughter advised. "Everyone does Sriracha." I found a packet of ground chipotle in the pantry and added that to the dough. The flavor of the final batch tasted like Christmas mornings when my mom makes Almond Danish. That had to be a good omen, so I sent the recipe off to the Star Tribune.

Now, Melting Moments are having their fifteen minutes, and I am honored to be their spokesperson.

Chocolate Biscuits (pictured above) are super tasty, but I top them with Pop Rocks and that felt a little gimmicky for the Holiday Cookie contest. You can read more about them over at Called to the Table today.