I haven’t been as excited to post anything to this blog in a long time as I am these Movie Theatre Cookies. They started out as just an inkling of an idea when James and I went to the cinema to see Tron: Legacy (visually beautiful, but not so much the plot).
I don’t know about you, but I can’t go to the movies without popcorn. With butter. It makes me sad to sit through a film without it. Oh, I know it’s horrible for you. I really do. But I love it. James prefers to have sweets when we go to the film. A “Super Squishy” (ICEE) or some Raisinets. And that’s where this idea first popped up. James got Raisinets that day we saw Tron. And he said to me, “Wouldn’t Raisinets be awesome in cookies?”. Yes, yes they would be.
Now, plenty of people have put Raisinets in oatmeal cookies. That one’s kind of a no-brainer. Easy to swap in chocolate covered raisins where you would normally use regular raisins. But what if you put Raisinets in a chocolate chip cookie, and you also added popcorn?
It took me a couple of tries, a couple different kinds of batter. I even tried other movie theatre add-ins – whoppers, sugar babies, even snow caps. All were good, but the flat out, miles-ahead winner in my testing is the Raisinets and Kettle Corn combination.
Did you know that in the UK, the cinema gives you a choice of Sweet or Salty popcorn at the concession stand? It’s pretty awesome.. until you realize they don’t offer you Butter topping. That made me sad. But it also made me think that Kettle corn, with it’s sweet and salty beauty, would be the better option here. Kettle corn might not have been the obvious choice, but I think butter popcorn would have been too overwhelming.
These are literally the best cookie I have ever ever ever made. The kettle corn and raisinets with the cookie dough turn into this sweet-salty euphoria that I could write sonnets about. I can’t stop eating them, I can’t stop thinking about how great popcorn is in cookies.. I may need a 12 step program.
OA, here I come.
Movie Theatre Cookies
makes approximately 18 large cookies
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. table salt
3/4 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 c. Raisinets
1 c. Kettle Corn popcorn – I used freshly popped microwave popcorn from an Orville Redenbacher’s mini-bag.
Preheat oven to 325F.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk until fully combined and to aerate.
Melt butter completely in the microwave or stove top. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the brown sugar, white sugar, and melted butter. Beat in the vanilla, whole egg, and egg yolk. Continue beating until batter is light and creamy.
In increments, add in flour mixture, mixing after each addition.
Pop popcorn if using microwaveable. Allow to cool. Pick out any visible burnt pieces and kernels. Using your clean and dry hands, knead popcorn through them so that popped kernels become smaller, breaking away from the main kernel so that they’re smaller and more easily combined into a cookie.
Add both Raisinets and 1 cup of the popcorn bits to the dough, stirring by hand.
Using an ice cream scoop, scoop batter onto baking sheets. These cookies spread a LOT. So much so, that I recommend only putting 4 scoops of dough to a cookie sheet. They need to have at least 3″ of space between each ball of dough.
Bake for 17 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes and then remove to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes.com “Best Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies“
{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
These sound so interesting! I never would have thought to put popcorn into a cookie!
Awesommmmmmme! These look delicious. Excellent photo, Amber.
terrific photo and honey, you could sell these babies at the movie house!!!
Okay- I have to comment RIGHT NOW even before I’ve started reading. That is the BEST picture of a cookie that I’ve ever seen!!!!! Kudos :) I bet the recipe’s amazing too!
Thalia, thank you so much! You made me blush!
Everything about these is fabulous..the photos, the candy, the popcorn, the cookies….LOVE LOVE LOVE.
Amber – I’ve been waiting for this post. You’ve outdone yourself this time. Never would have thought to put popcorn in a cookie-it’s such a novel idea. These look ahhh-mazing. Yum! (Love the photo!)
Good Lord these look amazing, and that photo is just gorgeous! I can’t wait to try these out, although I think I’m going to go with the whoppers. Major, major yum!!
Oh my gosh, what an amazing cookie idea! I think I’d use butter popcorn… :)
Sweet & salty, sweet & salty, sweet & salty are my FAV! I am DROOLING over these! You are brilliant love!
You nailed it girl!!! Absolute perfection!!!
I’m so excited about this recipe! Perfect for Oscar season! I have to have popcorn at movies, too, with butter and Peanut M&Ms. I may substitute the Raisinets when I make mine.
After hearing all about these cookies, I couldn’t wait to see them… And, they do not disappoint! The texture looks absolutely perfect. I’ll be adding them to my baking list. Yum :)
The Kettle corn idea is pure genius, salty and sweet is the best combination! You are so creative!
I am captivated. I have to try them…I’ll send ya a pic and a smile :)
Aren’t you so smart! I adore popcorn, my husband? Not such a fan. I’m thinking these cookies cold change his mind, though.
Fabulous idea and fantastic picture Amber! My girls would LOVE these
Love this idea! Can’t even imagine how popcorn in a cookie would be! Guess I’ll have to try ‘em :)
Those look so, so good. Great photo, too :)
These are absolutely brilliant, Amber. Simply brilliant!
I can’t go to a movie without buttered popcorn either.
I. Love. This. Recipe.
Raisinets and popcorn are my all time favorite movie snack.
I have all ingredients in my pantry at this very moment…
gotta gooooooooo
Movie theater cookies!!! Love this idea. Everything in one place, very strategic & fabulous!
Looks delicious! I LOVE unique cookies. I’m going to try these this weekend!
Popcorn and cookies are my two favorite treats, so the fact you’ve combined these snacks makes me feel super happy and hungry!
Trying these out this weekend for sure.
These cookies are ingenious! I mean, how has someone not thought of them before. Amazing.
And i agree…a movie without popcorn…no matter how good the movie is…is just a depressing experience.
I loved the idea – and HAD to try them! Now my apartment smells really delicious. And these cookies are so darn good! Actually, I was thinking about saving some for our monthly movie night on Monday. But I’m afraid those yummy cookies won’t survive until then…
Thanks so much for the recipe!
Thanks for linking up!!! I featured your cookies in my wrap up Amber! http://tidymom.net/2011/im-lovin-it-wrap-up-2-5-1/
I am totally making these for my Oscar party in a few weeks!
Quick question – I’d like to be able to prepare/refrigerate the dough the day before so all I have to do is scoop and bake the next day. I’m worried that the popcorn will absorb liquid and get soft – do you think they’d be as good if I refrigerated them overnight?
Jessica, I would mix in everything bit the popcorn until about an hour before you bake it. Allow the dough to come back to mostly room temp and then mix the popcorn in.
The picture is fantastic!!!
What a fun recipe! YUMMY
GREAT idea! My favourite kind of popcorn happens to be kettle corn…fresh from the summer markets. I can’t wait for my first fresh batch now.
How fun are these!! Who knew that you could add popcorn to a cookie! I’ve got to try these!
These are just great!!
I got these in my inbox last month and I’m sorry I didn’t come to comment sooner…I can’t wait to get these in the mail!!! :)
Saw these on the Gooseberry FB page and had to come over and check them out. They looks great. Thanks for sharing.
I work as a marketing manager for eight unique movie theaters so I couldn’t pass this recipe up! Made them this weekend and everyone at work got a kick out of these cookies and gobbled them up!
Does anyone have a recipe for kettle-corn? We live overseas where it is not available…but these cookies sound and look great!
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