The Perfect 10 Kookies From Momofuku Milk Bar Give to FEED Camp & a Recipe {& Giveaway}

On a Monday morning, I’m eating this with my deliciously perfect cup of Cuban espresso; a gluten-free, dairy-free cookie with some heart and soul. I’m not into gluten foods and don’t think I’ve consciously had any other than my flans — and that’s just by default. But my friends in NY sent me some to try. I was like “uhm, gluten-free, with no milk, eggs, or sugar? Really You want me to eat that? Girl, if those key ingredients are missing, surely, what you want me to taste is some manufactured disk of oats.” I schuckled at her assumed eye-rolling on the other end of the call. She kind of blew me off and said she’d send these Perfect 10 Kookie by acclaimed pastry chef Christina Tosi, owner of Momofuku Milk Bar in Manhattan, and her supermodel friend  Karlie Kloss. I rolled my eyes and gave her my address.

I got the cookies last week in this pretty little tin jar and reacted just as I anticipated when I tried the first one: confused, trying to find a spot on my palate what would understand the complexity, and lacked enthusiasm in every bite. For me, that is telling. You all know I have a viral sweet tooth and never pass up on eating sugary goods. I really wanted to like them for her, but I wasn’t feeling them. But, I ate the entire cookie. I let it marinate for a bit to see if anything magical happened.

Maybe another sip of espresso would bring out those missing notes.

I had another an hour later and a third on the following morning.

That magic happened and I was I was finally at ease. I knew there had to be a way to settle into accepting it.

Even though the cookies are gluten and dairy-free and barring the loved chewy and basic sweetness in most adored cookies, there had to be something else about them making them special…There had to be a back story to their cookie. You know me…all of my food has to tell a story. Wether its classically Cuban, Latin or otherwise, my food has to resonate with you in memorable way. Even give you some personal insight on my life in and out of the cocina. It could be an anecdote of familiarity, an inspired circumstance, or even a cause. Algo.

And sure enough, theirs has a purpose.

Not only are the flirty, whimsical baking duo brining healthy cookies to patrons of the chic milk bar, but they donate 30 percent of the proceeds to FEED, the organization that provides school meals to children around the world through the United National World School Feeding program. So for each “perfect 10 kookie” purchased, 10 school meals to hungry children around the world. Now that’s baking with a conscious. And I’m for it!

Instantly, the flaky cookie tasted much better.

And since they’re so conscious, American Express has featured this perfectly round (guilt-free) cookies as part of their #AmexMakeMyDay program.

The girls got their solid kick start with their American Express cards and as a way to celebrate card-members chasing and building their dream. Christina built her famed bar in a relatively small amount of time using her AMEX coins as I call them. Well, yay her cuz I don’t have one and Lord knows how the deliciously fabulous idea I have simmering in my head would more easily realize if I did. (wink.wink. American Express).

How are they celebrating them? Quite simple, nothing too fancy or over the top. Something totally fun by making someone else’s day the way they helped her and her fabulous model friend make theirs 4 years ago.

I get to give away 5 readers — that’d be you, you, you, you, AND you — a tin of these sinless cookies.

The idea is to highlight the Perfect 10 of something in my world. I was going to do the most perfect 10 people in my life, but if you read my blog regularly, then you probably know who they are.

So, I thought I’d switch it up a bit. {about to do quick diversion here} Let’s talk food! Since I’m officially working with Sargento as a brand ambassador this whole year (way more on that later!), I have to do lots of R & D on culinary trends I’ve been assigned to explore.

You can help!  Share your Perfect 10 Latin cuisines and one dish from each! Should be fun, right?! One caveat…if you nail which trend I’v been assigned, then you get the cookies! That easy. Trust me, it’s not that hard. I Tweeted, Instagrammed, Facebooked, and everything in between two weeks ago. So, the  answer is there!

In the meantime, the girls have artistically shared their recipe with and you. If you want to make them, print this cute play-by-play  pdf and tack it to your fridge… You can even Pin it for future reference.

Got it?!?! Yay. Great. I’m tickled you’ll be helping me make my R & D a bit more interactive!

I’m traveling for almost 3 weeks as of tomorrow, so I’ll be picking a winner on March 23rd… that means you have some time to do your bit of digging and find out what trend I’ve been assigned! 1st 5 to answer correctly will get a lovely tin of cookie goodness.

And trust me, their good. I called my friend in NY and asked her to send me more! Ha. Those have been nibbled into oblivion.  

Giveaway “Rules”

1. Must be US Resident.

3. Leave a comment here letting me know your Top 10 Latin cuisines and one dish from each.

4. Follow on Pinterest and Pin a picture.

5. Follow on Twitter Tweet this fun giveaway, after all it’s really paying it forward! (use #AmexMakeaDay and @BrenHerrera so I can see).

6. Like on Facebook!

* 5 winners will be selected on March 23 and announced on the 24th. Please make sure your email is correct in the comments.  Fullfillment will come directly from American Express. 

Et voila! Good luck and thanks for playing. It really is a fun way to pay it forward for other little children in need of nutrition and healthy meals! The cookies are just a bonus! 😉

XOXO-

* I was not compensated for this post and do not have a working relationship with American Express. I simply liked the idea of the cookie and what the girls are doing with them! Paying it forward! All opinions are my own

Eat well, love unapologetically, pray with true intention, and take care of yourself.

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Enjoy

The Perfect 10 Kookies c/o Momofuku Milk Bar in Manhattan

Makes 8 large cookies

Ingredients:

• 200g almond flour
• 100g gluten-free whole oats
• 1g baking soda
• 2g baking powder
• 2g kosher salt
• 0.5g xanthan gum
• 30g slivered almonds, lightly toasted
• 120g mini dark chocolate chips
• 80g olive oil
• 90g agave syrup

Method:

Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredients together. Add the liquid ingredients and paddle until well combined. Scoop cookies firmly with an ice cream scoop onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Flatten each mound of cookie dough fully with the palm of your hand. Bake cookies for 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Store in an airtight container or eat right away!