The hunt for the best holiday cookie continues! Today, I’m sharing my mother’s current favorite: these furikake Chex mix cookies. Yes, there is a lot going on in that title, but there’s a lot going on in this cookie.
A couple of weeks ago, my dad went down to buy some gifts at Wholesale Unlimited, a snack store that is wildly popular here in Hawaii. They happened to just give him a big bag of furikake Chex mix that had been crushed and, therefore, could not be sold. Hence, the recipe for this cookie was born!
So… what is furikake Chex mix?
First things first: I absolutely love this stuff. If you have never tried it before, you must. In my opinion, it is so much better than any other version of Chex mix I’ve tried.
If you didn’t know, furikake is a dry Japanese condiment usually enjoyed on top of rice or used to make onigiri. It typically contains chopped seaweed, sesame seeds, salt, sugar, and sometimes dried fish. There are many versions of furikake, usually used for different things.
Furikake Chex mix is exactly what the name suggests: Chex mix but using furikake. It has the perfect balance between salty and sweet, with the textures we all know and love from the traditional version. The furikake version is very popular here in Hawaii and you can buy a bag from local snack shops, drug stores, or supermarkets.
If you don’t live in Hawaii, don’t worry! There are plenty of furikake Chex mix recipes online that you can try (maybe I’ll post one of my own too). The nice thing about Chex mix recipes is that it’s so easy to make a lot at once. So you can make some to enjoy and try on their own, and you’ll probably still have enough to make a batch of these cookies.
These cookies are perfectly soft and chewy in the middle, but still have a crunch on the outside. The addition of the peanuts and Chex mix adds so many layers to its texture and flavor as well. Plus, when you get a bite of the melted, smooth chocolate… ugh, they’re to die for.
I used salted butter and then added even more salt to the recipe since I wanted to mimic the sweet and salty flavor of furikake. If you prefer your cookies to be more on the sweet side, then opt for unsalted butter or decrease the amount of salt added. The peanuts are also optional, but I highly recommend leaving them in.
Feel free to freeze any leftover uncooked dough. Just form the cookie dough balls, cover them in furikake Chex mix, and then freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a Ziploc bag and leave until you want to use them. When you want to bake them, make sure they thaw completely before placing in the oven. Store any leftover (already baked) cookies in an airtight container for up to one week. Enjoy!
Furikake Chex Mix Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, softened (you can use unsalted if you want)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped peanuts (optional)
- 5 cups crushed furikake chex mix
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream together the butter and sugars. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract and eggs. Mix well until combined.
- Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips, peanuts, and 2 cups of the crushed furikake Chex mix.
- Roll dough into golf ball-sized balls. Place the rest of your Chex mix into a shallow bowl and then roll your cookie dough balls in the Chex mix. Make sure they're completely coated. Press Chex mix pieces into the dough to make them stick.
- Place cookies on your prepared baking sheet, with 2" spaces between each one. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
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