Hi!
I bet you were expecting something else on ELR this morning!
Me too.
So…what did you do yesterday?
I made some really crappy cookies! Then I ate them.
I wasn’t going to blog about these failed macaroons actually. I was going to hide them away in my personal vault of epic culinary fails and never speak of them again….
But then I realized that, while hideous and not functional in the least bit, they are incredibly delicious! I swear it. And I just thought, well, maybe it would make your day better to see how much of a klutz I am in the kitchen sometimes. Most of the time, I like to pretend I’m all Giada or something (It’s BRUSC-ETTA! BRUSC-ETTA!) but really, I’m just a weirdo who talks to her cat all day.
And eats ugly cookies.
It’s true! My mom always told me I was a very special child.
Here’s what you need to make your own batch of Best Worst Cookies!
I know, right? The idea is really good. But don’t make them. Really…don’t.
However, since they were so delicious in their ugly state, I’m going to keep working…keep trying…keep trucking along. I know that someday, I’ll have a winner. And until that day, I’ll just continue to eat my ugly cookie scraps.
P.s.—instead, you should totally make these. And maybe these too. Oh, and these! Just for good measure.
Molly @ RDexposed
July 13, 2011 at 4:48 amI make about 153 errors when making a recipe for the first time.
And sometimes for the 10th time. Label me a klutz, too!
Kaley [Y Mucho Más]
July 13, 2011 at 5:34 amI am a total klutz when it come to baking. The good thing about flour, sugar, and such things is that they are forgiving. My mom’s recipe said to chop the zucchini for the zucchini bread. Turns out, you should shred it. Oops. Still tasted good, though.
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat
July 13, 2011 at 4:57 amIt’s nice to know that even trained chefs like you make ugly baked goods Jenna! 🙂
amy walters, aDESIGNdock
July 13, 2011 at 4:59 amLove this Jenna! As a bit of a bird-brain in the kitchen, it’s soooo refreshing to know that even the fabulous kitchenista’s have “their days”!
Can’t wait to one day here the recipe when you get it just the way you like it!
Cheers, amy*
Heather (Heather's Dish)
July 13, 2011 at 4:59 amhey, i’d call them successful if they taste good…you could just crumble them on top of yogurt or ice cream!
Blog is the New Black
July 13, 2011 at 5:00 amThe ingredient list still sounds delicious- don’t judge a book by it’s cover. YUM!
Baking 'n' Books
July 13, 2011 at 5:02 amThey look like those “Crackle” cookies – only coconut-y. Hmm…when you link to the “these” your suggesting – could you maybe write out what the “these” are instead??! i.e. chocolate-chip cookies, etc? It takes a while for my browser to upload the photos/ads 🙁
nickee
July 13, 2011 at 7:02 amI usually just hover the mouse over “these” to see what the link shows up to at the bottom. If there is one I want to see then I click on that 🙂
Amber K
July 13, 2011 at 9:25 amDarn, that doesn’t work for me! I always have to click, because putting the mouse over it does nothing.
Brooke @ Bittersweetb
July 13, 2011 at 5:07 amI have been having some baking disasters myself lately just drink of glass of wine and perspective sets in and then try try again!
SunnySeedLisa
July 13, 2011 at 5:15 amHey, at least you have me craving coconut right now! And don’t worry, I’ve made far worst…once I tried to bake cookies in a frying pan.
Clizia
July 13, 2011 at 7:15 amWelsh cakes are basically cookies baked in a frying pan! And they’re delicious 😀
Lauren @ What Lauren Likes
July 13, 2011 at 5:16 amhmm they sound delish! to bad they didnt look the part 🙂
Notyet100
July 13, 2011 at 5:16 amMacroons umm have to still learn this 🙂
Bec
July 13, 2011 at 5:19 amHaha. I love it. I am sure that even Martha Stewart has her own ‘coconut cookie’ Achilles heel… mine happen to be macarons as well
corey @ Learning Patience
July 13, 2011 at 5:28 amThanks for sharing — If you don’t succeed – Try, Try Again!!! 🙂
Yolie @ Practising Wellness
July 13, 2011 at 5:31 amLol! So funny! It’s nice to see the other, less perfect side, of Jenna the incredible cook…it makes me feel somehow better and more at peace with my culinary flops, lol! As well as giving me confidence to keep going and trying 🙂 However bad these turned out, not only did they taste good (yay!), but the photos also look beautiful, as always! xyx
jodi
July 13, 2011 at 5:40 amremember its not about what’s on the outside but what’s on the inside – lol….p.s. doesnt everyone talk to their cat?! 😉
Evan Thomas
July 13, 2011 at 5:43 amTry adding 1/2 cup coconut butter as a binder. Should do the trick.
Holly @ The Runny Egg
July 13, 2011 at 5:51 amToo bad about the cookies — whenever I’ve failed at cookie recipes they turn out too liquidy and don’t set. Looks like you had to the total opposite problem!
Courtney
July 13, 2011 at 5:58 amGive these a shot – they are really tasty and look like they are along the lines of what you were going for:
http://ohsheglows.com/2011/02/20/detox-blonde-macaroons/
Cait's Plate
July 13, 2011 at 6:04 amSometimes my favorite cookies are the ones that don’t actually “work out” but I’ll always use the crumbles for topping on ice cream, oatmeal or yogurt and it’s just perfect 🙂
Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles
July 13, 2011 at 6:07 amI’m not judging…. If they taste good, I’M IN!!!! 🙂
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen
July 13, 2011 at 6:13 amThey may not look pretty but I bet they taste good on top of oatmeal!
Kirsten is Comfortably Domestic
July 13, 2011 at 6:26 amCall me crazy but I think your best worst cookies would be great over yogurt. 😉
Kristen @ Popcorn on the Stove
July 13, 2011 at 6:33 amAs long as they taste good, I don’t think looks matter!
Liz @ Tip Top Shape
July 13, 2011 at 6:36 amI love that you posted your baking mishap! Shows that even food bloggers aren’t always superheroes in the kitchen! And I have full confidence in your ability to tweak the recipe. Every recipe you’ve posted here that i’ve tried has turned out beautifully!!
Lorie
July 13, 2011 at 6:39 amHey Jenna-
I LOVE coconut macaroons!! I’ve been making Angela’s vegan macaroons (I actually recently made them as favors for my wedding) and they are excellent! And are similar to the ones you made. Here’s a link:
http://ohsheglows.com/2011/02/20/detox-blonde-macaroons/
Lorie
July 13, 2011 at 6:40 am…And I just noticed that Courney already posted a link for them… 🙂
Kristen @ Change of Pace
July 13, 2011 at 6:40 amHaha! Hopefully you’ll find the secret and I’ll be able to make these!
kaila @ healthy helper!
July 13, 2011 at 6:43 amGlad you’re gonna keep trying cause they sound delicious!
Estela @ Weekly Bite
July 13, 2011 at 6:45 amI love it when ugly cookies taste delicious! Especially when they’re already broken apart like that 🙂
katie @KatieDid
July 13, 2011 at 6:48 amlooks like you need a binding agent? hahah this is too funny but I’m tempted to try them anyways. There’s nothing wrong with eating a big mound of crumbled cookies in my eyes.
Tasha @ Voracious Eats
July 13, 2011 at 7:02 amMaybe a binding agent, like Katie mentioned? The idea is incredible, it just needs a bit more to hold it all together. Sometimes these kitchen disasters are a good thing, they just make me all that much more grateful when things are STELLAR.
Joelle (On A Pink Typewriter)
July 13, 2011 at 7:13 amHaha I love it- thanks for the honesty. This happens to me all the time in my kitchen excursions, and I always end up eating the goods anyways, although I wouldn’t hand them out to anyone I cared about.
Urban Wife
July 13, 2011 at 7:19 amCookie crumbles = awesome froyo topping! Thanks for sharing with us your mishap. Even food bloggers can have kitchen fails – gives little ‘ole me some hope! 🙂
kristina@beancakes
July 13, 2011 at 7:28 amhaha! you made me lol 😉 don’t sweat the ugly cookies ~ at least you’re big enough to admit to your mistakes, and you’re also a good sport to eat them! good to know that we don’t always have to be perfect like giada 😉
xx ~ kristina
Kristen @ Chocolate Covered Kristen
July 13, 2011 at 7:33 amYou could have crumbled them up and passed them off as a yogurt or ice cream topper… as soon as I saw them I thought “I have some ice cream that needs a delicious coconut failed cookie.” PS – your coconut cookie remind me of my serious scone failure last weekend. It wasn’t pretty.
Arielle from I Don't Know, What Do You Want to Eat
July 13, 2011 at 7:39 amI made a similar recipe, but they turned out famously! Maybe you just need to add some chocolate: http://whattoeattonight.blogspot.com/2011/04/passover-seder-2-desserts-first.html
Julie
July 13, 2011 at 8:07 amI love that you posted one of your “epic culinary failures!” When I started baking years ago my roommate and I had tons of epic failures that I’m still too embarassed to admit to! Can’t wait to see the pretty and delicious version of this cookie – hopefully in the not too distant future!
jenna
July 13, 2011 at 8:08 amlooks alike a perfect oatmeal topping! 🙂
Maria
July 13, 2011 at 8:17 amWe all have bad days in the kitchen:)
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
July 13, 2011 at 8:21 amWe ALL have those cookies or those recipes that are sooo good tasting but in terms of actually sharing the recipe with others, well, I know what you mean.
Sometimes you just have to keep working, keep tweaking and perfecting things before it’s share-worthy…but when it is, I am excited. Love the ingredient selections!
Rebekah H
July 13, 2011 at 8:42 amOne time when I was in middle school I accidentally tripled the salt in the cookies I was making… didn’t discover it until they were baked. My mom still gives me a hard time about it 🙂
Jess
July 13, 2011 at 8:49 amLook on the bright side, now you have tasty cooking crumbs to use as a topping on everything!
Laura @ Cookies vs. Carrots
July 13, 2011 at 9:03 amHahah, this cracks me up. We all have fails in the kitchen from time to time.
Based on the ingredient list, I’m sure when you get it right, they’ll be delicious!
Mellie
July 13, 2011 at 9:14 amIt’s not that bad, at least they taste good!
Kristen @ notsodomesticated
July 13, 2011 at 9:28 amHey, no judgment. If you’ve seen my blog, you know I’ve had quite a few baking fails, myself. But if at first you don’t succeed… well, you know the rest. 🙂
Sarah @ Sarah's Modern Bites
July 13, 2011 at 9:36 amHahaha I am glad they turned out delicious! Maybe you could crumple them on top of something… like a tropical crumble or something?? 🙂
Sarah @ Sarah's Modern Bites
July 13, 2011 at 9:38 amCrumble/crumple you get the idea! haha
jenna k
July 13, 2011 at 9:43 amdefinitely good to hear that even you have some kitchen flops. 🙂
Katrina
July 13, 2011 at 10:18 amhaha I sometimes like fails more because then I dont have to share them!!
Lauren @ Healthy Food For Living
July 13, 2011 at 10:54 amOh, I’ve had my share of culinary failures as well! If you’re interested in a macaroon recipe that uses maple syrup as the sole sweetener, here’s one that I absolutely love: http://www.healthyfoodforliving.com/?p=20013 I also made a lemon version! http://www.healthyfoodforliving.com/?p=21089.
Lauren
July 13, 2011 at 11:06 amLooks like there’s no binding agent. Assuming you were going for a vegan macaroon, maybe you could try using the flax eggs?
Meghan @ StruggleMuffins
July 13, 2011 at 11:37 amSometimes recipes that fail in the looks department are winners in the taste department – and its a bonus that you don’t feel bad about scarfing them down with reckless abandon, because its not like you were going to share them anyway, and everyone knows that calories from broken cookies don’t count.
Rebecca @ How the Cookies Crumble
July 13, 2011 at 11:39 amI made gluten-free sponge cupcakes last week that sunk in the middle. They were delicious. Then I made I made a second batch with a different gluten-free flour and they looked perfect – but tasted like crap! Sometimes Best Worst are the best!
tiffany
July 13, 2011 at 6:54 pmlove this post!
sometimes you fall of the saddle, but just have to get back up and keep riding. that’s the attitude 🙂
Kristin Murdock
July 13, 2011 at 8:24 pmI totally pretend I’m Giada when cooking!
old fashioned potato salad — Eat, Live, Run
July 14, 2011 at 4:36 am[…] goodness!! With this potato salad, I deem my losing streak in the kitchen officially over. No more cookie crumbs everywhere! No more coconut flakes in between […]
Natasha
July 18, 2011 at 9:38 amThis actually made my day! I definitely lock my culinary failures in a vault and haven’t really spoken of them (try forgetting your oatmeal squares in the oven for over an hour… oops) but they definitely add some comedic enlightenment to a day.
OveLoves
and the beat played on — Eat, Live, Run
September 1, 2011 at 12:18 pm[…] in the midst of all that I made some cookies that were a big fail. Like, really. I can’t even talk about […]