The Laurel, Oakland Kettle Corn M&Ms Cookie Recipe

I've let this project - this blog and accompanying Instagram and Twitter accounts - all but die over the past several months. But I'm back, with focus! For now, Sweet on Oakland will dream up a cookie recipe inspired by the "flavors" of each of Oakland's culturally diverse neighborhoods, beginning with a recipe for the Laurel, where I've lived for the past 6 of my total 18+ years in Oakland (not including that 4-year detour to Boston circa 2005-09!).

Did you know the Laurel used to be home to not one, but two movie theaters, in operation between the 1920s and 1960s? The Laurel Theater is now a church while the Hopkins Cinema, once a Hagstroms grocery store, is now home to a Goodwill thrift store and an AutoZone auto parts store.

The Laurel is also now home to Peter's Kettle Corn. So for our first cookie recipe, we present a Laurel, Oakland twist on the kettle corn cookie, featuring PKC kettle corn and - my favorite movie theater popcorn candy accompaniment - M&Ms (modified from this kettle corn chocolate chip cookie recipe via Jolly Time popcorn).

INGREDIENTS

4 cups kettle corn (preferably from Peter's Kettle Corn!)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup M&Ms candies

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Beat the butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt until well combined. Gently stir in kettle corn and M&Ms.

I used an ice cream scoop to form dough into 3 1/2 ounce balls. Place on a silicone or parchment-lined baking sheet; bake 12 to 13 minutes or until edges are set and centers are still slightly underdone (cookies will firm up as they cool and be chewy). Cool on a baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling. Makes approximately 16 large cookies.

Enjoy! And if you live in Oakland, feel free to share in the comments section how you'd describe the "flavors" of your neighborhood.