These delicious crunchy cookies are also a great opportunity to discuss science in the kitchen! STEM discussion points follow after the recipe 🙂

Ingredients

• 125 butter
• 1/2 brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup or golden syrup
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 tsp baking soda

Allergies: soy free, egg free, nut free.

Directions

1. Start the oven preheating to 180’C / 350’F.
2. Have a grown up mix the butter, sugar, maple syrup, and milk in a pot. Heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is almost boiling – you’ll be able to see the surface tension change as it begins to think about bubbling. Make sure that you stir constantly so that it doesn’t stick or burn.
3. Remove from heat and allow the caramel to cool to lukewarm.
4. Sift the flour and baking soda into the pot and mix into the caramel.
5. Stir well and it will turn into a caramel coloured cookie dough.
6. Roll the cookie dough into balls and flatten on a baking tray (either greased or lined with baking paper).
7. Bake for 10-15 mins or until golden brown.

Science in the Kitchen (STEM)

1. Gravity & Weight: When you’re using kitchen scales to measure out the butter, take a few moments to talk about why things have weight and why we weigh them. That butter would weigh about 20g on the Moon and about 315g on Jupiter.
2. Solids, Liquids, Gas: It’s a good idea to have a grown up do the stirring with the caramel mixture as it gets very hot; keep young helpers interested by helping them to safely view the way the ingredients change. Ask them if the butter and sugar going into the pot are liquids or solids (the latter); then show them what happens when heat is applied (becomes liquid); as the mixture cools and is combined with the flour it’s state changes again (solid).
3. Gassy Bubbles: Ask young helpers what’s different about the ingredients in this recipe. The answer is that it uses baking soda rather than baking soda. The baking soda causes small carbon dioxide gas bubbles in the cookie mix causing it to rise when it goes into the hot oven. Tip: Get the cookies in the oven quickly as the longer the mix is left at room temperature, the less the cookies will rise.
4. Sweet Surprise: A great way to see baking soda in action is to make a candy version of these cookies. Have a go at making Hokey Pokey!