COOKIE SWAP Sweeten Your Holidays with Recipes from Around the Block Looking for inspiration for your next cookie swap? These tried-and-true recipes from local residents are simple, delicious and sure to impress. Try one—or all three! Baking for a cookie swap is not just about sharing desserts. It’s about sharing a piece of your kitchen and creativity with your neighbors. As we approach the holiday season, fresh-made cookies are perfect for tasting, gifting and spreading joy with the people around you.
Try each of these recipes at home and vote for your favorite cookie at issaquahhighlands.com/cookie-contest.
Miso-Tahini Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies BY ANGELINA PIMKINA, Central Park Resident
These Miso–Tahini Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies reinvent the classic chocolate chip cookie with layers of unexpected depth due to an array of international ingredients and flavors.
Ingredient List • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter • 1¼ cup brown sugar • ½ cup granulated sugar • 2 large eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 tbsp white miso paste (mild, like shiro miso) • 3 tbsp tahini • 2½ cups all-purpose flour • 1 tsp baking soda • ½ tsp baking powder • ¾ tsp sea salt (plus flaky salt for topping) • 1 tsp espresso powder • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips • 1 cup milk chocolate chunks
Step 1: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until golden brown and nutty in aroma (5–7 minutes). Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl to cool slightly. Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar and warm brown butter until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla, miso paste and tahini until fully incorporated. Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and espresso powder. Step 4: Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and chunks. Step 5: Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour (or overnight for deeper flavor). Step 6: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough (about 2–3 tbsp per cookie) and place two inches apart. Bake for 13–15 minutes, until the edges are golden, but the centers look slightly soft. Step 7: Sprinkle immediately with flaky sea salt. Let cool on the pan for five minutes, then enjoy.
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COMMUNITY CONNECT | FALL 2025