At The Wayland Mill in Seattle, Washington (one of our Best New Restaurants of 2026), pastry chef Ellary Collins makes a cookie that encapsulates all the goodness of classic Midwestern gooey butter cake in a crisp-on-the-edges, chewy-in-the-center treat. Collins says, “I wanted to incorporate a toasted rice flavor into a cookie, and the puffed rice brittle was a fun way to do that while also adding texture. Our chef Yasuaki named these Gohan Gooey Butter Cookies. Gohan is the Japanese word for ‘rice,’ and it tastes strikingly reminiscent of the classic Midwestern gooey butter cake he grew up eating.” When making the brittle, it’s important to cook the sugar mixture to the color of honey. Once the baking soda is added, the color will quickly deepen. Err on the side of caution knowing it will continue to darken off of the heat. Malted milk powder can be found in most well-stocked grocery stores alongside the cartons of dried milk.
More irresistible cookies this way: BA’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies; Miso White Chocolate–Macadamia Cookies; and Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies With Toffee.
