I call these “pretty woman cookies,” because like Julia Roberts’s character in Pretty Woman, they are anything you want them to be. Customizable cookies ready for your favorite mix-ins.

Up to 5 cups of mix-ins, friends, so go crazy! Yes, this is cookie dough meant to feed a crowd and to please a crowd.

You may also want to check out my chocolate chip honeycomb cookies, because those are also pretty darned awesome cookies!

3 chocolate cookies on a plate

Customizable “Pretty Woman” Cookies

Remember the scene in Pretty Woman in which Vivian first meets Edward? They’re in pre-Costanza Jason Alexander’s car, and Edward asks her what her name is.

Her answer: “What do you want it to be?” Which really means, “I am a blank slate onto which you may project all your sexual fantasies.” But I don’t think that line would’ve played well in a Garry Marshall film.

Anyway, that’s what these cookies are. Whatever you want them to be.

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I could say that you have to make these cookies Exactly the way that I made them, but why would I say that? I mean, have you ever known me to say that? Of course not.

What we have here is a Basic Cookie Dough. To which you can add five cups (by volume)–Five Cups–of whatever you want.

Once you have your dough, if you want to wrap it around a piece of candy or–gasp!!–another cookie and bake ’em that way, do it. Or just scoop and bake.

How to Make a Chocolate Cookie Base

You can make ’em chocolate by subbing 1 oz (by weight) of Dutch process cocoa powder for 1 oz (by weight) of the flour.

You can leave ’em blonde. The only place you can’t leave ’em is On the Plate. Because they are that good. Boom!

Basic Cookie Dough, Ready for your Customizations

Here are the ingredients for a basic cookie dough:

  • unsalted butter
  • sugar (your choice of granulated, brown, or a mix)
  • salt
  • vanilla extract
  • Your choice of spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, etc)
  • eggs
  • baking soda
  • all purpose flour (or a mixture of all purpose flour and cocoa powder for a chocolate base)

How to Make Cookie Dough

a large bowl of chocolate cookie dough with customizable mixins

Like most American cookies, you make the dough with the creaming method. In short, here’s how it works:

  • cream the butter and sugar together with the salt, vanilla and spices until smooth
  • add the eggs, one at a time, and make sure they are very well incorporated.
  • whisk the baking soda in with the flour or flour/cocoa powder, and mix it in on low speed just until mixed.

Now you have your cookie canvas. Your template. Your tabula cookie-rasa. Next, it is time to consider mix-ins.

You have 5 cups of goodness to add. Five cups! Enjoy the freedom.

Ideas for Cookie Customizations: Mix Ins

Ideas? You want ideas? OK, then.

  • whole grains
  • chocolate
  • dried fruit
  • granola
  • trail mix
  • Chex Mix
  • pretzels
  • potato chips
  • nuts
  • healthy stuff, like flax
  • marshmallows
  • popcorn
  • flavored chips–cinnamon, peanut butter, toffee, etc
  • Crushed hard candy
  • gummy bears
  • chopped candy bars
  • mints
  • cereal
  • Et Cetera

Those 5 cups of…whatever…are what makes these cookies yours.

Name them whatever you want. These cookies will save you. And you will save them right back. So you can Eat Them.

Here’s how I made mine. You can make ’em this way if you want to, because they are Incredibly Yummy. But don’t feel like you have to. If you like Kit better than Viv, make yourself Kit cookies.

A Note About Measurements

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I really hope you love these customizable pretty woman cookies, you guys!

Make your own version with your favorite mix-ins, and please share a photo with me, either in the PCO Facebook Group or on instagram by tagging @onlinepastrychef and using hashtag #pcorecipe. Thanks, and enjoy!

Pretty Women Cookies

Jennifer Field
I made these pretty woman cookies exactly the way I wanted them. They are chewy, and if you don't over-bake them, they stay nice and chewy.
Do not fear the cumin in the recipe. The cumin heightens the earthiness of the cinnamon while taking the edge of the sweet. It is a Formidable Combination.
Yes, there's an extra 1/4 cup of mix-ins in in mine, but that 1/4 cup is ground flax, which is kinda more like flour than a mix in, so I didn't count it as one.
You don't have to refrigerate the dough after you make it, but your cookies will taste better if you do.
5 from 1 vote
Tried this recipe?Please give it a star rating!
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Fridge time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 56 minutes
Cuisine American
Servings 30 Servings
Calories 208 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • several gratings fresh nutmeg
  • 1 level teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 7 oz all purpose flour by weight, about 1 3/4 cups
  • 1 oz Dutch process cocoa powder by weight, about 1/4 cup
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup dried spent grains from brewing
  • 1 cup chocolate covered raisins
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup chopped toasted almonds
  • ¼ cup ground flaxseed (I added with the flour because it is more like flour than a mix-in)

Instructions
 

  • Cream together the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and spices. They don't have to be light and fluffy, since you don't want them to rise like a cake, but you do want it to be creamy and consistently mixed.
  • Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping bowl as necessary.
  • Whisk the baking soda, flour and cocoa powder (along with the flax meal) together and then beat it into the butter mixture on low speed.
  • Mix all your mix-ins together in a bowl, and then stir them uniformly into your dough with a wooden spoon.
  • Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour and up to a day or so.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment or Silpat.
  • Scoop the cookies into 30 portions (or make really big cookies or small cookies. Your call).
  • Slightly flatten your scoops of dough, and bake them on the two center-most racks of your oven for 8 minutes.
  • Switch the pans on the racks and bake for 8 more minutes.
  • Let cool on the pans for about five minutes before transferring to cooling racks to cool completely.

Did You Make Any Changes?

Notes

Baking time is approximate, of course, because I don't know what oven you're using or how big you're making your cookies. Cookies will spread somewhat but still seem soft when it's time to take them out. If you over-bake them, you'll have crunchy cookies. Which is fine if that's what you want.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 208kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 120mgFiber: 2gSugar: 18g
Keyword cookie recipe, how to make customizable cookies, pretty woman cookies
Did you make this recipe?Please tell us what you loved!

I made these to send with The Beloved to work. He reported that today they are still soft and chewy. Plus, his boss raved about them. I’m telling you–it’s the cumin!

Enjoy your cookies, however you make them. Have a lovely day.


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12 Comments

  1. My goodness, these cookies are packed full of happiness!!! I totally remember every part of that movie, I know it by heart….is that wrong? LOL!  I love the title, and the idea of sharing other fun ideas to put in the yummy cookies:-) Hugs, Terra

    1. Yes! I learned about it from a fan in Australia when I asked about what to put in an oatmeal cookie. She had found a recipe w/cumin and cayenne. The cumin and cinnamon are perfect together. And I think you might be right about Kit. Make hers with pieces of sugary gross cereal in them! lol

  2. Wow! I really need to make these! I love the versatility. And the amount of cookies! I like big recipes because we’re a big family.  Thank you for sharing!

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