Arare Cookies

Baking cookies during the holidays for gift giving is a yearly ritual for me.  This year, I baked several different types of cookies to give to my friends, my neighbors and my family.  The first cookie is a take on the classic cornflake cookie.  Instead of using cornflakes to provide texture and crunch to the cookie, this one uses arare (literally translated as hailstones!), or more commonly known as either mochi crunch, kaki mochi or rice crackers.  Arare are generally baked mochi rice "crackers" that come in many different shapes and sizes.  They are typically seasoned with shoyu (soy sauce) and sugar, and have a nice savory flavor.  They are hard, crunchy and delicious.

These cookies are so easy to make.  I hope you all enjoy them!

Arare Cookies (Makes 2 dozen medium-sized cookies)

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup mini yakko arare*

**NOTE**

You may use any type of arare.  If using arare such as sakura, crush it into smaller pieces.

Here is what the mini yakko arare looks like.

Looks sort of like a twisted pyramid doesn't it?

- Preheat oven to 325º F.

Sift together flour and baking soda.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add vanilla, and continue to mix.  Add flour mixture in two batches and mix until dough just starts to come together.  Do not over mix!  Fold in arare until evenly distributed.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for approximately 20 minutes.

Working quickly, drop by the rounded teaspoonful onto a slightly greased cookie sheet (I used a Silpat® silicone baking sheet).  Flatten slightly.

Bake at 325º F for 15 - 18 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet for about 10 minutes. 

Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks (depending on the humidity).

These cookies are light and crisp and have a nice crunchiness to them.  Enjoy!

Comments

[lance]

What a creative idea. Arare!!!! Must taste really good, plus the crunch. Good one Reid!!!! Patent it quickly.......:^)

[Reid]

Hi lance,

I took some of the cookies I made to work and they're all gone! Everyone seemed to like them (or at least they told me they did). You should try to make these sometime. They're very easy.

Thanks for the compliment!

[Fae]

Wow, interesting. I bet they're savory-sweet enough to be addicting. Though, I think whole sakura would look pretty. :D

[fish fish]

Hey, the arare looks dribble. One of my favorite tit-bits in Japan. ;)

[husky9]

hi reid, looks yummie...merry xmas

[Lisa]

Wow, that isn't something I would think to put in a cookie but I bet it tastes great. For the longest time I thought arare was pronounced "ah-rare"

[Sam]

Hey Reid
thanks for stopping by Becks & Posh
good luck to you too!
Sam

[Cathy]

Reid - what a great idea! They look delicious.

[Shirley]

Lovely cookies.
Merry Christmas Reid!

[Reid]

Hi Fae,

Long time no hear! Whole sakura would be nice, however, they would actually be a little large to be used whole in these cookies unless you wanted to make the cookies larger. It also makes the dough a bit more difficult to mix and in my opinion, quite a few would get crushed in the process.

BTW...these cookies are addicting. I gave a dozen to a co-worker and ate 3 without even realizing it.

Hi fish fish,

I like arare too. They make these cookies taste really good!

Hi husky9,

Thank you. =)
Merry Christmas to you too!

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for dropping by my blog. It's surprising how good it tastes. In fact, I know many people that are turned off by the smell of arare. I guess they don't really like that strong shoyu smell. When they taste these cookies though.... =P

Hope to hear from you again!

Hi Sam,

Thank you! I think you do a lot better than I do. Wishing you all the best! =)

Hi Cathy,

There are so many different ways to make cookies. I guess here we use local favorites to make them special. You should try these if you have a chance.

Hi Shirley,

Thank you so much for the compliment. You have a Merry Christmas yourself.

[pinkcocoa]

hey Reid
might be a little late but Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

oh, I want some of those cookies pleaseee! ;-)

[ST]

Hi Reid, Merry Christmas to you. Those cookies look yummy and so unique.

[MrsT]

Very interesting..!!!
Have yerself a very Merry Christmas..!

[RON]

After that post can anything else be added? Merry Christmas.

[Reid]

Hi pinkcocoa,

If I make it to Australia next year, I'll be sure to bring some cookies for you. Merry Christmas to you too!

Hi ST,

Merry Christmas to you too! Judging by the comments here, I guess not too many people have heard of these cookies, but they are quite delicious.

Hi MrsT,

Merry Christmas to you, MrT and Chloe all the way over there in Nova Scotia! Hope you have a prosperous New Year as well.

Hi RON,

Thanks for stopping by. Merry Christmas to you too!

[obachan]

You made me realize how stereotyped I was about Japanese food. For me, some atypical use of arare were not too difficult to adopt…like breaking them into pieces and using them in place of panko for deep-frying, or putting some in ochazuke. But arare in cookies! Boy, you do have a creative mind. I gotta give it a try!

[Reid]

Hi obachan,

Please give these cookies a try and let me know how you like them. I tried with the mini nori maki as well, though they don't taste as good. You want to make sure that the arare has a really nice shoyu flavor that is not too sweet. The sweetness will come from the cookie itself. Good luck!

[Julia]

What a creative fusion recipe, Reid! Japanese rice crackers in cookies! :) I like munching on arare; never thought they could be used in cookies. This recipe sounds interesting, and looks delicious. If only I had an oven to try it out!

[Reid]

Hi Julia,

Welcome back! Thanks for the compliment on the cookies. Maybe I'll bring some when I come to Singapore. =)

The trip is only about a month away. If everything goes as planned, I should be there on 07 February! I'll let you know as the dates get firmed up.

[Donna]

i made these cookies last week, and I thought they were a refreshing change from the chocolate chip and nut laden cookies I usually make. It's almost like a cracker, light flaky and not too sweet. thanks for the recipe

[Reid]

Hi Donna,

Thank you for stopping by the blog.

I'm glad you were able to use a recipe that I posted and I'm very happy that you liked it. I normally don't like cookies that are too heavy, preferring those that are light and crisp. This is definitely one of them.

Thanks again!

[F4L]

i love making these during xmas time!! i think my friends have been requesting it for the past 4 years. mmmm. it's an interesting flavor, quite addicting. if i have chocolate chips in the pantry, i'll add about a cup. thanks for posting this...it reminded me to make some for girl's day!

[Reid]

Hi F4L,

Thanks for dropping by. I find these cookies quite addicting as well. I haven't really had these with chocolate chips though. I think that would make them a bit too sweet.

[F4L]

hello reid!

i just realized that, in the recipe, you are using granulated sugar & i could see how the chocolate chips would make them too sweet. :\ the recipe i use has powdered sugar & has a very light, airy taste to it. the next time i bake this (which will probably be sometime this week THANKS to you! :) i will try your recipe. the rain didn't hit us too hard on my side of the island...hope it was okay wherever you are. :)

[Reid]

Hi F4L,

Let me know how you like these after you make them. I'm in town in an apartment, so the rain didn't affect me much at all. Thanks for your concern! =)