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Mar 22, 2011 04:13 PM

Possible Grace's Best Sunflower Seed Cookies copycat recipe found?

I find these little suckers addictive and had been searching for a clone so I could make them at home. Thanks to another forum, I was provided this link:


I'm going to give it a try soon and see how they compare, but thought some others may even get around to it before me (or, if off a bit, help tweak it even closer).

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  1. i've never had the cookies, but i was curious because i adore sunflower seeds so i looked up the product. they used enriched flour, which contains malted barley flour (a.k.a. diastatic malt) - the copycat recipe you linked doesn't address that. based on the amount of flour in the recipe, i'd suggest adding about 2/3 to 3/4 teaspoon of malted barley flour. *however* you should let the dough rest in the fridge overnight before baking to give the enzymes in the malt a chance to activate & do their work.

    6 Replies
    1. re: goodhealthgourmet

      Thanks for the suggestion! I'll be sure to give that a try. The cookies are a KS product and found in a lot of the grocery stores around here, as well as at Whole Foods (or even Amazon) and I'm sure other places. You're missing out if you've never tried them, but again, EXTREMELY addictive. I've been hoping to find a recipe to replicate them ever since they first hooked me with a sample.

      Beware the evil grocery store samples. They kill the pocketbook.

      Just as a description, they certainly aren't heavy in sunflowers, but just enough to provide a neat texture and taste to the cookie. They're a very crisp cookie, not soft in the slightest.

      Alternately, I guess I could just make sure to use enriched unbleached flour for the 1-1/4 cup, correct? Would that also require resting overnight?

      I so need to buy a good baking book and study up.

      1. re: sumrtym

        well, the gluten in the cookies precludes me from trying them, but i may work on a GF version. don't use enriched bleached flour - it's more for commercial products, and recipes for home bakers are never written for use with it. and yes, even if you were to use it for the cookies you'd need to rest the batter - commercial manufacturers may have some way of speeding up the enzymatic reaction, but we just have to rely on time :)

        1. re: goodhealthgourmet

          You're a wealth of knowledge. Thanks again!

          1. re: sumrtym

            aww, it's always my pleasure to help out a fellow Hound...particularly such a gracious one :)

            i'd love to hear how the cookies turn out after you've made them!

            1. re: goodhealthgourmet

              Man, I'm slow on the response aren't I? These didn't turn out like the little round mini Grace's thick cookies. I started with a bit of dough in the same shape, but they spread out as cooked so I ended up with larger, flatter, more traditional cookie shapes.

              However, I'm pleased to report that the taste is close enough that I don't have to continually feed my expensive Grace's habit. They're really a very good copy, give it a try if you haven't already.

              1. re: sumrtym

                the high butter content definitely contributes to the spreading, but here are some tips for getting them to hold their shape a little better next time:
                - for the wheat flour portion, use high-gluten flour instead of AP
                - DON'T over-mix the batter - do it just enough to combine everything thoroughly
                - chill the dough really well before baking; for this recipe i'd suggest forming the dough into a log and freezing for at least several hours...then just slice and bake
                - don't grease your cookie sheet - line it with a silpat or parchment paper to prevent sticking.

                glad they at least tasted like the ones you buy!

    2. WOW. I live in Kansas City (just south of Parkville, MO - Grace's HQ) - I have never seen/heard/tasted these! can't wait to get to Hy-Vee to buy some! Glad you posted this as I love sunflower seeds!!!