Candied Spam Cookie was another fun cookie from Crazy Crumb Series. Among all the weird ones, spam cookie is definitely my personal favorite. It is thin and crispy, with some chewy bites of spam and the crunch from hazelnut. This is really an addicting cookie. Recently a grandpa’s spam cookie video got viral on Tiktok. I just want to say that if you think that recipe is good, you have to try this one. No kidding!
You might also like Ramen Cookie or Char Siu Pie.
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What is Spam?
Spam is a shelf-stable, processed canned meat product produced by Hormel Foods. It was first introduced in 1937 and was supplied to soldiers as a convenient and long-lasting protein source. Spam became a key food supply for U.S. troops in Asia during World War II, as it was portable, non-perishable, and easy to distribute. During the Korean War, Spam was introduced to civilians through military rations, leading to dishes like Budae Jjigae (Army Stew). In Japan, especially Okinawa, Spam became a staple due to the continued U.S. military presence, influencing dishes like Spam onigiri and Goya Champuru. In the Philippines, Spam was embraced during and after American colonization, becoming a breakfast favorite in Spam-silog (Spam, rice, and eggs). Hawaii and Guam, with their strong military connections, developed unique Spam-based dishes like Spam musubi. Even after wartime, Spam remained a beloved part of many Asian cuisines, evolving from a survival food into a cultural icon.
Ingredients of Candied Spam Cookie
- Spam - This cookie is called Candied Spam Cookie, but you don’t have to use that specific brand, any luncheon meat will work with this recipe.
- Light Brown Sugar - Light brown sugar is the only sugar that this recipe call for. It adds a nice caramelized flavor to complement the spam.
- Butter - The high butter-to-flour ratio of this cookie leads to thinner, crispier cookies.
- Baking Powder - Baking powder produces gas when heated, making the cookies slightly airy rather than completely dense.
- Hazelnut - Hazelnut is an optional topping, but I highly recommend adding it. The extra crunch in the cookie makes it even better. You can also add peanut or macadamia nut.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Candied Spam Cookie?
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the spam into small cubes, about 0.2 inch.
Cook cubed spam and light brown sugar until bubbling. Continue to cook until spam cubes shrink and the juice reduces.
Cool down on a tray. The juice thickens after it cools down completely.
Crush the hazelnuts in a bag. Set it aside.
Cream the soften butter and light brown sugar with a hand mixer until it’s fluffy and pale.
Add all purpose flour and baking powder, and mix again.
Mix in crushed hazelnuts and candied spam.
Scoop the cookie dough with an ice cream scoop on the tray lined with parchment paper. Each dough is about 50 g.
Leave at least 2.5 inch between each dough. Flatten the dough with a jar or anything that has a flat bottom over parchment paper.
Bake at 350°F for 16 minutes or until cookies turn golden brown.
Storage
Since Spam has oil and salt, the cookies might stay crisp longer than regular cookies, but humidity is the biggest enemy! Keep the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature.
Recipe Tips
Cook the spam in the sugar until it shrinks! Spam contains a lot of fat content, which will leak out during cooking. Just like frying bacon, once you cook all the fat and water out, it will start to get chewy and crispy. And that is what we are looking for.
Let cookies cool completely! After baking, leave the cookies on a wire rack to cool down first. I know some cookie is better to enjoy warm, but this cookie is the best when it’s crispy.
Crush & Use as a topping! If they get soft over time (I doubt it will), you could crush them up and use them as a crunchy topping for ice cream, yogurt, or even salad.
Recipe FAQ
Use the spam like bacon. Throw it in the fried rice, make a musubi or make another batch of Candied Spam Cookie. Just remember to pan fry it or candy it before adding into anything. This will bring out more flavor.
If the dough is too soft, simply leave the dough in the fridge for 15 minutes or until it becomes the desired texture.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe Card
Candied Spam Cookie
Equipment
Ingredients
Candied Spam
- 170 g spam (half can)
- 140 g light brown sugar
Cookie Dough
- 225 g unsalted butter (soften)
- 100 g light brown sugar
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 100 g hazelnut
Instructions
- Cut: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the spam into small cubes, about 0.2 inch.
- Candy: Cook cubed spam and light brown sugar until bubbling. Continue to cook until spam cubes shrink and the juice reduces.
- Cool: Cool down on a tray. The juice thickens after it cools down completely.
- Crush: Crush the hazelnuts in a bag. Set it aside.
- Mix: Cream the soften butter and light brown sugar with a hand mixer until it’s fluffy and pale.
- Add: Add all purpose flour and baking powder, and mix again. Mix in crushed hazelnuts and candied spam (including all the juice).
- Divide: Scoop the cookie dough with an ice cream scooper on the baking tray lined with parchment paper. Each dough is about 50 g.
- Flatten: Leave at least 2.5 inch in between each dough. Flatten the dough with a jar or anything that has a flat bottom over parchment paper.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 16 minutes or until cookies turn golden brown.
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