The culinary scene in Seattle, Washington, has added another standout destination to its roster with the emergence of The Wayland Mill, celebrated broadly as one of the best new restaurants of the year. Amid the acclaim for the restaurant’s broader menu, its pastry program has quickly captured the attention of local diners and food critics alike. At the heart of this pastry success is a uniquely inventive cookie crafted by pastry chef Ellary Collins, a treat that bridges the gap between classic Midwestern comfort food and subtle Japanese-inspired flavor profiles. Known as the Gohan Gooey Butter Cookie, the creation takes the beloved structural and flavor characteristics of traditional Midwestern gooey butter cake and reimagines them into a crisp-on-the-edges, chewy-in-the-center pastry that has rapidly become a signature item for the establishment.
The genesis of the cookie lies in a creative collaboration and a cross-cultural culinary memory. According to Chef Collins, the initial goal was to introduce a distinct toasted rice flavor into a cookie format. To achieve this, Collins developed a puffed rice brittle, which serves a dual purpose in the recipe by imparting a deep, nutty flavor while introducing an unexpected textural contrast to the soft dough. The name of the cookie, however, came from the restaurant’s chef, Yasuaki, who immediately recognized a familiar profile in the creation. "Gohan" translates to the Japanese word for "rice," and upon tasting the pastry, Yasuaki noted that it bore a striking and nostalgic resemblance to the classic Midwestern gooey butter cake that he grew up eating. This cross-pollination of culinary backgrounds highlights the innovative approach taken by the kitchen team at The Wayland Mill, where traditional boundaries between regional American comforts and international ingredients dissolve.
Achieving the precise balance of flavor and texture required for the Gohan Gooey Butter Cookie involves careful technical execution, particularly during the preparation of the puffed rice brittle. Collins notes that a critical moment in the brittle-making process occurs when the sugar mixture is cooked on the stovetop. The sugar must be carefully monitored until it reaches the exact color of honey. Once this visual cue is achieved, baking soda and kosher salt are incorporated, causing the color of the mixture to deepen rapidly. Pastry cooks must exercise caution during this stage, keeping in mind that the caramelizing sugar will continue to darken even after it has been removed from the heat source. This caramelized brittle is then combined with puffed rice cereal—such as standard Rice Krispies—and eventually folded into or paired with the rich cookie dough.
The flavor profile of the cookie is further deepened through a carefully curated list of baking components designed to mimic the rich, custardy center of a traditional gooey butter cake while elevating it with modern pastry techniques. The dough relies on a generous foundation of both granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar, which work in tandem with room-temperature unsalted butter to create a dense, chewy interior. To ensure the signature richness associated with the style, the recipe incorporates a whole large egg alongside an additional large egg yolk, paired with a full tablespoon of high-quality vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. The dry ingredients provide a complex structural and flavor backbone, featuring all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and cream of tartar. Crucially, the recipe includes a quarter cup of malted milk powder—an ingredient readily available in most well-stocked grocery stores alongside cartons of dried milk—which contributes a distinct, nostalgic depth reminiscent of old-fashioned malted treats and bakery confections. Finally, the inclusion of coarsely chopped white chocolate adds pockets of creamy sweetness that complement the toasted notes of the puffed rice brittle and the malted milk powder.
The recognition of The Wayland Mill among the top new dining spots of the year places it in good company within the broader culinary landscape, where pastry chefs are increasingly drawing on personal heritage and unexpected ingredient pairings to redefine classic baked goods. Across the country, establishments are putting creative spins on traditional sweets, ranging from miso-infused white chocolate macadamia creations to brown butter and toffee chocolate chip variations. Yet, the Gohan Gooey Butter Cookie stands out for its specific homage to two distinct culinary traditions: the rich, butter-laden heritage of the American Midwest and the understated, comforting presence of rice in Japanese culinary culture. As diners continue to seek out novelty combined with a sense of nostalgia, creations like those coming out of Ellary Collins’s kitchen at The Wayland Mill demonstrate how modern pastry arts can honor the familiar while charting entirely new territory.
