The real magic happens when you cream your butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together. Kat’s recipe adds a tablespoon of red miso to the mixture, which combines with the sugars and butter until light, fluffy, and full of umami goodness. If you start adding red or white miso to all your cookie doughs from now on…I wouldn’t blame you. It lends the perfect subtle pop of flavor that salt alone can’t accomplish.

Kat’s book, 108 Asian Cookies, employs all sorts of staple ingredients from Asian cultures in her recipes, too, from a dash of MSG in peanut butter cookies, black sesame seeds in seriously irresistible rice krispies treats, and puppy chow with a kick from a drizzle of sriracha.