It's Hard to Imagine

Before I tell you about the Brussels sprout slaw (which I promise I will tell you about this week), I want to turn your attention to something else:  whole wheat chocolate chip cookies.  

I know--it's hard to imagine that these are as good as I'm going to tell you that they are, but you're going to have to trust me on this one.  I will give you a few reasons why you should:

1. I test all of the recipes I post and only give you recipes for the winners.  
2. You probably wish you used whole wheat flour more often.
3. It can be our little secret that these are whole wheat cookies.
4. No one will ever guess that these are whole wheat.

Is that enough to sway you?  I can give you a few more if you need them!

When I came home from Whole Foods with a tiny bag of King Arthur white flour and a big bag of King Arthur premium whole wheat flour, Tim immediately began reciting his usual speech about how he detests the flavor of whole wheat foods.  Then he started quizzing me on reasons why whole wheat flour is better for you than white flour.  He brandished the bag in front of me saying, "Whole wheat flour has more fat in it than white flour, see?"  It's hard to explain to someone how whole wheat flour also has more good-for-you-stuff in it than white flour, so I allowed him to have his rant. 

My only response to him was to suggest he use the flour to make a cookie and see how he liked it.  He originally balked at the recipe, but not one to turn down something sweet, he agreed.

These were the type of cookies you would hope to find in a gourmet bistro.  They were crunchy on the outside and so thick and chewy on the inside that you never wanted it to end (so you had to eat another one).  They were extremely buttery and rich and you would never know that it was whole wheat flour that gave the cookie its nutty flavor, incredible texture, and beautiful color.  Hands down, these were the best chocolate chip cookies ever made in our house and they even converted my husband into a believer in whole wheat flour. 

I won't lie to you and tell you they are healthy (with 2 sticks of butter and 2 cups of sugar).  But if you're going to indulge this holiday, it might as well be these cookies rather than the same old boring sugar cookies you always make.  They may even make a believer out of you. 


Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Kim Boyce's book Good to the Grain, as seen on Orangette
as written, makes 25-30 cookies

Since these cookies will make such a whole wheat flour believer out of you, I highly suggest you do as I did and put Kim Boyce's book on your Christmas/Birthday/New Years/Valentines Day wish list.  If it doesn't make it under my tree on Christmas, I will be buying it for myself and teaching my family about alternative grains in 2011 and beyond. 

Also, the recipe called for 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie, but Tim felt that 2 tablespoons was plenty enough to make a large cookie.  If you are looking for a really large, impressive cookie, I suggest going with the 3 tablespoons.  It may slightly increase your cooking time so be watchful of your dough.

Ingredients
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
16 tbsp cold, unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 ounces semi-sweet (or bittersweet) chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Make sure your racks are placed in the upper and lower thirds of your oven.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Whisk together until combined.  Put butter, sugar, and dark brown sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on low, until the sugars are just blended, about 2 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time and mix to incorporate after each.  Then add the vanilla and mix to incorporate.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the flour mixture and beat on low until just combined (do not over-mix!).  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again.  Add the chocolate chips and beat on low until just distributed. 

Using your hands, reach into the bowl and turn the dough, kneading it lightly until any extra flour is incorporated. You could also do this on a lightly floured counter. 

Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto each baking sheet.  You may only fit 8 or 12 mounds on the sheet, depending on how heaping your tablespoons are.  Refrigerate extra dough while baking.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through.  Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.  Repeat with remaining dough.

These cookies were best when eaten within 3 days.