But I was missing that rich, chewy, salty version ~ and this whole wheat chocolate chip cookie adds a complex, caramel-y, depth of flavor to my collection.
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The tweaks that matter for whole wheat chocolate chip cookies
There are a ton of chocolate chip cookie recipes out there, and many of the recipes that claim to offer a super-gourmet, best-ever- cookie experience are very involved and complicated ~ this recipe relies on a few very straightforward tweaks to a classic cookie recipe that are low-lift and totally worth it.
browned butter: browned butter adds a toasty, nutty, caramel-y flavor.
In my world, it actually makes this recipe even easier because using melted butter means no creaming together the butter and sugar, and therefore, no stand mixer required ~ just a bowl and whisk.
chilling the dough for a few hours (not necessarily overnight, or several days)
Chilling cookie dough firms the butter so the cookies spread less, while giving the flour time to hydrate and the flavor time to deepen ~ thicker, chewier cookies with better caramel flavor.
Cookie baking tips for shape and texture
After the recipe itself, the most important variable in baking whole wheat chocolate chip cookies is how you shape the balls of dough and how you bake them. Every little detail matters, from the type of pan you use, the size of your dough balls, and the temperature you bake them at. In this recipe I made large (about 4 inches wide) cookies that spread somewhat, but remain fairly thick and chewy.
Pan – use a light colored baking pan lined with parchment paper. This ensures even heat distribution without burning the bottoms of the cookies. I use Nordic Ware Pans.
For large cookies, I used an ice cream scoop, about 2.25″ across, or 4 Tbsp of dough per cookie. Make the balls of dough round, and fairly tall – see the scoop in the picture above.
Since you will likely need to bake these cookies in a couple of batches, make sure you return your dough to the fridge between each batch. If it gets too warm, the cookies can spread too much.
Bake at 350F for about 14 minutes. They may look a little puffy ~ I took mine out at 14 minutes, and gently tapped the pan on a hard heatproof surface a couple of times to encourage the cookies to wrinkle as they cooled rather than stay too puffy.
Always bake a test cookie or two!
If you’ve never browned butter…
Melt 1 cup butter in a light-colored saucepan or small frying pan over medium heat.
Keep cooking, stirring often, as it foams and sputters.
Once the foam begins to settle, watch closely for golden-brown bits forming on the bottom and a nutty, toasted aroma.
As soon as the milk solids are deep golden brown, pour the butter into a bowl, scraping in all those browned bits, to stop the cooking.
Let it cool to room temperature for your whole wheat chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Brown the 1 cup unsalted butter in a saucepan (see notes below for how to brown butter). Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon. Whisk well to combine and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled browned butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract extract and 2 large eggs. Whisk well until everything is combined and the mixture is thickened and starts to lighten in color. (You can do this in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, too, if you prefer.)
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until almost thoroughly combined. Add the 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips and continue to mix the dough just until everything is evenly incorporated – don't overmix.
Cover tightly and refrigerate the dough for 3-4 hours or up to overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
For large cookies like the ones I made here, scoop out about 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) of dough with a 2.25 inch ice cream scoop. Release the scoop of dough directly onto the pan. For optimal spreading, you want your mounds of dough to stay fairly tall.
Place cookies on the pan with two inches between each cookie to allow for spreading- you will need to bake these in a couple of batches. Bake for about 14 minutes. If your cookies look a little puffy coming out of the oven, carefully tap the baking sheet on a hard, heatproof surface a few times to gently deflate them.
Sprinkle with flaky salt (I use Maldon) while still warm. Transfer to a baking rack to cool.
Notes
To brown butter:Melt 1 cup butter in a light-colored saucepan or small frying pan over medium heat.Keep cooking, stirring often, as it foams and sputters.Once the foam begins to settle, watch closely for golden-brown bits forming on the bottom and a nutty, toasted aroma.As soon as the milk solids are deep golden brown, pour the butter into a bowl, scraping in all those browned bits, to stop the cooking.Let it cool to room temperature for your whole wheat chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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Hey there ~ I'm Sue. I love to make delicious food, photograph it, and write about it, but mostly, I just love to EAT. Isn't that what it's all about? My recipes are creative, vibrant, and totally approachable no matter what your skill level. Let's grab a bite together!
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