I have so much love for this cookie.
The recipe comes from one of my favorite baking cookbooks.
And I confidently consider it to be one of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes out there.
But don't let the whole wheat flour allure you into thinking these are somehow healthy, or, worse, taste healthy. You would be sorely mistaken on both accounts.
Instead, what you will enjoy is a soft-in-the-center, salty-sweet cookie loaded with dark chocolate chunks, and with a depth of flavor you can't quite put your finger on, but instinctively know that you approve.
And the next time you find yourself in Portland, Oregon, be sure to stop at Boyce's whole-grain bakery, Bakeshop, to sample the cookies from the master herself.
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Description
The famed chocolate chip cookie made with 100% whole wheat flour from Kim Boyce's award-winning cookbook, Good to the Grain.
Makes about 24 cookies
Ingredients
Dry Mix:
- 3 cups whole wheat flour (360 g)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
Wet Mix:
- 2 sticks cold unsalted butter (8 oz)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar (200 g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Add In:
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Place two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Although you can butter the sheets instead, parchment is useful for these cookies because the large chunks of chocolate can stick to the pan.
- Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back into the bowl any bits of grain or other ingredients that may remain in the sifter.
- Add the butter and the sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, mix just until the butter and sugars are blended, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is combined. Mix in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and blend on low speed until the flour is barely combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add the chocolate all at one to the batter. Mix on low speed just until the chocolate is evenly combined.
- Scoop mounds of dough about 3 TB in size onto the baking sheet, leaving 3 inches between them, or about 6 to a sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 16-20 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the cookies are evenly dark brown.
- These cookies are best eaten warm from the oven or later that same day. They'll keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- For a less pronounced flavor, you could substitute the whole wheat flour with an equal amount of white whole wheat flour. Although I love these cookies as-is.
- Yes, you read the recipe correctly. You can use COLD butter. No need to remember to take it out of the refrigerator ahead of time. Woo-hoo!
- Although it goes against my cookie-making nature, you are not technically creaming the butter & sugar until light and fluffy. Instead, you are just beating until smooth and well-combined. But I did still beat a good 30 seconds after the eggs and vanilla were added to make sure the batter was nice and cohesive.
- I used Ghirardelli 60% chocolate in this recipe with delicious results.
- I made these cookies using the red-handle scoop (#24, 1.35oz) and baked them for 14 minutes.
- Not that they need it, as the cookies already have a hefty 1 ½ teaspoon of salt in them, but I did sprinkle with flaky sea salt before baking. Because I can't help myself. 😉
Shari
I substituted 3/8 cup of canola oil for half the butter, added a 3rd egg, and added a little water (didn't measure the water, but was around 1/4 cup). Also used 12oz chocolate chips (because who doesn't like more chips?). The cookies came out absolutely delicious. This is a homerun for whole wheat flour. Would definitely make these again.
Sarah Marx Feldner
Shari, Thank you so much for sharing your recipe adjustments. I love to know what tweaks work. So happy you enjoyed the cookies. They're definitely a favorite of mine. And I 100% agree: The more chocolate, the better 😉
Jmo
I’m always a fan of whole wheat anything, but unfortunately, not really a fan of these cookies. 🍪 The batch I baked for 10 min (less time than recommended on recipe) tasted better, though. I also preferred the ones which I flattened prior to baking. They may taste better with whole wheat white flour rather than 100% whole wheat.
Sarah Marx Feldner
Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. I'm bummed this cookie isn't for you and I'm sorry you didn't get to enjoy your efforts. I'd love to know a favorite whole wheat recipe of yours.
Sarah
These are my girlfriend’s favorite cookie. She loves how hearty they are. I feared I overcooked them but she said they were delicious. With a cup a milk they are a perfect snack for these below zero days. 🥶🥰
Sarah Marx Feldner
Hearty is a fabulous word to describe these. And a glass a milk sounds like the perfect pairing. On my way to make a batch so I can start dunking! 😉
Rosy
The flavor is okay but the dough.... extremely dry and difficult to shape. Felt more like a crumble topping. Not sure if I did something wrong. The baked cookies also were very dry
Sarah Marx Feldner
Oh, this poor little cookie is definitely not getting the love I feel for it. I'm sorry it wasn't a hit for you, Rosy! Bummer!! My one question: Did you weigh the whole wheat flour (or measure by volume)? Whole wheat flour can skew more dry/dense, and if too much was added, that could be the culprit of your experience???
JUSTIN THORNTON
We cut the sugar by 33%, and added pine nuts, chia seeds, and hemp hearts. HOLY COW were they delicious. Probably our favorite cookies ever.
Sarah Marx Feldner
Hi Justin! That is too much math for me 😉 Does that mean you used 2/3 cup each white and brown sugar? (Just so other readers will know what also worked.) And, I love all the add-ins. Yum!
Erica
Absolutely love this cookie. I’ve easily made 5 times by now and it’s so good. The only adjustment I ever make is to use whatever chocolate chips I have on hand. Sometimes is regular ones and sometimes giant Ghirardelli wafer ones. Either way they so seriously my fave chocolate chip cookie and so easy to make.
Grace Clark
I loved these cookies! The cold butter was tough with no stand mixer but it was a good arm workout! The dough did seem a bit drier than I'm used to, but once they were baked they were a big hit in my house and with my friends! Thank you so much!
Sarah Marx Feldner
Oof! Good point about mixing by hand. Glad you were able to find the positive. 💪 And, thank you, Grace! I love that you love these cookies 🙂
Robyn
I love these! I made them today as a treat since I have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and I find that whole wheat flour seems to be easier on my blood sugar.
I read through the comments before making and glad I did bc I weighed dry ingredients instead of going by volume.
Looking forward to making them again - they certainly won't last long.
Sarah Marx Feldner
Robyn! I'm so happy you found a chocolate chip cookie your body enjoys. Yay!!
Leah
Nice recipe! I did weigh my flour and the dough was still quite dry and didn't come together. Then, I realized that this recipe was also in a Food52 Genius Recipes, and one difference between the two recipes (same creator), is noteworthy.
The other recipe recommends, after adding the chips, to "scrape batter out onto a work surface, and use your hands do fully incorporate all the ingredients." I did have to do this, as my dough needed a good handling.
I did have to bake mine a full 18 minutes to get a nice golden texture
Sarah Marx Feldner
Hi Leah. It's good to know that "kneading" the cookie dough by hand was helpful for you. Thank you for sharing this tip from the original recipe. And, fwiw, a fun foodie connection: My cookbook, A Cook's Journey to Japan, was part of Food52's Piglet Tournament of Cookbooks the same year as Good to the Grain (where this cookie recipe is published). Alas, I never got to meet the author-baker Kim Boyce in person, as she was unable to attend the event celebration.