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We wholeheartedly agree that junk food is okay in moderation, but as I’ve said before I think junk food can be broken down into two very different categories… This recipe for whole wheat chocolate chip cookies will show you how traditional junk food still has a place in the meal plan!
Delicious Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Junkfood the way they used to make it, without all of the additives and artificial ingredients! This recipe for whole wheat chocolate chip cookies is a cut above the processed boxed cookies you’ll find at the store. It uses common but super nutritious ingredients and a little sugar to sweeten things up!
Traditional Junk Food vs. Artificial Factory-Made Junk Food
Now if you are a real food junkie like me, and you get a hankering for something sweet, I would much rather you eat something like these homemade cookies as opposed to a bag of Chips Ahoy. Not only would this homemade version taste a great deal better, but they would also be better for you due to the following reasons:
- They are made with mostly whole-wheat flour.
- They don’t contain high-fructose corn syrup or artificial additives.
- They can be made with organic ingredients.
Whole Food Cookies for Your Real Food Journey
Another reason I am posting this recipe is because some who just recently switched to “real food” may not have a good recipe in their files for homemade cookies and cakes. Before our family’s drastic transformation to real food I used to solely rely on Betty Crocker boxed cake mixes for birthday celebrations. When it came time to celebrate the first birthday after our “100 Days of Real Food” pledge I was at a loss for making a homemade cake from scratch.
So this cookie recipe will be the first of a (very small!) series for those of us that want to occasionally indulge in something extra special without having to rely on mass produced food.
So just to be clear this is one of the few recipes on this blog that would not be “approved” during the “10 Days of Real Food” pledge, but this could also be the perfect reward after working hard to successfully complete your pledge. For a healthier option, make these Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies (with sugar!)
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour ((or can use all whole-wheat instead))
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick butter (slightly colder than room temperature)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients with a hand-held whisk including the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large, separate bowl use an electric mixer to cream the butter. The butter is the KEY ingredient in this recipe and for best results it must be “slightly” colder than room temperature. I usually take my stick of butter out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for a half hour or so before making the cookies. If your butter gets too soft/warm you can alternatively chill the cookie batter after mixing everything together.
- Add the egg, both sugars, and vanilla to butter until well mixed. Scrape sides of bowl as necessary.
- With the electric mixer on low, add the flour mixture (in batches) to the butter mixture.
- With a large spatula stir in the chocolate chips.
- If you have time, and for the very best results, it is recommended that you chill the batter for 10 – 15 minutes before putting the cookies in the oven (even if your butter was the perfect temperature!).
- Put spoonfuls of batter on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 7 – 9 minutes. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
Enjoy!
Can I make the dough and refrigerate for a few hours and then bake when ready? I’d like to serve cookies fresh out of the oven but don’t want to mix ingredients in front of guests.
That should be fine. – Nicole
I made these but used maple syrup instead of white sugar, my daughter loved them. I have tried many of your recipes and am happy with all of the ones I’ve tried so far.
Yum, glad to hear they worked out for you! – Nicole
I followed the recipe exactly, using all whole wheat pastry flour. When the cookies were done, all I could taste was flour. What did I do wrong? I’ve made chocolate chip cookies before and that’s never happened. I even followed the recommendations for chilling the dough.
Hi Karin, I’m sorry to hear that they did not taste great to you. One of our readers suggested measuring it by weight instead of volume since whole-wheat flour is heavier and it made a difference for her baking. – Nicole
I hadn’t considered weighing the flour. That sounds like a great idea. Thank you, I”ll have to give that a try next time. Now I have to figure out how much it would weigh so I get it right! By the way, my kids still loved the cookies. I meant to mention that earlier.
Let us know how that works out. Glad they still enjoyed them :) – Nicole
Just here to say that I LOVE these cookies!!!! Back in 2014 we made 32 batches as part of our “welcome bags” for our wedding. Making them right now for a dinner party– They are ALWAYS a hit! Butter and refrigerating really is KEY!
Hi, I love your site and have enjoyed many of your recipes BUT I can no longer follow you because of so many distracting pop up ads.
Can you substitute the stick of butter with half a cup of almond butter as long as you chill the dough in the fridge for about 10 mins before baking?
Hi. That is not something we have tried.
I just made these with gluten free flour and followed all the other steps and these are literally the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. Thank you Lisa for all your hard work putting these recipes and site together. I also have both of your books and they are my go to’s before anything else.
Do you know nutrition facts for these cookies?
Hi there. We do not provide nutrition details on recipes. This post explains the philosophy behind that: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/healthy-eating-defined/.
I meant maple syrup…
Can I substitute the brown sugar and white sugar for honey or maple sugar? These sound good and easy to make but I’d like to cut out all the processed sugar.
Thank you
Hi there. Using liquids would change the consistency. If you experiment, let us know how it goes.
Just made these with my almost 2 year old and I have to say they are yummy!! Next time I will try all whole wheat. Is there a reason you did the recipe with some white flour? Do you have a better recommendation to replace the white flour? I’m just starting to branch out to new flours!
Hello. Through experimentation, Lisa found the blend of flours to work best in this recipe.
I love a good chocolate chip cookie, and these were amazing!
I must add that I used local honey instead of white sugar (equal amount) and I also used all whole wheat flour and they turned out perfectly!
I am making a double batch (to be able to freeze one batch).
I hope they freeze well.
Yum! We bake often, more than we should, and enjoyed these cookies. I have never chilled my cookie dough before making these. Not sure if it was from chilling, but these puffed up nicely while baking. I like that they are “healthier” with the whole wheat flour.