So here’s the thing about chocolate chip cookies — I can’t commit to stop testing new recipes until I’ve found the one. It’s like searching for a life partner. There are obviously lots of well suited options that could get the job done, but why would you settle for anything less than the best? (Shout out to my hubby, who hates when I refer to him as hubby, but who loves me endlessly nonetheless. You da best.) Which is why chewy, nutty dark chocolate chunk cookies with spelt flour are happening.
First, let me say that these are good. These are better than good. And if you’re into thin, slightly-chewy-while-warm, a bit crispier-when-cool cookies, then this might be your end all be all. I tend to lean towards cookies with a bit more rise; NY Times’ famous chocolate chip cookies (slightly adapted) are high up on my list. But guys, the ratio of chocolate to dough here is legit, and I’m so down with it.
This recipe comes from Thalia Ho of Butter & Brioche. If you don’t read her blog or follow her on IG, you should — her baked goods are absolutely insane and totally drool worthy. I’ve been eyeing her dark chocolate chunk cookies for months; with pools of chocolate so large you could dive right in. This is one of those recipes that you bookmark on a whim and later daydream about, wondering out loud (usually in public places where people assume you’re crazy for talking to yourself) why you haven’t made time for them yet.
I’d read through the recipe enough times to know that I needed spelt flour.
What the hell is spelt flour?
I was scouting the baking aisle at Whole Foods last week searching for my current favorite pastry flour (Bob’s Red Mill, in case you were wondering — and btw, Whole Foods carries many items from the brand, but not their pastry flour) when I saw a new package. It was a paper bag with locally sourced spelt flour from a place in Brooklyn. The ‘Brooklyn’ part surprises me not at all.
So I splurged. I spent $10 or whatever it cost on a freakin bag of flour packed by hipsters in Williamsburg. My hubby is rolling his eyes in disgust at the thought.
The flavor is perhaps slightly nuttier than usual, but really what the spelt flour changes is the texture. It adds a pleasant chewiness, almost like there are little pieces of coconut in the cookies, except it doesn’t taste like coconut. But — totally being straight with you now — this isn’t a bad thing! It’s unique and different and now I have 2 lbs of spelt flour to experiment with! What would this flour do to scones? Or muffins? Or waffles?!
Do I need to use spelt flour or can I substitute with a different flour?
Totally up to you! The spelt flour is what makes these cookies standout (in a good way!), but by all means use regular all-purpose or whole wheat. Or do a variety of both. Different flours absorb wet ingredients in varying ways, so just be wary that say all-purpose flour may require less moisture than a dense, heartier flour such as spelt.
Thalia measures everything in grams, so if these cookies are screaming ‘weekend baking plans,’ make sure you have a kitchen scale on hand.
How did you make those large chocolate puddles on top?
To achieve those glorious pools of chocolate, simply place large chunks of broken chocolate on the mounds of dough before baking. I promise you won’t regret it!
- Always chill your cookie dough! 30 minutes at least, but the longer the better (overnight is preferred!).
- Make sure your butter is softened, but still slightly cold. Avoid warm or room temperature butter.
- Measure ingredients with a kitchen scale. It’s a small investment that will ensure your recipes come out exactly as they should.
- Always bake cookies on a silpat or, my preference, a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Do not overmix the dough! In fact, wait to add any mix-ins by hand and fold gently with a spatula. This will help ensure your cookies stay soft.
- Make sure you leave enough space in between cookies to rise without touching one another. If this means baking multiple batches, do it. No body wants a glob of cookies that are stuck together! Which leads me to…
- I only bake cookies on the middle rack in my oven. Rotate halfway through cooking, but I only ever bake one tray at a time. Trust me on this one.
If you make these Spelt Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies, please let me know by leaving a review below!
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Spelt Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter cubed
- 285 g light brown sugar
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 175 g all-purpose flour
- 175 g spelt flour
- 1 ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 225 g dark chocolate roughly chopped
- Flaked salt or fleur de sel for sprinkling
Instructions
- Place 200 g butter into a medium sized saucepan, set over medium-low heat. Heat stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and pour the butter into a large mixing bowl. Add 285 g light brown sugar and 80 g granulated sugar. Whisk until smooth and combined. Set the bowl aside.
- In a separate medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together 175 g all-purpose flour, 175 g spelt flour, 1 ¼ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt. Set aside.
- Add the egg into the bowl with the butter and sugar. Whisk until smooth and glossy, then add 1 Tbsp vanilla extract. Whisk until combined. Using a wooden spoon, incorporate half of the dry ingredients into the bowl until just combined (some dry flour pockets should remain). Add in the remaining dry ingredients, again, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in 225 g dark chocolate chunks until evenly incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in a refrigerator for 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. (Any longer and the dough will be hard to roll — set it out on the counter until soft enough to roll out.)
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a small cookie scoop, roll out as many cookies dough balls as possible, leaving a couple inches between them. Sprinkle over a little flaked salt.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Three quarters of the way into baking (about 8 minutes in), open the oven door and raise the cookie sheet by a few inches (the cookies should just be beginning to puff in the middle). Use a little force to tap the tray against the oven rack so that the cookies deflate slightly. You should see the chocolate begin to spread. Close the oven door and let the cookies bake and inflate again for another 30 seconds. Again, repeat the raising and tapping process above for a total of 3 times. The cookies should be golden, crisp around the edges, and the middles should be just set with chocolate puddles throughout. Remove from the oven and let cookies cool on baking trays for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack.
Nutrition
Recipe from Butter & Brioche.
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