Whole Wheat Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies: The fingerprints we miss
The other day, I overheard Daughter #2 saying to Daughter #1, "I'm only going to have one kid. More than that is just too many."
I quickly whipped my head around and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Mommy. You always tell us that three kids is a lot of work," she stated.
I asked, "Do you think Mommy doesn't like having three kids?"
"You always say three is hard work so I'm only having one," and she walked off.
After she left, I wondered what decisions she would make for her future life based on her current one. I grew up with two brothers (younger) and had in my head that I definitely wanted an older brother and that I wanted my kids to have an older brother. As we all know, this did not happen.
I wonder how many of my actions will determine their actions. I wonder how many of my own choices help them decide their own. I'm curious to see if Children take on the strongest parts of my personality - my activist side, my cooking side, my writing side...my baking side.
I do know that these cookies caused a major stir in the house because of the smell of brown butter. Daughter #2 has never been one to INSIST on eating a cookie after I've told her that one is enough but this particular bunch has her all worked up. She came home from school today after I had baked a bunch for the teachers and danced around the kitchen saying, "But I want one SOOO BAD!" I told her no and to eat her fruit and her crackers for snack. I heard her mutter later, "When I'm a mom, I'm just going to bake and eat them all." Hmm....not sure about my influence on this point.
The trickier part of these cookies are making brown butter. (For a great tutorial, check out this post on Simply Recipes.) After that, there is nothing different from a regular cookie making trek except for the use of whole wheat flour. Before you tell me that you're not interested in a whole wheat cookie, let me assure you that no one will know and no one can tell. They'll only wonder what makes this cookie so special. I love it because the whole wheat gives a thicker, less "spread out" texture and toasted flavor of whole wheat provides an extra interesting note to this killer cookie.
I wonder how many of my actions will determine their actions. I wonder how many of my own choices help them decide their own. I'm curious to see if Children take on the strongest parts of my personality - my activist side, my cooking side, my writing side...my baking side.
I do know that these cookies caused a major stir in the house because of the smell of brown butter. Daughter #2 has never been one to INSIST on eating a cookie after I've told her that one is enough but this particular bunch has her all worked up. She came home from school today after I had baked a bunch for the teachers and danced around the kitchen saying, "But I want one SOOO BAD!" I told her no and to eat her fruit and her crackers for snack. I heard her mutter later, "When I'm a mom, I'm just going to bake and eat them all." Hmm....not sure about my influence on this point.
The trickier part of these cookies are making brown butter. (For a great tutorial, check out this post on Simply Recipes.) After that, there is nothing different from a regular cookie making trek except for the use of whole wheat flour. Before you tell me that you're not interested in a whole wheat cookie, let me assure you that no one will know and no one can tell. They'll only wonder what makes this cookie so special. I love it because the whole wheat gives a thicker, less "spread out" texture and toasted flavor of whole wheat provides an extra interesting note to this killer cookie.
Whole Wheat Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce
Makes 5 dozen
Ingredients
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Method
Make brown butter. Heat a heavy pot or skillet over medium heat and add butter pieces. Whisk frequently to ensure even melting of the butter. After about 5 to 6 minutes of melting, the butter will foam up and subside. At this point, watch the butter carefully to see if the bottom of the pan is becoming covered in brown specks and the color of the butter has turned from yellow to warm brown. The difference between brown butter and burnt butter (which is used in other recipes) is about 15 seconds. Once the pan bottom has golden specks, remove butter from heat and set aside to cool for about 2 hours.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl. Set aside until needed.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Combine the browned butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on low speed for about 1 minute until just mixed . Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition, then add the vanilla extract. Scrape sides of the bowl.
Add the flour mixture and mix slowly until just combined. The dough will be stiff. Add chocolate chips and mix until chocolate chips are incorporated throughout the dough. Scoop cookies however you normally like; I use a tablespoon scoop. Make sure to lightly press down the tops of the cookies so that they have a chance to spread out evenly and nicely.
Bake for 16 minutes, until golden brown and the flavor of nutty brown butter fills your home.
Serve warm or cool.
Printable recipe
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