I’m on a cookie streak right now. These spelt chocolate chip cookies stemmed from a case of curiosity.
I had seen the melted chocolate chunks and coarse sea salt of these cookies flash across my Instagram feed a few times and saved the posts each time with the intention of making them. Weeks passed and they stayed in my saved folder, recipe untouched. Finally, in a moment of chocolate chip cookie craving, I remembered the mouthwatering photos and decided to seek out that special ingredient that claimed to set these chocolate chip cookies apart: spelt flour.
I have a lot of random flours in my pantry from years of experimenting with gluten free goodies for good college friends. However, spelt flour isn’t something I had ever used and certainly wasn’t a flour I kept on hand. I ended up finding some at Whole Foods, the mecca of alternative ingredients.
Spelt flour has a similar texture to whole wheat flour, but gives the cookies a slightly nuttier flavor. I shared these with some friends and one of them even asked if there was nut butter or almond extract in the cookies. The flavor is just enough to give depth and taste a bit different without overpowering or taking away from the best part – the melty dark chocolate.
I have mentioned this before, but my favorite way to incorporate chocolate into cookies is by chopping up a bar of dark chocolate. I tend to use Trader Joe’s pound plus bars because they are so easy, but any bar will do. By chopping up a bar instead of using premade chocolate chips, the chocolate in your cookies will melt better and create those amazing pools of chocolate that you see in those Instagram photos. It is so worth the extra effort.
Spelt chocolate chip cookies are a unique version of the classic chocolate chip cookie, full of rich dark chocolate, deep flavor, and a bit of salty sweet combo.
Spelt Chocolate Chip Cookies
15 tablespoons butter
1 cup + 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
¼ cup + 3 tablespoons sugar
1 ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons flour
1 ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons spelt flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/4 c dark chocolate, chopped
sea salt, for topping
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, spelt flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Place the butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time until fully melted. Pour the butter into the bowl of an electric mixer and add the brown sugar and sugar. Mix until smooth.
Add the egg to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until glossy. Add the vanilla and mix again. Pour in half of the dry ingredients and mix until a few flour streaks remain. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the dark chocolate chunks until they are spread evenly throughout the dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set the dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. If the dough is too cold it will be difficult to scoop. If this happens, let it sit out at room temperature until it is still cold but soft enough to roll.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a small or medium cookie scoop (or a generous tablespoon as a guide), scoop out cookie dough balls and place them on your prepared sheets, with a few inches between each ball. Sprinkle them with sea salt and bake for 8-12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the tray for about 10 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool a bit more before serving (or go ahead and serve warm with melty chocolate).
Recipe adapted from Butter and Brioche
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