Oatmeal whole wheat Chocolate Chip

 Whole wheat Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from smitten kitchen 

https://smittenkitchen.com/2020/09/whole-wheat-chocolate-oat-cookies/

From Deb:

This makes just a small batch, perfect for our weekday needs. I promise you will not regret it if you make double. I like these cookies best with old-fashioned rolled oats, the heartier, the better texture. [I’m using Bob’s Red Mill here.] I’ve made these before with medium rye flour, instead of whole wheat, and they were delicious. I make these with a leveled 3-tablespoon scoop, this one. Baked right after you mix it, the cookies can can spread to about 3.25 to 3.5″; after chilling in the fridge, even just a couple hours, they stay more heaped when they bake, spreading only to 3″. If you don’t have raw sugar, just use more brown sugar.

• 4 tablespoons (50 grams) raw or turbinado sugar
• 1/2 cup dark (95 grams) light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature for a hand-mixer; cold is fine for a stand-mixer
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup (95 grams) whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup (25 grams) wheat germ, wheat bran, oat bran, or a finely chopped nut of your choice (I like walnuts)
• 1 1/2 cups (120 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips, or semisweet chocolate, chopped into chunks
• Flaky sea salt, if you wish

Heat oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, beat sugars, butter (if cold, in chunks), and salt together until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until mixed. Sprinkle baking powder and baking soda over batter and beat until very well-combined, then a few more times around the bowl. Scrape bowl down. Add flour, wheat germ, oats, and chocolate and mix just until the flour disappears. 

Arrange 3-tablespoon mounds of cookies 3 inches apart on the baking sheet. Sprinkle each with a couple flakes of sea salt. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Cookies will be golden brown all over. Remove from oven and let set up on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. 

Extra dough will keep in fridge for 3 days, and longer in the freezer. I like to scoop then freeze it on a tray; once solid, I’ll pack them tightly in a freezer bag. You can bake them directly from the freezer; it usually only takes 1 to 2 minutes longer. Cookies baked from cold will spread less. Makes a dozen.

My thoughts: 

1. Made this easily in an afternoon, chilled dough for a few hours and baked at night. 

2. I used volume, not weights. 

3. I used a mix of rye and whole wheat pastry for the flour (I was trying to finish off a little bit of rye so it worked out nicely). I used the turbinado sugar, and finely chopped walnuts. I used a mix of bitter and semisweet chocolate chips. I ended up mixing the dry ingredients (besides the baking powder and soda) together just for ease, and I’d do that again. Yeah it dirties another bowl but I think it mixes in easier. Did a little fleur de sel on top. 

4. Took about 12.5 minutes in my oven. The way I rolled them out it made 15 balls.

5. Would totally make again. Would use walnuts again, though I’d want to try the wheat germ eventually. It’s overall a sweet cookie, so I think bittersweet or a mix works just fine— could consider a mix of unsweetened and semisweet too. I understand why this is the “house” cookie and it may just become ours too.