Originally posted September 16, 2011

Mesquite-optional Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe calls for mesquite flour. When I found this elusive flour at SF's natural foods mecca Rainbow, I balked at paying $10 for a box. So, I decided to make the cookies without this ingredient. They turned out delicious, but since Heidi Swanson raves about the flavor of mesquite flour in her book I may break down and buy it next time. Note that this recipe makes A LOT of cookies (about 3 dozen). Although they stayed fresh for many days and I was able to share with neighbors, next time I think I'll halve it in deference to my waistline.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup mesquite flour, sifted if clumpy (optional; use additional ww pastry flour if not using this ingredient)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups natural cane sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2-3 dozen

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375º, position the racks in the upper half of the oven, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, then beat in the sugar until it's the consistency of a thick frosting. Beat in the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times. Stir in the vanilla until evenly incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in 3 increments, stirring between each addition. At this point you should have a moist, uniformly brown dough. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips by hand, mixing only until evenly distributed.

Scoop 2 tablespoons for each cookie (I use a medium cookie scoop) onto the baking sheets and bake for approx 10 minutes, until golden on top and bottom. Don't overbake; if anything, underbake. Cool on wire racks.

30 minutes active prep