Monday, February 2, 2015

Chocolate Chip Cookies I'm OK with giving my children

Sometimes you just need a treat. In this case, it was my son's 5th birthday last month and the teacher asked if I was going to bring something in for them to celebrate in preschool. I thought I could get away with not bringing anything (since we had a party which included his classmates), but I felt the mommy guilt. I didn't want to buy pre-made small cupcakes, as I always think there's way too much sugar in them, and the frosting itself can verifiably leave your kids on a sugar high for hours. So in comes #100daysofrealfood and me tweaking the recipe slightly to make that recipe even healthier. Here's the recipe for Whole-wheat chocolate chip cookies per the website. I have notes on where I changed things. You can definitely taste the lack of butter in these cookies. But you also get that wonderful coconut-ty flavor instead. 

 
Photo: Sometimes you just need a treat.  In this case, it was my son's 5th birthday last month and the teacher asked if I was going to bring something in for them to celebrate in preschool.  I thought I could get away with not bringing anything, but I felt bad.  I didn't want to buy the small cupcakes, as I always think there's way too much sugar in them, and the frosting itself can verifiably leave your kids on a sugar high for hours.  So in comes #100daysofrealfood and me tweaking the recipe slightly to make that recipe even healthier.  Here's the recipe for Whole-wheat chocolate chip cookies per the website.  I have notes on where I changed things.  You can definitely taste the lack of butter in these cookies.  But you also get that wonderful coconut-ty flavor instead. #chocolatechipcookies #coconutoil #dontfeelasguiltyeatingthese

2/3c whole wheat flour
1/2c white flour (or use all whole-wheat instead)--that's what I did
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter (8 TBSP), slightly colder than room temp.  (I substituted with coconut oil--google to see all the great benefits of cooking with coconut oil)
1/4c brown sugar
1/4c white sugar (I used mostly brown sugar)
1 tsp vanilla
3/4c choc. chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
1)  In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients with a hand-held whisk including the flour, baking soda, and salt.
In a large, separate bowl use an electric mixer to cream the butter. The butter is the KEY ingredient in this recipe and for best results it must be “slightly” colder than room temperature. 

2) Add the egg, both sugars, and vanilla to butter until well mixed. Scrape sides of bowl as necessary.

3) With the electric mixer on low, add the flour mixture (in batches) to the butter mixture.

4) With a large spatula stir in the chocolate chips.

5) If you have time, and for the very best results, it is recommended that you chill the batter for 10 – 15 minutes before putting the cookies in the oven (even if your butter was the perfect temperature!).  {Since coconut oil is room temp, I did chill the cookie dough by putting the whole mixing bowl into our deep freezer for 5 minutes.  I would've kept it there longer if I wasn't pressed for time.}

6) Put spoonfuls of batter on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 7 – 9 minutes. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
Enjoy!

2/3c whole wheat flour
1/2c white flour (or use all whole-wheat instead)--that's what I did
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter (8 TBSP), slightly colder than room temp. (I substituted with coconut oil-- see here to read all the great benefits of cooking with coconut oil)
1/4c brown sugar
1/4c white sugar (I used mostly brown sugar)
1 tsp vanilla
3/4c choc. chips


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
1) In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients with a hand-held whisk including the flour, baking soda, and salt.
In a large, separate bowl use an electric mixer to cream the butter. The butter is the KEY ingredient in this recipe and for best results it must be “slightly” colder than room temperature.

2) Add the egg, both sugars, and vanilla to butter until well mixed. Scrape sides of bowl as necessary.

3) With the electric mixer on low, add the flour mixture (in batches) to the butter mixture.

4) With a large spatula stir in the chocolate chips.

5) If you have time, and for the very best results, it is recommended that you chill the batter for 10 – 15 minutes before putting the cookies in the oven (even if your butter was the perfect temperature!). {Since coconut oil is room temp, I did chill the cookie dough by putting the whole mixing bowl into our deep freezer for 5 minutes. I would've kept it there longer if I wasn't pressed for time.}

6) Put spoonfuls of batter on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 7 – 9 minutes. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
Enjoy!