Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

I had the best Saturday. I got to see two of my high school friends who were out in LA and we saw dolphins!! We were down at Venice Beach and all of a sudden I saw a dolphin jump out of the water and I literally squealed. We stood there, watching this huge pod of dolphins swim, play, and ride the waves. We were only maybe 20-30 feet away from them when they were riding inside the waves. It was seriously the best day ever. Watching the California sunset with dolphins in the forefront? Magical.

You know what is also magical? Cookies. I love cookies. Like a lot.

I've talked about it before, but cookies were the first thing I really got into with baking. Granted, I started out with those pouch mixes that you have to add butter and eggs to, but it was cookies that got me into baking and eventually baking from scratch. I also have very little self control around cookies. You need to have one fresh out of the oven, you need to eat another one once they've cooled a little. They're 2-3 bite delicious snacks and before you (I) know it, you (I) have already eaten 6 or 7 cookies with no signs of stopping.

It's dangerous.

So, for awhile now I've been trying to figure out how to incorporate whole wheat flour into cookies without destroying the delicious chocolate chip cookie flavor. Because whole wheat flour = healthy which means you can eat the 6 or 7 cookies and be fine! Right?

I found this recipe on Cookies and Cups and she got it from this adorable cookbook Weelicious Lunches. I don't have to make lunches for anyone other than myself, but I feel like the ideas in there would be awesome inspiration. Anyway, so once I saw that recipe for delicious whole wheat cookies, I knew I had to make them.

I shared them with my friends I saw while watching the dolphins and I brought the rest into work for a midnight snack for those of us who were closing. The verdict? You can't taste the whole wheat flour and they were just as delicious as usual.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes about 3 dozen

1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or parchment paper, and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together both flours, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer) beat together butter and both sugars until smooth and creamy. Add in eggs and vanilla, beating until smooth. Slowly add in dry ingredients, mixing until everything is incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.

Roll 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball. Set on cookie sheets roughly 2 inches apart.

Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet, and then transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.

[source: Weelicious Lunches via Cookies and Cups]