Brown Butter Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I was in preschool, we made Valentines for our parents that said “I love my parents because ________.”  I’m sure the other little kiddos said things like “…because they love me” or “…because they give me great hugs”.

I said, “I love my parents because they let me eat white bread.”

Seriously!  True story.  Real life.  I love my parents because they let me eat white bread.

If that isn’t a MAJOR RED FLAG for a future foodaholic, I don’t know what is.

Even at the ripe age of four years old, I knew what was up.  Sliced white bread, that’s what.  For the next 20 years, it was a serious struggle to get me to eat whole wheat anything.  Now that I’m older, wiser, and watched enough “This is Why You’re Fat” documentaries to last me a lifetime, I know that white flour = bad and whole wheat flour = good.  But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop eating white flour anytime soon.

However, thankfully, miraculously, Trader Joe’s has started selling white whole wheat flour!  I’m not entirely sure of the nutritional specifics, but it’s basically the best thing that’s ever happened to me.  Whole wheat flour that looks and tastes white??  All over it.

So I’ve fancied up my standard chocolate chip cookie recipe with healthy whole wheat flour and BROWN BUTTER.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if you’ve never browned butter before, STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING, drop everything, and go do it RIGHTNOWTHISMINUTE.

I can’t even talk to you about how many spooncupfuls of this cookie dough I ate.  But if we’re being honest with each other…at least 15.  Oh, and I’ve gone on Facebook 3 times since Lent started.  I hope this doesn’t hurt my chances of getting into heaven.

As a former whole-wheat-hater, you know that if I’m saying whole wheat cookies are good, they’ve gotta be really good. And these are better than good.  The whole wheat flour gives them more depth of flavor and a crumblier texture, and the brown butter gives them a nuttiness that is IMpossible to resist.   Dare ya.

Brown Butter Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

yield: about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, browned
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour*
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

*If you can’t find white whole wheat, sub 1 cup whole wheat flour + 3/4 cup white all-purpose flour.

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Allow it to bubble, swirly constantly, until it starts to brown.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl of the bowl of a stand mixer, beat brown sugar, sugar, browned butter, and shortening until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; blend well.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture slowly to the butter mixture; beat on low until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool on a wire rack.