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Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and chewy in the middle with slightly crispy edges and lots of melty chocolate chips. This healthier twist on a classic is easy to make and has a delicious nutty flavor that will bring you back for seconds – or thirds!
I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating… chocolate chip cookies are absolutely irresistible! There’s nothing else that quite compares to a warm, gooey cookie full of melted chocolate and rich flavor. You agree. I know you do 😉And this recipe for whole wheat chocolate chip cookies is no exception! Wait, hold up. Whole wheat, Heather?! Yup. Stick with me…If you’ve never baked with whole wheat flour, let me reassure you that it is just as easy and actually surprisingly delicious! Whole wheat flour has a rich, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the chocolate and brown sugar in this recipe, so you would never know you were eating a more nutritious treat.
Recipe Ingredients
- Whole wheat flour – My favorite is King Arthur Flour, but any whole wheat flour will do.
- Baking soda – This is a leavening agent that helps the cookies rise. Make sure yours is fresh to avoid flat cookies.
- Baking powder – Same as the baking soda, baking powder will help the cookies rise. Check for freshness before using.
- Kosher salt – Adds just enough saltiness to balance the sweetness and draw out the flavors of the flour.
- Unsalted butter – Since we are adding salt, the butter can be unsalted.
- Granulated white sugar – Granulated sugar sweetens the cookies without making them too dense.
- Light brown sugar – Brown sugar adds extra flavor to the cookies and also makes them slightly more moist. You can substitute dark brown sugar if you don’t have light.
- Vanilla – Vanilla adds just enough depth of flavor to round out the whole recipe. A little goes a long way.
- Eggs – Use large eggs and bring them to room temperature before baking. If you’re in a time crunch, try submerging the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5-8 minutes to bring them to room temperature faster.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – Semi-sweet is my preference, but you can also substitute bittersweet.
How to Make Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1: Preheat and prepare cookie sheets.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper (or a silicone baking mat).
Pro Tip: I prefer parchment paper because it results in crispier bottoms, and less spreading in the oven.
Step 2: Combine dry ingredients.
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. We need to sift our dry ingredients which will help aerate our whole wheat flour, which can be a bit on the heavier side compared to all-purpose flour. This will help lighten our cookies overall. So don’t skip the sifting!
Step 3: Cream butter and sugars.
With an electric mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula scrape down the bowl.
Pro Tip: Mix on MEDIUM Speed. If you mix too high, or too long, you will incorporate too much air into your cookies and cause them to spread too much while they bake.
Step 4: Add vanilla and eggs.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix just until combined.
Step 5: Add dry ingredients.
Add dry ingredients all at once and mix on low until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Pro Tip: Stir in the last of the flour and chocolate chips with a spatula. This will ensure you don’t overmix your cookies making them tough.
Step 6: Scoop the cookies.
Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or a tablespoon scoop the cookies into 1 ½ inch balls onto prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
Step 7: Bake and cool cookies.
Bake cookie sheet on the middle rack for 16 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will still look soft. Remove from the oven and let cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
- Measure flour carefully. Whole wheat flour is more dense than white flour, so you don’t want to overmeasure. Use a kitchen scale for exact measurements, or use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a butter knife. Don’t pack the flour down.
- Soften your butter correctly. The butter should be softened to room temperature, which means you can slightly indent your thumb into the butter but shouldn’t easily smoosh all the way through. For a more detailed guide on how to soften butter for cookies, check out this post: What Butter Does in Cookies.
- Don’t overmix. As with all baking recipes, overmixing causes tough, dense dough. Mix until just combined.
- Don’t overbake. For that signature soft, chewy center with slightly crispy edges, you can’t bake the cookies too long. The centers should still look slightly soft when you take them out of the oven. They will continue cooking slightly on the cookie sheet.
Recipe FAQ’s
Can you freeze these cookies?
Yes! You can never have too many cookies on hand in the freezer. 😉
To freeze unbaked: Make and scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Freeze the cookies on the sheet until solid, then store in an air-tight zipper bag or container. Bake straight from frozen, just add 1-3 minutes of extra baking time.
To freeze baked: Cool baked cookies thoroughly, then freeze until solid. Store in an air-tight zipper bag or container. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for a few seconds to re-warm.
For a complete tutorial, be sure to read my postHow To Freeze Cookie Dough
Why did my cookies spread so much?
If your cookies spread or got very flat, it is likely due to one of these 8 reasons. Try reading through the list to pinpoint the problem.
For this recipe in particular, it is important to start with room temperature butter (not too soft! See the notes in the recipe) and to measure the flour correctly to prevent flat cookies. You could also try refrigerating the dough a bit before baking if your cookies usually spread.
What kind of flour do I use for these cookies?
You can use 100% whole wheat flour, or try white whole wheat flour which gives a softer texture.
Why did my cookies get so hard after baking?
This could be because you overbaked the cookies. If the dough is too warm (remember that chilling time!) then it could cause them too spread too much resulting in a cookie that gets too thin and gets too crispy and hard.
Your oven temperature may also be too high. I recommend using an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is running at the correct temperature.Click here to read more about using your oven properly when baking.
More Recipes To Try
- Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Russian Tea Cake Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Kiss Cookies
- Lemon Cookie Recipe
- White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and chewy in the middle with slightly crispy edges and lots of melty chocolate chips. This healthier twist on a classic is easy to make and has a delicious nutty flavor that will bring you back for seconds – or thirds! Adapted from the cookbook Good to the Grain.
4.80 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 336kcal
Author: Heather Perine
Equipment
Parchment paper (or silicone baking mat)
Cookie scoop (optional)
Ingredients
- 3 cups (339 g) whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup (99 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (320 g) light brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups (12 oz, 340 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper (or a silicone baking mat).
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.Set aside.
With an electric mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula scrape down the bowl.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix just until combined.
Add dry ingredients all at once and mix on low until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or a tablespoon scoop the cookies into 1 ½ inch balls onto prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
Bake cookie sheet on the middle rack for 12-14 minutes, until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will still look soft. Remove from the oven and let cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Measure flour carefully. Whole wheat flour is more dense than white flour, so you don’t want to overmeasure. Use a kitchen scale for exact measurements, or use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a butter knife. Don’t pack the flour down.
- Soften your butter correctly. The butter should be softened to room temperature, which means you can slightly indent your thumb into the butter but shouldn’t easily smoosh all the way through.
- Don’t overmix. As with all baking recipes, overmixing causes tough, dense dough. Mix until just combined.
- Don’t overbake. For that signature soft, chewy center with slightly crispy edges, you can’t bake the cookies too long. The centers should still look slightly soft when you take them out of the oven. They will continue cooking slightly on the cookie sheet.
- Storage: Can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 251mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 320IU | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg
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