A Better-For-You Chocolate Chunk Cookie
I’ve been making some version of this chocolate chunk cookie ever since I started teaching cooking classes at Rancho La Puerta in 2015. Students are always amazed to learn that this decadent little cookie, with it crispy crags and chewy center, is gluten-free, dairy-free, and made with olive oil instead of butter. This recipe is based on Lindsay S. Love’s chickpea cookie recipe in her book Chickpea Flour Does It All, a great resource for chickpea-loving cooks. In my version, I use a duo of buckwheat and chickpea flours, plus some natural cacao powder for even more brain-friendly flavanols.
Since these are my “better-for-you” cookies, I looked at every aspect of the recipe through the lens of brain health.
Whole food goodness with chickpea and buckwheat flours
First up are the whole food flours. Chickpea flour, also called garbanzo bean flour is a great brain-healthy alternative to processed white flour. Despite having wheat in its name, buckwheat flour is a grain-like seed, not a type of wheat. Both chickpea and buckwheat flours are high in protein, healthy fats, minerals, and antioxidants. The fiber in this combination of flours slows down the absorption of the sugar. All this means that just one (or maybe 2) of the cookies can satisfy a sweets craving.
To sweeten the dough, I call for coconut palm sugar. It’s my go to when baking since it has a slightly lower glycemic index than refined white sugar meaning it’s less likely to spike your blood sugar.
Baking with olive oil instead of butter adds healthy fats
Olive oil stands in for butter, adding a subtle grassy flavor that accentuates the dark chocolate. Olive oil provides mostly monounsaturated fats and anti-inflammatory polyphenols, making it a better choice for brain health. And its savory qualities make the cookie less sweet.
Dark chocolate is rich in brain-healthy flavanols
Finally, I use chocolate with 60% or more cacao content, which means more flavanols — phytonutrients with antioxidant properties. If you are short on time, you can substitute dark chocolate chips instead of chopping up a bar of chocolate, however they won’t be as pretty as the hand-chopped chunks. After rolling the dough into balls, I press a piece into the top of each cookie. This creates a nice puddle of melted chocolate to catch the final sprinkling of flaky salt.
It may be better-for-you, but a chocolate chunk cookie is still a treat!
Even though my better-for-you cookies pack in tons of brain-healthy ingredients, I still consider them treats. The MIND diet recommends enjoying up to 5 servings of sweets per week. I try to avoid eating store-bought pastries, cookies, and cakes; most are laden with unhealthy oils, refined white flour, and too much sugar. So when I crave a crispy, chewy, not-too-sweet chocolate chip cookie, these really satisfy. The dough freezes well, too, so you can bake some now and roll the dough into balls and freeze for later. Defrost at room temperature for about 30 minutes before popping them in the oven.
Servings |
cookies
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- ¾ cup chickpea flour
- ¾ cup buckwheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup natural cacao powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup coconut palm sugar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons water optional
- 6 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate, 60-70% cacao about 1 cup
- Pinches Maldon salt or other flaky salt
Ingredients
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- In a large bowl, whisk together the chickpea and buckwheat flours, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.
- Combine the sugar and olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and beat again until smooth. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
- Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides again. Add the optional water if baking at an altitude above 6000 feet.
- Separate about 2 tablespoons of the larger pieces of chocolate to press into the tops of the cookies before baking. On low speed, fold in the rest of the chocolate, then scrape down the sides and mix until evenly incorporated.
- Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out the cookie dough, roll into a ball, and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between cookies. Press a chocolate piece onto the top of each cookie. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight, tightly covered with plastic wrap.
- Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are set. The center of the cookies will still be soft but will finish cooking as they cool. Sprinkle the top of each cookie with a pinch of flaky salt.
- Let the cookies cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. (This allows them to finish cooking.)
Don't skip chilling the dough before baking or the cookies will turn out flat and crispy, not chewy.
If baking at high altitude (above 6000 feet), add the optional water to the dough.
To store: These cookies are best the same day or the day after baking. Cookie dough freezes well in an airtight container for up to three months.
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