Spelt has quickly become a favorite whole grain for baking in our home.
It started with blueberry muffins, and it was love from that point forward. (Does everyone have a favorite grain? This might be mine.)
The nutty flavor of spelt flour pairs really well with oats. It turns out a hearty cookie that has just the right balance of crunch and chewiness. Yummmm.
If you haven’t tried using freshly milled grains for cookies yet, this is a great beginner recipe.
Making cookies with whole grains
When I made oatmeal cookies with white flour from the grocery store, I had a standby recipe that I used for years from The Pioneer Woman.
My whole grain version is based on that recipe. I am a big fan of dark brown sugar in oatmeal cookies because it gives them a deeper flavor. Actually, I use dark brown sugar for nearly everything now.
Old fashioned oats just lends to the crunchy-chewiness factor. As for other add-ins, you can use 1.5 cups of any sweet and/or nutty combination you like:
- Chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark or white)
- Dried cranberries
- Raisins
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Dried cherries
The version I’m sharing today is for spelt oatmeal chocolate chip cookies – my kids’ request!
Texture tricks: spelt flour oatmeal cookies
Cookie texture can be a personal preference. But if you’re like me and you like crispy edges and semi-flat cookies (not puffy), here’s something I’ve learned.
You can melt the butter (which can help); or NOT melt the butter. Mess with the ratios of baking powder versus baking soda. Refrigerate the dough before baking; or NOT refrigerate the dough.
I’ve tried all the tricks and I still had trouble getting the right thickness and consistency. Then I found a few things that work if your cookies become puffy-looking while baking:
- Bang the pan down on the rack once or twice during baking to help deflate them
- Or simply smush them down after they’ve baked about 7 minutes, with a fork.
This helps especially with whole-grain recipes where you have to use a little baking powder to keep the dough from running all over the pan. It can be a hard balance between creating cookie soup, and puffy clouds!
A softer cookie recipe with spelt flour
You may decide you like the texture of these cookies as-is, or you might decide you want a softer cookie.
In that case, you can simply let the dough sit longer before baking to allow the spelt flour and oats to absorb the liquids more thoroughly. For spelt muffins, for instance, I let the batter sit on counter for about 30 minutes.
You could even prep it and then refrigerate overnight before baking.
Oatmeal Spelt Cookies with Chocolate Chips
Spelt flour makes for a heartier oatmeal cookie with a chewy, crispy texture.
Ingredients
- 2 cups freshly milled spelt flour
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup butter, melted (I like Land O Lakes)
- 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1-1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together freshly milled flours, oats, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
- In a second bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Then add the eggs and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
- Slowly incorporate the dry mixture into the wet mixture using low speed on the stand mixer. Mix just until well combined.
- Drop by rounded teaspoons onto parchment-paper lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 11-13 minutes, until edges are slightly browned.
Notes
*You can use any type of add-in such as dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, etc.
You might also like:
Favorite Sandwich Bread made with Freshly Milled Flour
Fluffy Fresh Milled Flour Waffles (with hard white wheat)