Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I thought I'd try a classic, no-fuss recipe this week. I've become a chocolate fan only within the last few years, so my first love of cookies is oatmeal. However, few people seem to be able to resist the chocolate chip cookie, so I love combining the two. It seems to please everyone! Something few things can achieve.

I found a NY Times article claiming they tested the ultimate cookie recipe, so I had to pursue this challenge. The list of ingredients gave me a bit of a problem, but worked out fine in the end. It seems if there was a Whole Foods in town, things would have gone a lot smoother. I had to settle for pastry flour as a substitute for cake flour, as well as chocolate chips in lieu of chocolate disks or fèves.

I was able to use my mortar and pestle for the first time! The sea salt was beautiful, but a bit too large in my opinion for a cookie topping. I ground the sea salt down to table salt size (I imagined crunching on salt and didn't think that would be appetizing while trying to enjoy the cookie). The bitterness of the salt brings out the chocolate and sugars, so omitting it would be taking away a delicious element.

The cookie was not as sweet as my palate likes, but it was not a disappointment. This cookie is richer and overflows with homemade taste. It can not be mistaken for a store bought cookie. The recipe is simple and quick for such a satisfying treat. I may not agree it's the ultimate recipe, but it will remain on my cookie recipe list for future treats.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Printable Recipe

2 cups, minus 2 tbsp, organic cake flour (8 1/2 ounces)

1 2/3 cups organic bread flour (8 1/2 ounces)

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cup brown sugar (10 ounces)

1 cup + 2 tbsp organic sugar (8 ounces)

2 large eggs

2 tsp organic vanilla

11 ounces dark chocolate chips/disks/fèves (at least 60% cacao)

1 cup organic whole grain rolled oats

sea salt

Sift the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and Kosher salt together; set aside. Cream the butter and sugars together for 5min. Then add the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla. Reduce speed to the lowest setting and slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Turn the mixer off and pour in the chocolate and oats. Turn the mixer back on to the lowest speed and mix until just incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350*F and prepare a cookie sheet with wax paper.

Scoop 5-6 large balls of cookie dough and form into spheres (3 1/2 ounces or large golf ball size). Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 20min.

Carefully pull the wax paper off the cookie sheet and allow the cookies to cool.

Continue baking or put remaining dough back into the refrigerator to cook another time (dough can remain refrigerated for 72 hours total). Yields between one and two dozen cookies, depending on size.

~Adapted from NY Times.