Best Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

These easy whole wheat chocolate chip cookies are soft, perfectly chewy and just absolutely delicious. They’re also made with 100% whole wheat flour! These are my family’s favorite chocolate chip cookies and are incredibly easy to make.

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Why you’ll love these

There is nothing better than homemade warm cookies, and these whole wheat chocolate chip cookies truly deliver. They are SO good and are the most delicious and perfectly soft and chewy cookies.

The best part is that this whole wheat chocolate chip cookie recipe is made with 100% whole wheat flour and a little bit less sugar than many regular chocolate chip cookies recipes. Don’t get me wrong, we’re still using real butter and sugar here, but a little less is still a win in my book!

These cookies are also incredibly easy, use simple ingredients and they’re quick. You can mix up the ingredients in less than 5 minutes and they only take 8-9 minutes to bake.

My family requests these cookies every single week and they’re usually gone in a day every single time.

Serve these warm with a glass of milk and thank me later. The next time your sweet tooth is calling your name, you need to make these!

Ingredients

1. White or golden whole wheat flour: The secret to these whole wheat cookies is using white whole wheat flour! It still has all of the benefits of whole wheat but a much softer and less dense texture. My favorite is King Arthur Golden Whole Wheat. Regular whole wheat were work too but will be just a little more dense. All purpose flour will also work of course.
2. Brown sugar: Brown sugar is a must in chocolate chip cookies for me! I like to use light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar will work too. You can also sub white sugar of course!
3. Salted butter: To keep these cookies as classically delicious as possible, you’ll need that real butter flavor! I like to use salted butter but you can always use unsalted butter and add a little bit of extra salt into the batter.
4. Egg: Just one egg helps to keep the texture perfectly chewy and not too cakey.
5. Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract is a must in chocolate chip cookies. This one is my favorite!
6. Baking soda: Baking soda helps the cookies rise and spread and maintain their perfect texture!
7. Salt: Salt brings out the sweetness of these cookies and pairs perfectly. I like to do 1/4 tsp plus a little pinch extra, or sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top.
8. Chocolate chips: For classic chocolate chip cookies, I always use my favorite semi-sweet chocolate chips. There’s nothing better than lots of melty chocolate chips! You can also use dark chocolate, lower sugar chocolate chips or dark chocolate chunks.

How to make whole wheat chocolate chip cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, add softened butter and brown sugar. Using a whisk or hand mixer, cream butter and sugar together. Note: to quickly soften butter, slice into thin slices and microwave in 5 second increments until softened (if there are small amounts of melted butter, that’s okay!)

3. Next, add vanilla and egg to the butter and sugar mixture. Whisk or use a hand mixer until just combined.

4. In a separate bowl, add dry ingredients: white whole wheat flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until combined. Note: You can also add this directly to the bowl of wet ingredients, just be sure to sprinkle the baking soda and salt evenly.
5. Combine the flour mixture with the butter and sugar mixture with a wooden spoon until just combined (do not over mix). Fold in chocolate chips.

6. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop 12 equal scoops of cookie dough onto the parchment paper. You can also form with your hands and then place dough balls on the prepared baking sheet.

7. Bake for 8-9 minutes at 350 degrees. You’ll notice that the tops look soft but the edges and bottom will start to become golden brown. Cookies will set as they cool, do not overbake.

How to store

• Room temperature: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days for max freshness.
• Freezer (baked cookies): Freeze baked cookies in a freezer safe container or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Separate each cookie with parchment paper to prevent sticking during the freezing process.
• Freezer (cookie dough): Freeze raw cookie dough scoops in a single layer on a parchment paper lined sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw for a few hours or overnight before baking.

Recipe tips

1. Choosing the best whole wheat flour: Regular whole wheat flour does work for these cookies, but you’ll find that the texture is much denser. Personally, these are my favorites:
   • King Arthur Golden Whole Wheat (hands down my favorite and best texture!)
   • Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
2. Don’t over bake: I’m pretty certain that every cookie recipe says this, but for the best chocolate chip cookies, don’t over bake! When they first come out of the oven they will be very soft but they’ll set as they cool. You’ll notice that the tops are very soft and pale but the edges and bottom will be slightly golden brown.
3. Line your baking sheet: Be sure to line your baking sheet with either parchment paper (I love these pre-cut sheets) or a silicone baking mat. This ensures that your cookies won’t stick to the pan!
4. Don’t over mix your dough: Over mixing your cookie dough can lead to too much gluten development and tough, dense cookies. Whole wheat flour is already denser than white flour, so you want to make sure that you mix until just combined.

Shop this recipe

These are my favorite cookie baking items that I use nearly every time I make cookies!

• Cookie sheet
• Pre-cut parchment sheets
• Silicone baking mat
• Cookie scoop
• Electric mixer

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