Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies--best I've ever had.

Tyrone and I are leaving tomorrow for a whole week on his family's farm in Maine, and I was completely agonizing over what to bring. I mean, his family grows their own vegetables, raises chickens and lambs, and eat basically all organic, so I wanted it to be something special and something that needs natural ingredients.
So after reading David Lebovitz's post about Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies, I suddenly got the hankering to know what mesquite flour smelled like. I literally couldn't find it anywhere. I ordered it online (impatiently waited) and took a big whiff and just HAD to make these cookies.

I used Callebaut chocolate chips, which just melted perfectly and has a great flavor. I think you can use regular granulated sugar, but the light brown turbinated sugar really makes a chewy, soft cookie, so I would recommend following these perfect ingredients.

This makes a ton of batter, so I ended up freezing about half of it. It's easiest if you form them into mounds for freezing so you can just pop them in the oven later.


Ingredients:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup  mesquite flour
1 teaspoon  baking powder (you can buy aluminum-free if you want to be really conscience)
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups natural cane sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
 
2. In a medium-large bowl, sift together both flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk it all together to make sure it gets really well mixed. Set aside.
 
3. In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter with a mixer until soft. Add the sugar and beat until creamy. Scrape down sides of bowl as you go.
 
4. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating each into mix after adding. Add vanilla.
 
5. Add flour mix in 3 batches, mixing in after each. Around the last batch of the flour mixture, the batter starts to get really stiff. I switched over to a wooden mixing spoon, then switched to my bare (clean) hands to add the chocolate chips and rolled oats.
 
6. Add chocolate chips and rolled oats, and make sure to mix these in really well. Every individual cookie will depend on it!
 
7. Drop 2 tablespoon sized mounds evenly spaced onto prepared baking sheets.
 
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes until they just begin to set. They will not look like they are done, but they are. Take them out! No overbaking allowed!
 
 

David gave a really great tip, which I think can be applied to all chocolate chip cookies. When you pull the cookies out of the oven, tap them very lightly with the back of a flat, metal utensil (big spoon/spatula) to get rid of any peaks. This will help to keep them moist.
 
Let them cool completely on pan. And then just put them right in your mouth, you won't regret it. And thank god for the huge amount of batter, or there's no way I would share these.