Alright people. Suit up. Gather your armor. We’ve got another holiday to dive into.
I’m talking about Valentine’s Day.
Now listen…. I don’t care where you stand on the Valentine’s Day issue. I don’t care if you’re single or married or smitten or bitter. Valentine’s Day exists… there’s no ignoring it. Flag day we can ignore. Arbor day we can half acknowledge…. but Valentine’s Day, we just have to get in there and deal with.
It’s like going to the dentist… but more romantic (or something).
Maybe you can sorta tell how I feel about Valentine’s Day. Maybe you can sorta tell I’m not that into it. I’m not angry or bitter… it’s just never been a day that’s bowled me over. Wait… is that an expression?
When I was 17, my first boyfriend made me something from his pottery class for Valentine’s Day… that he then took back and gave to another girl. It sounds way more upsetting than it actually was. I remember totally not caring. Aaaannnnddd…that’s that. Moving on.
Let me tell you about these cookies. They’re certainly not your typical rolled out sugar cookie.
These cookies are loaded with good quality cocoa powder and stone ground whole wheat flour. I like them quite a lot. They’re slightly crisp around the edges and soft in the center. The cocoa adds… you know… lots of yumyum. The whole wheat flour adds a nuttiness and makes the cookies more of a mouthful than plain old all-purpose flour. I love the combination.
I topped these cookies with a generous sprinkling of granulated sugar and thought they were just divine.
I bought myself two awesome early Valentine’s Day presents.
The Jamie at Home cookbook. So beautiful! I mean… swooooon! I can’t wait to dive into this book.
And, of course, Ree’s new book. And she signed it. And all is well.
Boooya(kah)!
Whole Wheat Chocolate Brown Sugar Sugar Cookies
Makes: about three dozen cookies
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fit with a paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugars. Beat until well incorporated. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. Add the egg. Beat on medium speed until mixture is glossy and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Stop mixer and add the dry ingredients all at once. Mix on low speed until all of the flour is incorporated Stop mixer and finish incorporating ingredients with a spatula. Spoon batter out onto a sheet of waxed paper, and form loosely into a log. Roll and seal cookie dough and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Once chilled, divide dough in half and place one half on a lightly floured counter surface. Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll out dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Use a heart shaped (or whatever) cookie cutter to cut out cookies and place dough on prepared baking sheet. Very lightly brush cookies with water and sprinkle with granulated or turbinado sugar.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Roll and cut cookies, re-rolling the dough once or twice, until all cookies are cut and baked.
Cookies will last, in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to five days.
Emily
ha! loved the intro to this post – cracked me up! totally sums up howiI feel about this holiday: suck it up and get through! and i bet the irish biddies i work with would loooove those cookies with their morning cuppa tea on monday!
monikapaprika
These sound and look amazing, Joy! I’ve been looking for a whole wheat cookie recipe to try :)
Lauren at KeepItSweet
My biggest issue with sugar cookies is generally the lack of chocolate, looks like you just solved that problem!
Lynn
Thanks for sharing an alternative chocolate cut out cookie recipe!!
Very lovely!
Ruthie
Hiya Joy, I love, love, love your site! I am always excited to read new postings and your recipies are always fab. Even better would be if one or two of your yummy photos could appear in the printable versions. That would make me very happy…but either way I will be continuing to print and bake your recipes!! :-)
MaryMoh
These are really lovely. You have made a healthier version with whole wheat.
The MuffinTin Post
I’m not the biggest fan of Valentine’s Day myself, but I love it for it’s baking purposes! It’s the only time of year that I don’t feel weird dying things pink and making them into heart shapes. (Except for when I’m making Rice Krispie treats. Then it’s always acceptable).
Monique
Now I know what I will be doing this weekend! Thanks Joy!!
btw the Jamie at home is my all time favorite book. Untill your book comes out.. Now there’s a Valentines present to wish for one day. :-)
joythebaker
that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said.
Anita
Oh Joy, what a good idea to buy yourself some Valentine’s presents! I love Jamie & Ree – good choice!
Those cookies look nice but sugar cookies aren’t really my thing – your hot fudge cupcakes are my Valentine baking plan, those & some Banoffi! Look out thighs!
Three-Cookies
Love the photo – leaning tower of cookies:)
Emily
Yum! These cookies sound flavorful with the whole wheat flour and good cocoa powder. Nice new books!
Silvia
I was just wondering which cookies I could bake, and voilà, a great idea!
Erin
Call me a freak, but what most appeals to me about these cookies (apart from their delicious taste and wholesome-ness) is their gorgeous colour. Seriously. Reddy-brown deliciousness right there.
They make me want to paint them (while simultaneously eating them, for inspiration of course) and use a lot of burnt sienna paint.
Yum.
Dwelling on the Positive
These sound delicious- and healthy enough to eat for breakfast! ;)