These delicious and unusual cookies are from the cookbook “The Miller’s Daughter: Unusual Flours & Heritage Grains,” written by Emma Zimmerman.
Emma runs Hayden Flour Mills along with her father, located in Queen Creek, Arizona. The recipes all focus on whole grains and oats. There are interesting recipes using farro, barley and ancient grains such as einkorn. You can visit the mill if you’re in that area of Arizona, and I highly recommend it. They are a small family operation and will welcome you to tour their mill and try their products. I’ve visited many times and was a recipe tester for this cookbook.
I did not test these cookies until after the cookbook was published, but they have become a favorite. The recipe uses rye flour, which gives them an exceptional flavor. For the bourbon, I substituted Screwball Peanut Butter whiskey. Peanut butter and chocolate are a favorite combination of mine, and they came out quite nice. You can eliminate the bourbon and use the same amount of brewed coffee if you prefer.
Don’t miss the sprinkle of coarse salt on the top of each cookie before they go in the oven. It makes for a nice sweet and salty crunch.
Makes 24 cookies
115 g (4 oz) dark or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
115 g (4 oz/1/2 cup) unsalted butter, chopped
140 g (5 oz/1 cup) rye flour
40 g (1 ½ oz/1/2 cup) unsweetened dark cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
2 tsp expresso powder
215 g (7 ½ oz/1 cup) light brown sugar
200 g (7 oz/1 cup) granulated sugar
¼ tsp fine sea salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 T bourbon (or brewed coffee)
255 g (9 oz/1 ½ cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Flaky or coarse sea salt for sprinkling
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Melt the chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Heat slowly in 10-second increments, stirring until melted and combined. You can also do this over a pot of simmering water on the stove. Set aside.
3. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and espresso powder.
4. Using a stand or hand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix both sugars, salt, eggs, vanilla and bourbon. Stop the mixer and add in the melted chocolate and butter. Stir until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand.
5. Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between to allow for spreading. Do not press the cookies flat, they will spread out as they bake. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of flaked or coarse salt.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until just set in the middle. Cool before eating — though I couldn’t wait that long.
Reprinted with permission of Hardie Grant Books and Emma Zimmerman, Copyright 2022.
