For years I thought I didn't like buckwheat flour, but when I got into gluten-free baking, I discovered there were different types, dark and light. The kind I didn't care for was dark buckwheat flour, which is made from ground buckwheat groats and the hull. But the light buckwheat flour, which is made without the hull, is completely different. It has mild pleasant flavor and works well in things like these Buckwheat Chocolate Chunk Cookies. They have just a hint of buckwheat flavor and bake up with a delicate crumb.
Jump to Recipe
Buckwheat Chocolate Chunk Cookies
These chocolate chip cookies made with buckwheat flour are spawned from an old and very simple recipe in Bon Appetit, which starts with melted butter and doesn't require an electric mixer. I've made my own changes like adding cinnamon and using a little molasses for extra flavor and texture. I've also experimented with browning the butter and think these cookies are better without it. The gently melted butter plus the cinnamon, vanilla and molasses give the cookies plenty of flavor. And then there's the texture, which is light and chewy. My last batch reminded me of Wegmans' chocolate chip cookies, but a little bumpier from the buckwheat. Results may vary from kitchen to kitchen depending on how you measure your flour.
Cookie Size, Batch Size
You can make these large or small. For the large cookies, use a very generously rounded medium size scoop and large chocolate chunks or chips. For smaller chocolate chip cookies just use a level medium size scoop and regular size semisweet chocolate chips. The cookies in the first picture are the large ones from a yield of 16. The regular size ones look like this and you should get 28.
Gluten-Free Buckwheat Cookies
The recipe can be made with all-purpose or bread flour, but you can definitely make them with different gluten-free blends. For instance, I've tested with 135 to 140 grams of Cup4Cup standing in for the all-purpose. The Cup4Cup works well and gives them an even chewier texture. I haven't tried them with any other commercial or homemade blend other than the Cup4Cup.
Recipe
Buckwheat Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks (114 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon of molasses plus 1 teaspoon of vanilla if not using the paste
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar, packed (130 grams)
- 1 large egg (48 grams)
- 2 large yolks
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or equivalent Cup4Cup (GF blend) (135 grams)
- ½ cup buckwheat flour (65-70 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 8-10 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips or wafers or a mixture or for smaller cookies, about 10-12 oz regular size semisweet chips
- Maldon sea salt or smoked Maldon sea salt
Instructions
- Gently melt the butter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl using a lower heat setting or just melt it in a saucepan.
- Let butter cool slightly, then add the vanilla, molasses and cinnamon. Allow the butter to cool completely.
- When butter is cool, using a rubber scraper, beat in the sugars, egg, and each yolk.
- Whisk together the flour, buckwheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly blended.
- Add the flour mixture and stir until you have a soft dough.
- Add chocolate chips or chunks and stir until blended. You can add them all at once, or hold some back and stick them in the formed dough rounds.
For Large, Soft Cookies (Makes 16)
- Scoop out generous size mounds with a medium size scooper. Put in a zipper bag or on a plate with plastic wrap to cover, and chill for 24 to 48 hours. You can go ahead and bake one or two right away if you like, but the texture will improve so much if you let the dough rest.
- Bring however many dough balls you want to cook back to room temperature. You can bake them from cold as well, but they come out with more crinkles and crevices if you start them at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange cookie dough rounds a few inches apart and bake for about 14-16 minutes. About 2 minutes before the time is up, remove from the oven and bang pan slightly against the counter. Continue baking. Times will vary, so be sure to check cookies often.
Smaller Cookies (Medium Scoop) Makes 28
- For smaller cookies, use regular size semisweet chips, scoop with a medium size cookie scoop to make about 28 cookies. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes.
- After the first 10 minutes, remove the tray from the oven and bang it gently on the rack or the counter to flatten cookies. Return to oven and let bake for the last 2 minutes or until nicely browned.
- Slice parchment sheet onto the counter and let cookies cool on the parchment paper.
Sue K. says
These sound delicious and interesting!