The Best Einkorn Chocolate Chip Cookies | Fresh Milled Recipe
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies (Freshly Milled Einkorn Flour + Sourdough Starter)
These freshly milled einkorn chocolate chip cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with whole grain goodness. Made with whole grain einkorn flour and sourdough starter or kefir, they come together in under 30 minutes with no chill time required. Everyone who tries them gives them a 10 out of 10, and nobody ever guesses they are made with whole grains.
If you do not mill your own flour yet, you can buy whole grain einkorn flour online or at a specialty grocery store. And if you have sourdough starter sitting in your fridge right now, this is exactly what you should make with it.
Not if, but WHEN you make these, please send me a message through my newsletter. I would love to hear from you!😊🙌
Why These Are the Best Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Most healthy cookie recipes sacrifice something, whether it is texture, flavor, or the joy of eating one. These cookies sacrifice nothing. Here is why you are going to love them:
- Uses up sourdough starter with no waste and no guilt
- No sourdough starter? Just use kefir instead
- Ready in under 30 minutes with no chill time required
- Whole grain goodness from freshly milled einkorn flour
- Gooey, chewy center just like a classic chocolate chip cookie
- One bowl for simple, easy cleanup
- Real, organic, nutrient-dense ingredients that make you feel good about sharing them
What Is Einkorn Flour and Why Is It Healthier?
Einkorn is an ancient grain and one of the oldest forms of wheat on earth. Unlike modern wheat, einkorn has never been hybridized. That means it retains its original nutritional profile exactly as nature intended. Compared to modern all-purpose flour, einkorn is
- Higher in protein
- Higher in antioxidants, including lutein
- Richer in essential vitamins and minerals
- Easier to digest for many people who are sensitive to modern wheat, due to its different gluten structure
When you mill einkorn freshly at home, you get the full benefit of the whole grain including the bran, germ, and endosperm, along with a rich, slightly nutty, subtly sweet flavor that makes these healthy chocolate chip cookies taste extra special.
If you do not have a grain mill, store-bought whole grain einkorn flour works beautifully in this recipe too. Freshly milled just gives a slightly nuttier, deeper flavor.
Why Add Sourdough Starter or Kefir to Chocolate Chip Cookies?
Sourdough starter adds a subtle depth of flavor and a very slight tang that balances the sweetness of the chocolate chips beautifully. It also adds moisture, which is a big part of why these cookies stay so soft and chewy for days after baking. No fermentation time is needed here. Just scoop and bake.
If you do not have sourdough starter, kefir is a wonderful substitute at a 1:1 ratio. You can also use plain Greek yogurt or a 50/50 mix of flour and water by weight. The flavor will differ slightly, but the cookies will still be delicious.
Ingredients for Einkorn Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dry Ingredients
- 180g (1¾ cups) freshly milled whole grain einkorn flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 120g (1/2 cup, packed) brown sugar (I use sucanat)
- 50g (1/4 cup) white sugar (I use coconut sugar)
- 100g sourdough starter (1/2 cup) (100% hydration) or kefir
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Mix-Ins
- 1 to 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips or chunks
My highly requested cute star dishes found here ✨
How to Make Healthy Einkorn Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Add sourdough starter or kefir, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix until fully combined.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together einkorn flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Make the dough. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until no dry flour remains. Fold in chocolate chips. The dough should be soft and scoopable. If it feels too loose, let it rest for 10 minutes. Einkorn flour absorbs moisture more slowly than modern wheat and the dough will firm right up. Your hands will be sticky!
- Bake. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon portions and space them 2 to 3 inches apart on your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly underdone. They will firm up as they cool. As you can see in my video, I put 6 cookies to a pan to evenly space them.
- Cool. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. This step matters. Einkorn cookies need that resting time to set up properly.
Makes approximately 12 to 18 cookies depending on scoop size.
Watch me make these cookies step by step on YouTube at Fresh Flour Living.
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Tips for the Best Einkorn Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Do not over-mix. Einkorn has a more delicate gluten structure than modern wheat. Stir just until the flour disappears and stop there.
- Let the dough rest if needed. A simple 10-minute rest firms up sticky dough right away. Do not skip this if your dough feels loose.
- Pull them out early. Einkorn cookies look underdone when they are perfectly baked. Trust the timer and let them finish setting on the pan.
- Use gram measurements. Weighing your ingredients gives the most consistent results every single time.
- Cool your butter first. Butter that is too warm can affect the texture. Let it come down to room temperature before mixing.
- Freshly milled versus store-bought. Both work in this recipe! Freshly milled gives a slightly nuttier, richer flavor and more nutrition.
Storage Instructions
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. They actually get chewier on day two!
- Freezer (baked): Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. Reheat at 300 degrees F for 5 minutes.
- Freezer (unbaked dough): Freeze scooped dough balls and bake straight from frozen at 350 degrees F for 13 to 14 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Einkorn Chocolate Chip Cookies
Can I use all-purpose einkorn flour instead of freshly milled whole grain einkorn?
Yes! The cookies will be slightly lighter in color with a milder flavor, but they will still be soft, gooey, and delicious.
What if I do not have sourdough starter?
You can substitute kefir, plain Greek yogurt, or a 50/50 mix of flour and water by weight at the same measurement. The flavor will be slightly different, but the cookies will still turn out wonderfully.
Is einkorn flour gluten-free?
No. Einkorn does contain gluten, but it has a different structure than modern wheat gluten. It is not suitable for anyone with celiac disease. Many people with a general sensitivity to modern wheat find einkorn much easier to tolerate, but please consult your doctor if you have a gluten-related condition.
Can I make these cookies dairy-free?
Yes! Substitute the butter with melted coconut oil or dairy-free butter at a 1:1 ratio by weight. The cookies will have a slightly different texture but will still be delicious.
Why are my einkorn cookies coming out flat?
The most common reason is butter that was too warm when you mixed the dough. Make sure your melted butter has cooled to room temperature before combining it with the other ingredients. If your dough still feels too loose after mixing, give it a 10-minute rest before scooping, and that should solve the problem.
Can I add nuts or other mix-ins?
Absolutely. Chopped walnuts, pecans, or even a sprinkle of sea salt on top before baking all work beautifully with this recipe.
Why I Bake with Freshly Milled Einkorn Flour
A few years ago a podcast my sister sent me changed everything about the way I feed my family. I learned about the difference between the living nutrition in freshly milled whole grain flour and what passes for flour on most grocery store shelves. Freshly milled whole grain einkorn flour contains 40 out of 44 essential nutrients your body needs. Processed white flour contains almost none of them.
Since switching our family to real food made with fresh milled flour, the changes have been remarkable. More energy, better digestion, and we rarely get sick anymore. And the best part? My kids love eating this way. These cookies are proof that real food and delicious food are the same thing.
Whether you are brand new to einkorn baking or you have been milling your own flour for years, I hope this recipe becomes a staple in your home the way it has become in mine.
Happy Baking! Ashley 💛🍞
Watch me make these cookies step by step on YouTube at Fresh Flour Living.
Sign up here for my Newsletter!
You can also find me on Substack here!
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