Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

I've been haunted by this skillet cookie I previously posted for a few weeks now. It's too easy to pull together ingredients and have a finished baked product (all in one pan!) in 20 minutes. So when I saw 101 Cookbooks recent post about a similar recipe, but with whole wheat flour, I was very intrigued. If I could make the skillet cookie and be healthy, all my problems would be solved (sort of).

So I made this WHOLE WHEAT skillet cookie, which does require a little more effort and time than the other one, and the verdict? While the cookie was very good, the texture wasn't as tempting. I could not taste the whole wheat flour at all. The only evidence was a slightly sandy texture. Also this recipe makes more dough than the other one, so the cookie rose during baking, but then sunk after cooling, leaving a thick edge, which was a little weird. Eating this warm is best, because the gooeyness is good no matter what. But after it cooled, I would rather eat a regular chocolate chip cookie. I feel the same way about the other skillet cookie as well.

Here's a photo of the cookie just out of the oven (see gooeyness). However, it did firm up after cooling off.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
from 101 Cookbooks

3 cups / 13.5 oz whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus more for buttering the pan

1 cup / 5 oz dark brown sugar
1 cup / 7 oz sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped into 1/4- and 1/2-inch pieces

Preheat the oven to 350°F degree oven, with a rack in the middle. Butter a 10- or 11-inch ovenproof skillet, one that is at least 2-inches deep. If you're unsure, measure, because if you use a too small skillet, you'll have a messy overflow.

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

In another large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and the sugars. Mix just until the butter and sugars are blended, about 2 minutes using the mixer on low speed. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl along the way. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is combined. Mix in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and blend on low speed until the flour is barely combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Add most of the chocolate to the batter. Mix just until the chocolate is evenly incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then scrape the batter out into the skillet, pressing it out into an even layer. Sprinkle any remaining chocolate across the top, and casually press it into the dough a bit, just enough that it isn't riding directly on top of the dough.

Bake the cookies for 35-45 minutes, or until until the dough is a deep golden brown along the edge, and the center has set. Remove from oven and let cool a bit before slicing into. Cute into wedges or small squares.

Makes one large skillet cookie, which you can cut into as many cookies as you like.