Yesterday we woke to a cold, rainy, gray day. It was a good reflection of my mood as I rolled out of bed, feet hitting the ground to start the day. February has a way of getting to me. Although our winter has been milder than usual, we’ve still had our share of dreary days. For a person like myself that loves sunshine and warmth it begins to take a toll. Seasonal affective disorder? Maybe. I prefer to just chalk it up to the February blahs. I’ve felt it coming on for the last week, and knowing that this happens every winter I try little things to pull myself out of it. I’m a full believer that being active makes for a happier state of mind, so ignoring the gloom lurking in my thoughts, I made a plan for the day. It involved baking and cookies…lots of cookies.
Awhile ago I read this post on, ‘Not Without Salt’ about ‘Random Acts of Cookies‘. I often share the extras of my baking adventures with neighbors, but this idea was a bit different. It’s about surprising friends, neighbors and loved ones with baked goods. How can you not love that idea? We have a neighborhood full of kids so I knew it would take a recipe that made a lot of cookies, so I turned to my grandma’s chocolate chip cookie recipe. It makes a whopping 3 dozen cookies, the perfect amount to share and have a few left over for the my own family.
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs or equivalent using Ener-G egg replacement
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
3 cups chocolate chips, milk chocolate or semi-sweet
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine butter, sugar and brown sugar, beat until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Gradually add to wet mixture until well combined. Add in chocolate chips and pecans. Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees. Allow to stand 2 minutes before removing from baking sheet. Cool completely.
We packed up the cookies in brown sacks and tied on a little note. The boys ran around the neighborhood delivering them. I could hear their laughing and voices in the air as they raced around the neighborhood, returning home with big smiles on their freckled faces. It was just enough to chase Tuesday’s gray away.
March begins tomorrow…spring cannot come soon enough.
Alison
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7 comments
I’m going to try this recipe this afternoon. I’ve been having a hankering for chocolate chip cookies, but wanted a recipe that uses whole wheat flour – this is perfect! Thank you!
I definitely love the random acts of cookies
What an awesome way to chase away the February Blahs! And I love the recipe! I still haven’t found the perfect whole wheat chocolate chip cookie recipe so I think I need to give yours a try 
Love this. What a great way to shake the winter blahs! I had been considering baking cookies this afternoon. Now I will most certainly be baking cookies.
Nice! In my neighborhood, a “whopping 36 cookies” would hardly be enough to share “all over the neighborhood”!
Leah–I guess that’s one of the perks of living in a small town…small neighborhoods.
Brooke–I hope you enjoyed your afternoon of baking.
Heidi–I think these are pretty good. The whole wheat pastry flour keeps them being from too heavy versus using just whole wheat flour. I hope you enjoy them!