Salted Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup medium rye flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into rough chunks
• 2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rye flour, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt. Whisking thoroughly prevents pockets of leavening and helps the rye distribute evenly through the dough.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until creamy and slightly lighter in color. Scrape the bowl once or twice so there are no dense streaks of butter at the bottom.
3. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Beat until the mixture looks smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute. The extra yolk gives the cookies their soft center and helps balance the structure of the rye flour.
4. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until a few flour streaks remain. Add the chopped dark and milk chocolate and fold with a spatula until evenly distributed. The dough will be thick but not dry.
5. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon portions, about 45 grams each if using a scale. Arrange the dough balls on a parchment-lined tray, cover, and chill for at least 1 hour. For deeper flavor, chill up to 24 hours.
6. When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Place chilled dough balls about 3 inches apart. If the dough has chilled overnight and feels very firm, let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking.
7. Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly underbaked. For rounder cookies, place a large round cutter or glass over each cookie immediately after baking and gently scoot the edges into shape.
8. Press a few extra chocolate shards into the hot cookies if desired, then sprinkle each cookie with a small pinch of flaky sea salt. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 8 minutes before transferring them to a rack.
9. Repeat with the remaining dough, allowing the baking sheet to cool between batches so the cookies do not spread too quickly.

Tips

• Measure rye flour carefully. Too much can make the cookies cakey instead of chewy.
• Chopped chocolate creates varied pools and thin shards throughout the dough, but chocolate chips can be used in the same weight.
• A one-hour chill is the minimum for best texture. Overnight chilling creates a deeper flavor and slightly thicker cookie.
• Pull the cookies when the centers look soft. They continue setting on the hot baking sheet.

Storage

Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To refresh, warm a cookie for 8 to 10 seconds in the microwave. Unbaked dough balls can be frozen for up to 2 months; bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1 to 3 minutes as needed.

Variations

• Espresso rye cookies: add 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients.
• Hazelnut chocolate cookies: fold in 1/2 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts with the chocolate.
• Orange chocolate rye cookies: rub 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest into the sugars before creaming.
• All dark chocolate: use 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate for a less sweet cookie.

Nutrition note

Nutrition depends on cookie size and the chocolate used. These cookies are made with butter, sugar, and chocolate and are intended as a rich homemade dessert.

FAQ