100% Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake Cookies

I've been craving for chocolate this week. Lucky for me, I found some chocolate chips and just enough cocoa in the pantry to make this. I called these cake cookies because texture resembles more of a cake then a typical chewy or crispy cookie. If you don't like the taste of whole wheat, you'll like these. Whole wheat and chocolate goes very well together since the chocolate masks the whole wheat flavor. 

I came up with this recipe because I had buttermilk in the fridge that I needed to use. You can swap it out for plain yogurt. I will make these cookies again but will modify it to make it more moist. However, I do recommend this recipe especially to those who are used to eating whole wheat. I love these cookies. I made a little more than a dozen and I probably at 80% of them. 

Taste: 
The sweetness from the dates complements the chocolate nicely by not overpowering the flavor of cocoa, thus giving the cookie a nice bitter-sweet chocolate flavor. The sweetness is just enough to fulfill the craving and the whole wheat makes it filling, so it is easy to stop after one or two cookies (unless you are a cookie-monster like myself). The mini chocolate chips creates contrast from the bitter-sweet cookie which adds another layer of taste to the cookie. 

I'm sensitive to sugar and I like my chocolate bitter-sweet. So if you want yours to be more sweet, feel free to add a tablespoon of agave. My husband who likes things a bit sweeter really enjoyed these cookies though. 


Texture: 
These cookies are cake-like because it is soft and fluffy from using dates and buttermilk. They may seem to be on the dry side compared to commercial cookies but it is because only whole wheat flour is used.  If not stored airtight, they will become dry the next day but will still be enjoyable. Since I never have a cookie without some sort of milk, and I am used to the flavor and texture of whole wheat, I find these cookies to be irresistible, especially when its fresh from the oven. 

Dry Ingredients 
1 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter (melted) or 6 tbs of oil (your choice)
2/3 cup cocoa powder
5 oz dates (mashed well)
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 eggs
1/2 cups mini unsweetened chocolate chips 

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease or line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Melt the butter by stovetop or with a microwave if not using oil. 
4. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter with cocoa powder until smooth. 
5. Whisk in dates. It won't mix in well but it is okay. 
6. Add the egg and whisk. The mixture will be more uniform now. 
7. Add buttermilk and stir till combined. 
8. Gradually stir in the flour mixture in three sections until no streaks of flour remain. 
9. Fold in the chocolate chips.
10. Drop dough by the tablespoon into prepared baking sheet. Leave about two inches between each cookie. If you desire a more dome shape, leave the dough as is. If you prefer a flatter shape, press down on the dough once or twice. 
11.  Bake for about 10 minutes. Cool for 2-3 minutes on a baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack with a spatula to cool completely.

*Keep a close eye on the baking time if you are using a dark colored baking sheet. Baking time is shorter and the cookies will burn more easily on darker colored baking sheets since it absorbs and retains heat. Most non-stick baking sheets are dark colored.