Buckwheat Chocolate Chunk Cookies

published Feb 24, 2023
Kitchn Love Letters
Post Image
Credit: Marcella DiLonardo

You'll love these thin cookies with next-level crispy golden edges and the gooiest center. Buckwheat adds a little texture and a hint of nuttiness.

Serves16 (3 1/2-inch) cookies

Prep35 minutes

Cook10 minutes to 15 minutes

Jump to Recipe
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
Credit: Marcella DiLonardo

You can never have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes in your repertoire. It’s one of the most popular cookie recipes to make at home, but perfecting such a classic baked good isn’t easy.

As a professional recipe developer and cookbook author, there was a lot to figure out when working on my perfect chocolate chip cookie. So many questions ran through my head. Do I want chocolate chips or chocolate chunks? Milk chocolate or dark chocolate? Thin or thick cookies? Chewy or crispy? I ultimately landed on the chocolate chunk cookie recipe that landed in my cookbook, Bake The Seasons. And it even has a little secret ingredient: buckwheat flour. Now let’s break down what makes these cookies so darn good!

The Chocolate

I am a chocolate chunk girl all the way because they melt into the cookie so much better. In contrast, chocolate chips hold their chip shape even after they are baked due to their waxy coating. I also love the size variation that the chunks give. This recipe also doesn’t make you choose between milk chocolate or dark chocolate because it has both! The inner kid in me loves milk chocolate way too much to leave it out, and I think the sweetness balances out the bitterness from the dark chocolate perfectly. Always use good-quality chocolate — especially when it is the star ingredient.

The Texture

This recipe yields a slightly thin cookie with the crispiest golden edges and a gooey center — just how a chocolate chip cookie should be! It calls for mostly all-purpose flour, with a touch of buckwheat flour. This addition adds a delicate texture and a hint of nuttiness. Lastly, a finish of flaky salt on top adds the perfect amount of crunch. Flaked salt just makes everything better — what can I say?

Buckwheat Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe

You'll love these thin cookies with next-level crispy golden edges and the gooiest center. Buckwheat adds a little texture and a hint of nuttiness.

Prep time 35 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes to 15 minutes

Serves 16 (3 1/2-inch) cookies

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons

    (1 stick) unsalted butter

  • 1

    large egg

  • 1 1/4 cups

    all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup

    buckwheat flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    baking soda

  • 2 1/2 ounces

    dark chocolate (not chocolate chips)

  • 2 1/2 ounces

    milk chocolate (not chocolate chips)

  • 3/4 cup

    packed light brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup

    turbinado sugar

  • 1 teaspoon

    vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon

    flaky salt

Instructions

  1. Place 1 stick unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer). Place 1 large egg on the counter. Let both sit at room temperature until the butter is softened.

  2. Place 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup buckwheat flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Coarsely chop 2 1/2 ounces dark chocolate and 2 1/2 ounces milk chocolate into pieces no larger than 1/2-inch (about 1/2 cup each).

  3. Add 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/2 cup turbinado sugar to the bowl of butter. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

  4. Add the egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and beat on medium speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the attachment with a flexible spatula. With the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined, about 1 minute.

  5. Add both chocolates and fold together with the spatula by hand until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 48 hours.

  6. Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

  7. Divide and scoop the dough into 16 portions (about 3 tablespoons or 45 grams each). Form each portion into a ball and place 8 on each baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart. Press down on each to flatten slightly to about 3/4-inch thick and 2 inches wide. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flaky salt.

  8. Bake for 6 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets between racks and from front to back. Bake until the edges are set and the centers are still soft, 4 to 7 minutes more. Let cool for at least 15 minutes on the baking sheets before serving.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The dough can be made, scooped out, flattened, and frozen on a baking sheet until frozen solid. Transfer to a plastic zip top bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in a single layer on a baking sheet in the refrigerator and sprinkle with flaky salt right before baking.

Storage: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks.