The "New" Chocolate Chip Cookies

As a family, we've been trying to step up our nutrition game lately (by we, I mean me). There has been some resistance among the troops, especially from the MSgt. Today was another new frontier, a healthier version of the long-time favorite, the chocolate chip cookie. By healthier I don't necessarily mean lower in fat and calories. I do mean ingredients that are closer to their natural form, less processed.

I had a little baking help today. London had a friend over to play and we were watching my friend's children. If my hands hadn't been so messy, I would have taking more during photos. But my little helping hands needed assistance. This is what a cookie sheet looks like when it is being assembled by a very creative 2-year-old.

Well, what is the verdict on the taste?

It turns out they were a hit! And all of the mess was totally worth seeing this adorable chocolate face!

So, here is the recipe that I used from www.allrecipes.com:

Whole White Wheat and Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened (I prefer organic, unsalted)

2/3 cup honey (which is easy to come by when your dad is a beekeeper)

1/4 cup powdered milk (didn't have it so I just used milk)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups stone ground whole white wheat flour (I just used whole wheat flour, didn't have any of this)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chopped pecans (didn't add this, not a nutty kind of girl)

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets (I just use parchment paper).

2. In a large bowl, mix together the butter, honey and powdered milk with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the honey mixture using a large spoon. Mix in pecans and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned. Cookies will not spread very much. Cool for a minute on the cookie sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely (if you can wait that long to sample one).

Enjoy!