The Flavorful Flour You Should Use To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies

Baking chocolate chip cookies is an activity that brings comfort to people all over the world. The aroma that fills the home, the soft, chewy consistency of each bite, and the sweet, warm medley of chocolate and dough provoke pleasant memories. Over the years, chocolate chip cookies have consistently ranked at the top of America's favorite cookie lists — and for a good reason. One of the most classic dessert recipes of all time, the chocolate chip cookie recipe can be easily modified to satisfy various palates. Some bakers love adding ingredients like candies, oats, nuts, raisins, sea salt, and even savory spices such as cayenne pepper.

Several chocolate chip cookie enthusiasts also play around with swapping basic ingredients out for new ones, whether to abide by specific diets or enhance their flavor. Thankfully, an array of flours are available on the market, many of which can accomplish both of these feats. For instance, rye flour, which is used to make rye bread, offers a slew of health benefits and is the key to whipping up a batch of mega-tasty, surprisingly elegant cookies, per Healthline.

Rye flour is a force to be reckoned with, and not just for the famous sandwich bread with an earthy tang. As it turns out, rye flour also makes a beautiful addition to numerous baked goods recipes, including –  of course — cookies. King Arthur Flour, the world's OG flour brand, explains that rye flour contains trace amounts of gluten, lengthens the shelf life of foods in which it's used, and amplifies the natural notes of chocolate.

The ever-legendary Christopher Kimball, the co-founder of "America's Test Kitchen" and "Cook's Country" and creator of Christopher Kimball's Milk Street, is a firm advocate of using rye flour in homemade chocolate chip cookies. He recently shared his recipe for "grown-up" chocolate chip cookies, in which he blends all-purpose flour with toasted rye flour to yield tenderness and nuttiness. Kimball expertly illustrates that rye flour's subtly bitter profile helps to level the sometimes overwhelming sweetness of the iconic cookie, resulting in a complex yet oh-so-simple treat.