These spelt chocolate chip cookies are easy to make with a bowl and a spoon and require no chilling before baking. They're made with 100% ancient spelt flour and turn out chewy, buttery, and filled with melty chocolate chips.
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Classic chewy chocolate chip cookies made with whole grain flour.
Yield: 22 cookies
Similar to: Einkorn Chocolate Chip Cookies
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About spelt flour
Spelt is an ancient form of wheat, with a unique genetic makeup that makes it easier to digest and more nutrient-dense than modern wheat.
- Higher in protein, minerals, and fiber.
- Delicate gluten structure makes it easier to digest.
- Has a subtle earthy, nutty flavor that's more flavorful than modern wheat.
- Requires less kneading (in bread recipes) due to its fragile gluten structure.
For more information: Grand Teton Ancient Grains - What is Spelt?
Ingredients and substitutions
- Spelt flour - This recipe is written specifically for spelt flour. Modern whole wheat can work as a substitute. If you'd like to use all-purpose flour instead, follow my recipe for No Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Mix-ins - Chocolate chips and walnuts can be substituted with your favorite mix-ins, like other flavors of baking chips, raisins, or M&M's candies.
How to make spelt chocolate chip cookies
- Stir wet ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add dry ingredients and stir to combine, then mix in chocolate chips and walnuts.
- Portion onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake until the cookies look set and lightly browned across the top.
Heather's Top Tip
For accurate results every time, use a kitchen scale to measure flour by weight. If you don't have a kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method. Stir the flour (especially if it's been packed down in a bag/container), then gently spoon into the measuring cup, leveling off the top with a knife. Scooping with a measuring cup compacts flour into the cup and adds up to 25% extra to the recipe, resulting in dry, bland cookies that don't spread properly.
Tips and tricks
Bring egg to room temperature quickly - Place whole egg into a bowl and cover with very warm tap water. Your egg will come to room temperature in about 10 minutes using this method.
Mix until just combined - This dough comes together easily with a wooden spoon. Spelt's gluten structure is weak and can break down quickly if overworked, so there's no need to use a mixer.
Frequently asked questions
There are several spelt farmers and millers in the US and abroad. Here are my favorite vendors for purchasing whole wheat spelt flour:
- Barton Springs Mill
- Amazon - Bob's Red Mill
- Central Milling
No, spelt is a type wheat and forms gluten. However, spelt has a weaker gluten structure than modern wheat and is often easier to digest for most people.
No. Spelt is considered a medium-soft wheat (National Library of Medicine), and acts much like a modern soft wheat in baking. It creates a tender, moist crumb and is ideal for baked goods like cookies, muffins, and cakes.
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📖 Recipe
Spelt Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (150 g) spelt flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup (56 g) chopped walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (do not grease your baking sheet, this causes the cookies to spread more). Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Stir to combine. Add egg and vanilla extract and stir until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the spelt flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir dry ingredients into butter mixture until just combined. Add chocolate chips and walnuts and stir until just combined.
- Divide dough into 22 balls (1.5 tablespoons each) and place 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 12-14 minutes, or until lightly browned and set across the tops.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Mix-in variations: Substitute some or all of the chocolate chips and walnuts with your favorite mix-ins like butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, or chopped pecans.
- Cookie storage: Cookies will keep for 5-7 days in a sealed container. To help keep cookies fresh, place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread slice as needed.
- Freezing: Cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw on the countertop for 1 hour to bring to room temperature.
- More tips: Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cookies, based on reader comments and questions!
- Whole wheat spelt flour measurements: 1 cup = 100 grams
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!