Liana’s Kitchen: A Wholesome Chocolate Chunk Cookie Recipe

These cookies are so gooey, buttery, and addictive, you would never guess they were made with whole wheat flour and olive oil (there’s no butter in them at all!) Both ingredients, along with maple syrup, brown sugar, and pecans, add an earthy, complex flavor to an otherwise classic cookie. 

½ cup olive oil

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup maple syrup 

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for sprinkling

1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour

4 oz high-quality dark chocolate, cut into chunks

¼ cup finely chopped, toasted pecans

Note: Feel free to add more pecans and reduce the amount of chocolate chunks if you prefer a less chocolatey cookie. 

1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper (or use one sheet and bake cookies in two batches.)
2. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Stir in egg and vanilla until smooth. Add baking soda and salt. Stir in whole wheat flour until just combined. Mix in chocolate chunks and pecans. 
3. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough around an inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of sea salt. 
4. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until edges, begin to turn golden but cookies remain gooey. Transfer to a cooling rack. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. 

Yields 28 cookies 

Liana’s Kitchen is a column by Michigan-based chef and foodie Liana Grey. Check out her food blog Bakerwithoutborders.