Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose or whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup mesquite flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 8 ounces unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups rolled oats, not instant
• 2 cups coarsely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, or chocolate chips

Directions

1. Get 2 baking sheets ready by covering them with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Heat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
3. In a bowl, whisk the flours with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, or a large bowl and your own sturdy arm, beat the butter until it softens. Add the sugar and continue beating until creamy; if you are using the mixer, stop 1 or 2 times and clear the sides of the bowl.
5. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, letting each one fully blend in before adding the next, then mix in the vanilla.
6. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing after each addition so it disappears into the dough.
7. Work in the oats and chocolate chips. At this point the dough will be quite firm, so if you are not using a heavy-duty stand mixer, go ahead and use your hands.
8. Scoop the dough onto the baking sheet in evenly spaced mounds, using a generous 2 tablespoons for each one, roughly the size of an unshelled walnut. Use your hand to gently press the tops of the dough rounds so they are slightly flattened.
9. Bake for 10-11 minutes, stopping when the cookies are only starting to set. A few minutes before they are done, open the oven door and, with a pancake turner or metal spatula, gently tap the cookie tops down so they flatten. This helps the cookies stay moist after baking. They are better a little underdone than overdone, so watch them closely near the end of the baking time.