Graham chocolate chip cookies

I have always loved graham cracker, so I was extra excited for this cookie. I used to love the chocolate covered graham crackers at Starbucks, and before it closed nearby there was a graham cracker flavored frozen yogurt at 16 Handles that I would get every time I went. I wanted to honor the flavor of graham cracker in one of my all time favorite desserts - a cookie!

Different from my cinnamon graham cracker cookie recipe, this chocolate chip relative is thicker and studded with both semi sweet chips and chopped milk chocolate. I used a combination of semisweet Guittard chocolate chips and a chopped milk chocolate bar from Lindt (here is the exact one - it's their extra creamy excellence bar). Just in case you use different chocolate or different amounts, I'll share the carb count so that it's easy to swap in your favorite kind.

Folded in with the dry ingredients is crushed up graham cracker. I used a standard honey graham cracker, so any one that you can find at the store will do. If you have a food processor you can use it, but I put the graham cracker sheets into a plastic bag and used the flat side of my meat tenderizer to crush the graham into a powder and I think it works great that way. It also makes it so the graham is finely crushed enough but not completely consistent which adds some variety to the overall texture.

This dough comes together quickly, and chills in the freezer once scooped for 2-3 hours before cooking - and the wait is so worth it!

Ingredients:

Batch of 10 cookies:

• 1 stick (half cup) unsalted butter at room temperature

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 large egg

• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 4 sheets crushed graham cracker (about 2/3 cup)

• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• 1 1/2 - 2oz chopped milk chocolate (half of a 3.5oz bar - I used this one)

Batch of 20 cookies:

• 2 sticks (one cup) unsalted butter at room temperature

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 8 sheets crushed graham cracker (about 1 1/3 cups)

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• 3.5oz chopped milk chocolate (one 3.5oz bar - I used this one)
  

Cooking time: 30 minutes (plus time to chill in the freezer for 2-3 hours)

Cooking instructions:

Remove your butter from the fridge so that it can come to room temperature. In the meantime, prep your graham cracker and milk chocolate.

For your graham cracker, you can place it into a plastic bag and use the flat side of a meat tenderizer to crush your graham - you can also use the back of a flat pan, or a food processor if you'd like. For your milk chocolate bar, use a sharp knife to chop your chocolate down so that it's to your desired size. Set both ingredients aside.

Place your butter and both sugars into your stand mixer with the paddle attachment secured. Note: if your butter is not at room temperature already, you can either place it first into the microwave for 5-10 seconds, or mix your stand mixer at a vert low speed for 30-60 seconds until your butter is softened.

Bring your stand mixer slowly from a low to high speed and allow it to combine the butter and sugar for 1 minute. While this is mixing, grab your egg and vanilla extract (select the right amount based on how many cookies you're making).

Pause your stand mixer, and scrape down the sides of your butter and sugar mixture as well as your paddle attachment to ensure that no pockets of butter and sugar go unmixed. Then, add your egg and vanilla extract to your butter and sugar. Slowly bring your stand mixer back to a high speed and allow it to combine your mixture for 2-3 minutes. Slowly reduce the speed again, scrape down the sides of your mixture and paddle attachment.

Get your dry ingredients ready. Measure out your flour, baking soda and powder, and salt and whisk them together with your crushed graham cracker.

Pour in your combined dry ingredients to your butter mixture, and start your mixer at a slow speed. Bring it up to a medium speed, mixing until just incorporated. If needed, you can pause, scrape down, and mix again or finish combining with a spatula, but be sure not to over mix at this stage.

If you'd like to, at this point you can reserve a small amount of your chocolate to top your dough with. Add in your chopped milk chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips to your batter, and turn your mixer on for 30 seconds or so to incorporate your chocolate.

Onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, use a large cookie scoop (or large spoon) to portion out your dough (it should make about 10 or 20 cookies depending on what size you chose). If you reserved some chocolate, place them on top of your scooped dough and gently press down to slightly flatten your dough balls using the palm of your hand. Place your cookie dough into your freezer for about 2-3 hours so your dough can set.

When you're ready, preheat your oven to 325 degrees. If you want to bake all of your cookies, grab another cookie sheet and ensure your cookies are spaced out enough (these cookies bake thick but they do spread). Bake for 15-17 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy!

If you saved some of your dough for later, allow it to freeze for another 10-12 hours (up to 24 hours) on your baking sheet, then transfer your dough to a plastic bag or airtight container and store in the freezer. Bake with the same instructions above any time!

Carb and serving info:

Servings: 10 or 20 cookies

Carbs per serving: 34.8

10 cookies

Carbs in full recipe: 347.7

Carbs in full recipe without chocolate: 297

20 cookies

Carbs in full recipe: 695.4

Carbs in full recipe without chocolate: 594

Note: Carb information is calculated based on the specific ingredients I used to cook with to help guide my own insulin to carb ratio when dosing before I eat my home cooked recipes.