You can't go wrong with back-of-the-bag chocolate chip cookie recipes. I have too many favorites including the King Arthur flour bag cookie recipe called Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies. It's from the back of the red and white all-purpose flour bag, and it's a classic.
King Arthur vs. Neiman Marcus Recipe
The King Arthur flour bag chocolate chip cookie recipe is like the famous Neiman Marcus urban legend recipe. It has the ground oats, but it does not contain a grated chocolate bar. Aside from the oats, it's pretty basic, which is probably why it's on the back of the bag. To jazz it up you can use different kinds of chocolate and high quality chips. But honestly, and this will sound weird, the best way to make these cookies better is to age the dough. As someone who bakes cookie dough almost every day, I can tell you that cookies made aged dough have more depth of flavor and more contrast in texture if you chill the dough for at least 48 hours.
King Arthur Flour Bag Cookies Variations
Along with letting the dough chill for a while, a few more ways to make the cookies better are to toast the oats before grinding, increase the salt a bit (I use 1 teaspoon) and add a little cinnamon. Using vanilla bean paste in place of regular vanilla extract is another good trick. Here's the basic recipe in case you don't have a bag of King Arthur flour on hand.
Recipe
King Arthur Back of the Bag Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups oats, quick or old fashioned (240 grams)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour (240 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (230 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar (200 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 12 oz chocolate chips
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
Instructions
- Pur the oats in a food processor and grind until you have a fine powder. Mix them with the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, then set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars until light and creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended, scraping side of the bowl often.
- Stir in the flour mixture, chocolate and nuts.
- Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees.
Anna says
Jen, a cup of packaged finely ground oat flour is supposed to weigh 120 grams. Since the weight of the oats in the recipe is 240 grams, you might want to start with 1 2/3 cups oat flour (200 grams) and then if it seems to loose add a little more. The reason I wouldn't start with 240 grams of oat flour is because the packaged kind is so finely ground it might be more absorbent than the kind you make yourself. You might even want to start with 1 1/2 cups of oat flour, then add more if needed.
Jen says
Any idea how much oat flour = the 2 1/2 cups oats, ground? I also have some oat flour to use up!
thanks!!
Sue K says
I think the state fair cookies is why I have oat flour to use up, lol!
I love the dried cranberry idea! If Lee tries that I hope they post about their results! I am loving all things dried cranberry lately.
Anna says
Sue, you can compare them to the Minnesota State Fair Cookies which also have ground oats.
Anna says
Sure! Those would be great, especially with the ground oats.
Lee R says
Can you add dried cranberries?
Sue says
Yesterday I was looking at that recipe on the bag of the King Arthur AP flour bag and considering making it! I have some oat flour to use up that I might try instead of grinding my own.