Big and Chewy Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

To get a flavorful, and tender, cookie, we use date puree to replace three-quarters of the butter. Browning the remaining butter concentrates and boosts its flavor, adding just enough richness to mask the slight fruit flavor from the dates. The browned butter also allowed us to cut the amount of chocolate chips back to 1/2 cup.

To make sure each cookie contains some chips, press a portion of the chips over each dough ball just before putting the cookies in the oven.

Dried dates can be found in the nut and dried fruit section of the supermarket. Be sure to buy dates that are still supple.

 

Link to: Chocolate Chip Tasting

 

To download this recipe as a Word document, click here.

Makes 18 cookies

1 cup water

4 tablespoons chopped dates

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Bring water to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add dates and simmer until tender and most of water has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Using rubber spatula, press dates through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl. Scrape dates remaining in strainer into bowl (you should have 1/4 cup puree). Cook butter in small saucepan over medium heat until nutty brown, about 4 minutes. Let cool.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat melted butter, brown sugar, and date puree in large bowl until blended. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined. Reserve 2 tablespoons chips, and stir remaining chips into batter by hand.

4. Following the steps below, form dough into 18 cookies and space them 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Press remaining 2 tablespoons chips evenly over cookies.

5. Bake until edges are light golden brown and centers are soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating baking sheet front to back halfway through baking. Cool cookies completely on baking sheets. Serve. (Cookies will keep in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

 

PER COOKIE: Cal 120; Fat 3 g

STEP BY STEP: The Jagged Edge

1. Roll 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball. Hold the dough ball with the finger-tips of both hands and pull it into two equal halves, creating jagged edges.              

2. Rotate the cookie halves so that the jagged surfaces are facing up. Press the two halves together at their base so that they form a single ball.

3. Space the balls of dough, jagged side up, 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.