Putting a Breton twist on Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies! Today’s recipe revisits the American classic recipe of Chocolate Chip cookies, with the use of buckwheat flour and sea salt – two staple ingredients from my home region Brittany. Buckwheat flour gives earthy and nutty flavors to these chewy cookies, boosted with sea salt that is used both inside the dough and sprinkled over top.
If you think chocolate chip cookies couldn’t get any better – just wait, and try!
Buckwheat, a staple ingredient in Brittany.
I have always had a fondness for alternative flours, especially buckwheat flour. Buckwheat, known in French as “blé noir” or “sarrasin”, is a central ingredient of Brittany cooking. It features in many of our local specialties, like savory buckwheat crepes or the earthy kig ha farz meat stew. I enjoyed this flour all throughout my childhood in France and I have always loved it for its distinct earthy and nutty flavours.
Buckwheat flour is gluten-free which makes it a good choice for anybody with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. It is packed with nutrients and versatile. It is also widely available and a great choice for anyone just starting to play around in the kitchen with alternative flours.
Notes on Buckwheat flour in the US/Canada and in France
Since starting this blog, I have had a lot of people asking me about buckwheat flour. The question that I get the most is what brand/type of buckwheat flour to buy in the US/Canada to recreate the same taste and look as in France? Most people point out that buckwheat flour is much darker in US/Canada, resulting in darker results in baked goods and crepes.
What I have found from my experience of juggling back and forth between North American and French flours is that the French buckwheat flour is usually sold as refined, whereas buckwheat flour in North America is usually left whole-grain.
The un-refined buckwheat flour found in North America is grainier and darker in color. It will for instance give you crepes that are much darker in color and with a more assertive taste. Examples of such North American whole-grain buckwheat flours are Bob’s Red Mill Organic Buckwheat Flour and the one you can find in bulk at a store like Bulk Barn.
Refined French buckwheat flour is usually more fine, almost powdery and lighter in color. An example of French buckwheat flour is Treblec’s, which is sold everywhere in France, and online. This is probably one of the most famous brands, and one that I grew up enjoying for making crepes.
I personally have no objection using either kind of these buckwheat flour – whole grain or refined. I just know what to expect. For instance, these Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies will end up darker and earthier in taste when using whole grain buckwheat flour. Or they will end up lighter in color and more subtle in taste if using French Treblec’s flour (which I always have a bag of in my pantry!). I love both results – so I am fine with this difference.
But if I make a batch of buckwheat crêpes and want them to be like the ones I enjoy in France, I make sure to use French Treblec’s buckwheat flour.
A few more cooking tips:
-
- Make sure you use unsalted butter. This recipe calls for adding 2 teaspoons of sea salt flakes (or fleur de sel) which will provide plenty enough salt for the cookies. If you use salted butter, your cookies will likely be too salty in taste.
- Melt the butter about 30 minutes before you start the recipe. Set aside and let it cool down to room temperature.
- Choose good quality sea salt flakes such as Maldon. Fleur de sel is also a great choice, such as Le Saunier de Camargue.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips are perfect here. Milk chocolate chips work great too. I also love these cookies with pecans – in this case, use 1 cup of chocolate chips and ½ cup chopped pecans.
I hope you’ll love these Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt as much as I do!
You may also like:
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram: tag @pardonyourfrench and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench. Bon Appetit!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Privacy Policy & Disclosure page for more details.
27 comments
[…] via Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt — Pardon Your French […]
This has become my family’s favorite during quarantine! I’ve experimented using whole wheat flour in place of all purpose flour and they’ve turned out great as well! 🙂
Amazing, thank you for your feedback Caroline!
I made these today and they’re fabulous! I was lucky enough to have one, as the kids inhaled them within minutes! Your recipes are always simply wonderful 😊
Thank you for your great feedback Andrea!
These are the best cookies I have ever had!!!! Going in the recipe box forever!! These are a keeper! Thanks for sharing this recipe ♥️ I subbed Whole Wheat flour for the AP flour and it worked great!
Amazing, thank you for this great feedback! Chocolate + buckwheat is a winning combo 🙂
Bonjour! We have a difficult time finding brown sugar here in Aix-en-Provence. Am I looking in the wrong section of the grocery?? Any suggestions?! Love your recipes!! Merci!
Bonjour! Vergeoise can often be found in organic aisles or organic/bulk shops, called “bio” in France. If you really can’t find any, using classic white sugar will work as well. Happy baking!
These are excellent! Crispy with a hint of salt makes them addictive. Love the addition of buckwheat flour.
Amazing, thank you for your feedback Anne!
Way too salty and I love salt… Used maldon flakes and unsalted butter. Surprised this didn’t come up in the previous comments. I also used 1/4 cup less sugar and halfed chocolate chips with pecans yet it was still so sweet. Next time I will half the salt and sugar completely.
Hi Sara, thank you for your feedback! I love this cookie recipe, and I know other people love it too! But I also love when people adjust my recipes to fit better their taste, which you did – and I am sure other readers will find your feedback helpful!
I’m used to making soft chocolate chip cookies. These are crispy, still have a very good flavor!
Thank you for your feedback! These cookies definitely have crisp edges!
Oh my goodness these are so good!! My co-workers will be very impressed when I bring them in 🙂 Excellent recipe!!! Merci Audrey!!
Fantastic, thank you for your feedback!
This look so good! What a great way to add a different healthy element to this treat!
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?
Up to 1 weeks in a cookie jar or up to 2-3 weeks in the fridge. Happy baking!
Hi Audrey,
I am English & live in Charente Maritime.
I look forward very much to your recipes & have made several of them.
My family & friends – English & French have enjoyed them so thank you very much.
Colette Rowsell
SO happy to hear this. Glad you’ve enjoyed the recipes so far – and hope you continue to enjoy them as well!
Your recipe looks great, but I need to make these gluten free. What do you suggest in place of the all purpose flour?
Hello, Lorie. In full honesty, I have never made these gluten free. But, I have been told repeatedly that King Arthur makes a very good quality, cup for cup, gluten free flour. Would it work out exactly as written, I can’t say for sure… But those who use it tend to say it works perfectly. I would give that a shot (if you can find it).
Hi Audrey,
I just made the cookies. They did not turn out as beautiful as yours but I was expecting that: I used a gluten free all purpose flour and i know you cannot just substitute. But… they taste fijne. Next time I will use a little less sugar for they are too sweet for our liking and I will try to find a better substitute for the all purpose flour. Maybe oats. I’d love to send you a picture but I don’t see how I can.
Tineke
Thank you for taking the time to reach out. Tineke! So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Never worry about the look of your cookies. We all strive for a perfect look, but sometimes the batter says otherwise! The taste is what matters most, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with using a bit less sugar if that’s to your taste.
I’m not sure where you live, but I know people in the USA absolutely rave about King Arthur gluten-free flour. So if you’re there, might be worth investing in a bag. I know not all gluten-free flours are made equal, and finding one that works can be a challenge.