Whole Wheat Creams

Give me all the whole wheat things 

I'm a fan of whole wheat flour. I like the texture and the nutty flavor it adds to baked goods. The fiber it brings is a welcome bonus, too. Years ago, I had a small electric mill for grinding wheat berries into flour, and there was nothing better than a loaf of homemade bread, hot from the oven, made with freshly ground whole wheat. One day, my husband took a loaf to work, and when he told one of his co-workers I'd ground the wheat myself, she said, "So, is that where flour comes from?" 

We got a good laugh out of that. 

Because of my fondness for whole wheat flour, I was looking forward to testing this cookie. However, the name had me confused. A scan down the ingredients showed no cream, only evaporated milk, which made me wonder if the original recipe called for cream but Grandma had made a switch.  

I will never know. All I had to go by was the recipe in front of me, so that was the one I tested. 

How to make Whole Wheat Creams

The first step listed on the recipe card was to add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of evaporated milk. In essence, I was making the equivalent of buttermilk, or, if cream had been the original ingredient, sour cream. 

I set the measuring cup aside to let the evaporated milk sour for a bit while I moved on to the next step, the creaming of the butter and brown sugar. Actually, I say butter, but the recipe called for margarine, which I don't use in my baking. All that bad press for trans fats scared me away from it years ago. 

I added the eggs to the butter/sugar mixture and beat it until it was light and fluffy. 

I then added the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. I probably should have whisked them together first, but the recipe said to "add the dry ingredients together with the milk," so it all went in.  

I beat that together with a hand mixer, and then added the nuts. 

Next, the recipe said to drop the dough by teaspoons onto a greased baking sheet. Instead, I took out my medium scoop, which is closer to a tablespoon in equivalency. I didn't have all day and didn't want 50 small cookies, either. 

While I was at it, I decided to test a theory. I had read that cookies spread more on silicone baking mats than they do on parchment paper. So, I lined two baking sheets with each type of non-stick material, then placed scoops of dough onto each one. 

I also fiddled with the baking temperature. When I tested Butterscotch Cookies, which were very similar to this recipe, I found that baking the cookies at 350 degrees worked best. This is what each sheet looked like when I took it out. 

I didn't see a huge difference in the spreading between the two baking sheets. If anything, the cookies on the parchment might have spread more. It's also possible that my scoops of dough weren't uniform, so more testing is in order.    

After the cookies cooled, I made the glaze by placing butter, brown sugar, and evaporated milk into a saucepan. 

I heated it until the butter and sugar had melted. I then added the powdered sugar and beat it in. 

The mixture was very thin, so I added another half cup of powdered sugar. The mixture was a little thicker, but still not as thick as an icing or frosting usually is. And so it went from "icing" to "glaze" in my head. I spread a little of the glaze over each of the cookies, then let them sit for a few minutes before tasting them. 

The Verdict

They looked good, all nut-brown and caramel-colored. 

But looks aren't everything. To be honest, I was disappointed with my first bite. The flavor that struck me most was powdered sugar, which told me I hadn't let the glaze set up long enough before trying the cookies.  

I asked for opinions from the others at the table, and they assured me that the cookies were indeed good. One of our guests described them as "light" and "wholesome-tasting," and I agreed. The whole wheat flour lent them the nutty flavor I was hoping for, and they were still surprisingly light and fluffy, definitely a cake-like cookie rather than a chewy or crispy one. I was glad my guests liked them, but I still wasn't sure if this was a cookie I would ever make again. 

The next day, the cookies eyed me from the ziplock bag on the counter where I'd stored them. Give us another shot, they seemed to say. And I'm so glad I did. Frosted graham crackers were one of my favorite treats when I was young, and that's what I felt like I was eating. Only, this "cracker" was soft and thick, and the glaze tasted like a smear of brown sugar fudge.  

Yes, they were that good. 

So, if you make these cookies, don't be tempted to eat them right away. Let the flavors meld and mellow first.  

What if I don't like whole wheat flour? 

Good question. On her recipe card, Grandma offers the option of using half white flour, half whole wheat. I wouldn't go any less than half, though, or you'll lose the graham crackery flavor and texture. 

What if I don't have a mill for grinding whole wheat flour?  

Then, you're in good company because I don't either. Mine broke several years ago, so I've relied on Lehi Roller Mills, which has excellent whole wheat flour. I'm sure that King Arthur's whole wheat options are just as good. 

Now that you know where to find some good whole wheat flour, go ahead and try these cookies yourself. Happy baking!