Kinda Healthy-ish Chocolate Chip Snacking Cookies

Sometimes I'm in the mood to eat a lot of little things, instead of one big thing, you know? Well, obviously somebody out there knows what I mean -- how else can you explain the success of White Castle? Is it healthier to eat ten little hamburgers rather than one enormous one? Debatable. Is it more fun? Unequivocally, yes.

Hence, the allure of the "snacking" cookie. It's not a full-fledged dessert, I tell myself, it's just a wee snack. When I first started making mini-cookies, I just used my grandmother's (cough, Tollhouse, cough) recipe, until one evening, when I was on my second handful and realized that it might be worth trying to make them just a touch healthier.

Don't get me wrong, these are not health food. As a general rule, I like to let a cookie be a cookie, which means that it's sugary and buttery and altogether fabulous. This cookie is not ooey-gooey decadent, but it does crisp up nicely, and the natural sugar gives it an almost spicy flavor. The fact that it also has a bit less saturated fat and less refined sugar and flour is just an added bonus.

Kinda Healthy-ish Chocolate Chip Snacking Cookies

NOTE: I don't have a food processor (if destiny has a heart, one day...), but a trusty spatula works just fine for this batter.

• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup white flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup Florida Crystals or other unrefined sugar
  
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 egg whites
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup miniature chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and place one rack in the middle of the oven. Have a baking sheet at the ready.

Whisk together the flours, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, applesauce, and sugars until light and fluffy. It might look a bit more liquid than you're used to, but trust me, it'll all be okay. Beat in the egg whites and vanilla, scraping down the sides as you go. Add the reserved flour mix in three increments, making each new addition when the previous one is just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Drop by teaspoons onto the cookie sheet, one to two inches apart (after all, they don't get too big) and bake for 9-10 minutes, until edges are barely golden. Cool on racks.

Makes about 90 mini-cookies, roughly 24 modest servings.