​Freshly Milled Flour Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

​These cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with flavor. Using freshly milled soft white wheat will give you the most tender result, but hard white wheat will also work well.

​Yields: About 2 dozen cookies

Prep time: 20 minutes

Chill time: 1 hour

Bake time: 12-15 minutes

​Ingredients

​2 .5 cups (300g) freshly milled Soft White Wheat flour

​1 teaspoon baking soda

​1 teaspoon baking powder

​.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon

.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg

​.5 teaspoon ground ginger

​.25 teaspoon ground cloves

​.25 teaspoon salt

​.5 (113g) salted butter, softened to room temperature

​1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar

.5 cup (100g) granulated sugar

​1 cup (225g) pumpkin puree (canned, not pie filling)

​1 large egg

​2 teaspoons vanilla extract

​1.5 cups (255g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

​Instructions

​Prepare the Flour: Mill your wheat berries to get a fine flour. Measure out 2.5 cups (300g).

​Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the freshly milled flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and all the spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves). Set aside.

​Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

​Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined. The mixture may look a little separated, which is normal.

​Combine Wet and Dry: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

​Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

​Chill the Dough (Crucial Step): The dough will be very soft. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days. Chilling prevents the cookies from spreading too much and deepens the flavor.

​Preheat and Prepare: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees f. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

​Scoop and Bake: Scoop rounded tablespoons of the chilled dough (about 1.5 tablespoons each) onto the prepared baking sheets, placing them about 2 inches apart.

​Bake: Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly browned. The centers will still look soft.

​Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

​Tips for Success with Freshly Milled Flour

​Flour Choice: Soft white wheat is ideal for a tender, cake-like cookie. Hard white wheat will also work, but the cookies might be slightly denser and chewier.  

​Moisture Content: Freshly milled flour is "thirstier" than store-bought flour. This recipe is balanced for that, but the chill time is essential to allow the flour to fully hydrate.

​Pumpkin Puree: For a chewier, less cakey cookie, you can blot the pumpkin puree before adding it. Simply spread it on a plate lined with a few paper towels and let it sit for a few minutes to absorb excess water.

​Enjoy your homemade cookies!

Crispy All-Flour Fried Okra with Freshly Milled Flour

Perfect for a pleasant early October evening here in Frisco, this recipe will give you a wonderfully light and crispy side dish for your Monday dinner.

 * Yields: 4-6 servings

 * Prep time: 15 minutes

 * Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

For the Okra & Frying:

 * 1 lb fresh, young okra pods

 * 3-4 cups high-smoke-point oil (e.g., peanut, canola, or vegetable oil)

The Wet Batter:

 * 1 large egg

 * 2 tablespoons buttermilk (or whole milk)

The Dry Coating:

 * 1 ½ cups freshly milled soft white wheat flour

 * 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for finishing

 * 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 * 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

 * ½ teaspoon garlic powder

 * ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for a little heat)

Equipment

 * Large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven

 * Two shallow bowls or pie plates

 * Tongs or a spider strainer

 * Wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet

Instructions

 * Prepare the Okra: Wash the okra pods thoroughly. Pat them completely dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel—this is the most critical step to avoid a slimy texture. Trim off the stems and slice the pods into ½-inch thick rounds.

 * Set Up Your Dredging Station:

   * Wet Batter: In your first shallow bowl, whisk the egg and buttermilk together until smooth and uniform.

   * Dry Coating: In your second shallow bowl, combine the 1 ½ cups of freshly milled flour, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper (if using). Whisk until all the seasonings are evenly distributed.

 * Heat the Oil: Pour the oil into your skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 365°F (185°C). If you don't have a thermometer, you'll know it's ready when a pinch of the flour mixture sizzles instantly and vigorously when dropped in.

 * Coat the Okra: Working in a few small batches, add a handful of okra slices to the Wet Batter and toss to coat them lightly. Use a fork to lift the okra out, allowing any excess egg mixture to drip off.

 * Dredge in Flour: Immediately transfer the wet okra to the Dry Coating bowl. Toss gently until every piece is thoroughly covered in the flour mixture.

 * Fry in Batches: Carefully place a single layer of the coated okra into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding will cause the oil temperature to drop, resulting in soggy, greasy okra. Fry for 3-5 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally, until they are a beautiful deep golden brown and crispy.

 * Drain and Season: Use tongs or a spider strainer to remove the fried okra from the oil. Let the excess oil drip off for a moment, then transfer the okra to the wire rack to drain. Immediately sprinkle with a little extra kosher salt while they are still hot.

 * Repeat: Bring the oil back up to temperature and repeat the process with the remaining okra until it is all fried. Serve immediately while hot and crispy.