Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
It doesn’t get better than homemade chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven, especially when they include dark chocolate and flaky sea salt! These Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies are sweet, salty and utterly addictive, and get rave reviews every single time!
There’s nothing more nostalgic than warm, homemade chocolate chip cookies. My mom used to bake them occasionally when I was growing up, and I loved helping her roll the cookie dough into balls and bake them up.
The crisp edges, soft middles and melty chocolate got me every time. 🙂
I know that everyone has their own personal preference when it comes to the perfect recipe, but I prefer my cookies thick and chewy.
It took a few batches to perfect the recipe for these Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies, and I’m so happy with the results. They’re my idea of the perfect cookies!
Unless of course we’re talking about my Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie, which is even thicker, chewier and easier to make. 🙂
If you need a vegan option, be sure to try these delicious vegan chocolate chip cookies!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This chocolate chip cookie recipe results in perfectly thick and chewy cookies that are studded with dark chocolate chips and are finished with flaky sea salt.
- They’re easy to make and get rave reviews every time!
- They may be customized with your favorite chocolate chips or add-ins.
- They’re freezer friendly!
Recipe ingredients
This recipe includes all the ingredients you’ll find in classic chocolate chip cookies. It’s no secret that I love salted chocolate (especially dark chocolate!), so I’ve include dark chocolate chips and flaky sea salt in this recipe to make them extra special.
The best part about this recipe is that it can be customized with what you have on hand as outlined in the ingredient notes below.
Ingredients notes
- Unsalted butter. Use unsalted butter in order to control the sodium in the cookies. Pro tip: get room temperature butter quicker by cutting it into small chunks and let stand at room temperature.
- Sugar. This recipe includes a combination of granulated and brown sugar. The brown sugar contains molasses, which adds some moisture for a chewy texture as well as flavor. It also contains acidity, which reacts with the baking soda to enhance leavening or create a puffier cookie.
- Eggs. Use large eggs in this recipe. Pro tip: get room temperature eggs faster by placing them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
- Chocolate chips. I used dark chocolate chips in this recipe for maximum chocolate flavor, but they can be substituted with whatever you have on hand. You may also add walnuts for a bit of crunch if desired!
- Flaky sea salt. I sprinkled Maldon Salt over the cookies right when they came out of the oven. If you don’t have any on hand, use regular sea salt or omit altogether.
How to make this recipe
This chocolate chip cookie recipe doesn’t get easier. Once the butter and eggs have come to room temperature, the dough comes together in about 10 minutes.
The hardest part about this recipe is waiting for the cookie dough to chill so you can get baking!
Pro tip: Bring butter to room temperature quicker by cutting it into small chunks, then let stand on the counter to soften. Bring eggs to room temperature faster by placing them in a bowl of very warm water for 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Place the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in medium bowl and cream together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time until incorporated, then beat in the vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, then cover with plastic wrap and chill the dough up to 2 hours or overnight.
- Once the dough has chilled, scoop using a 1 1/2″ cookie scoop. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking tray about 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies until golden brown around the edges and the tops are just starting to brown, then immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt and let them cool for 10 minutes on the tray before transferring to a wire rack.
FAQs
Cookie dough must be chilled for perfectly thick and chewy cookies. If the dough is not chilled, you’ll get thin and crispy cookies as they will spread in the oven.
Brown sugar contains molasses, which not only adds flavor but a bit of acidity as well. The molasses reacts with the baking soda, which helps with leavening, creating a puffy cookie.
The cookie dough for these chocolate chip cookies may be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Remove the dough from the refrigerator 10-15 minutes before baking and let stand at room temperature to allow the dough to soften so it’s easier to scoop.
Chocolate chip cookies can be frozen before or after baking for up to 3 months in a zip top bag. Roll the cookie dough into balls and freeze, or freeze the baked cookies after they’ve cooled completely.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Bring butter to room temperature quicker by cutting it into small chunks, then let stand on the counter to soften. Bring eggs to room temperature faster by placing them in a bowl of very warm water for 10 minutes.
- Baking time will vary, so start checking for doneness after 8 minutes. The cookies go from light brown to dark brown in a very short time, and the darker they are, the crispier they will be.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Cookies are also freezer friendly. Freeze cookie dough balls in a zip top bag and bake when you’re ready, or freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months!
More easy cookie recipes:
- Chocolate-dipped almond horn cookies
- Flourless chocolate peanut butter cookies
- Flourless peanut butter cookies
- Ginger snap cookies
- Greek almond cookies (amygdalota)
- Kourabiedes (Greek butter cookies)
- Flourless almond butter cookies
- Oatmeal raisin cookies by Simply Recipes
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips or sub with your favorite
- flaky sea salt, for finishing (I used Maldon Salt)
Instructions
- Place the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside.
- Place the butter, brown sugar, and sugar in medium bowl and cream at medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in eggs one at a time on low speed until incorporated, then beat in the vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating on low just until combined, then fold in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and chill up to 2 hours or overnight.
- Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes until it's easier to scoop. Place the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1 1/2" cookie scoop, scoop out 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough and roll them into balls. Place on the cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and the tops are just starting to brown, rotating the pans halfway through during the baking time.
- Sprinkle the cookies with the flaky sea salt immediately after they come out of the oven. Cool for 10 minutes on the pan, then remove from the pan and cool completely on the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough, and enjoy!
Notes
- Pro tip: Bring butter to room temperature quicker by cutting it into small chunks, then let stand on the counter to soften. Bring eggs to room temperature faster by placing them in a bowl of very warm water for 10 minutes.
- Baking time will vary, so start checking for doneness after 8 minutes. The cookies go from light brown to dark brown in a very short time, and the darker they are, the crispier they will be.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Cookies are also freezer friendly. Freeze cookie dough balls in a zip top bag and bake when you’re ready, or freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months!
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
**This recipe was originally published in July 2014. The photos have been updated and the text has been modified to include more recipe information.
47 Comments on “Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies”
Super yum to these cookies. I’d like to steal a handful after looking at the pictures! 😉
I would gladly give you a handful and then some! 🙂
If you were my neighbor, I’d make you cookies like this with dairy-free chocolate chips, too. Move closer! 🙂
Salted!!! Chocolate. Espresso!!! Yes yes yes!!!
I’m glad you agree, Kathy! 🙂
Yum, I’m drooling! These look simply amazing 🙂
Thank you, Medha!
Yay, I’m so glad you tackled a CCC recipe that you love and are sharing with us – the espresso powder and sea salt sound like a fantastic idea! These would be dangerous around my house too but I can tell it would be so worth it 🙂 They look amazing!
Thanks, Kelly! I can’t believe it took me this long to do it! 🙂
You idea and my idea of a perfect cookie are exactly the same. Thankfully, my family will eat any cookie, so I can test recipes lots of times 😀 I love this CC cookie. I’ve yet to try a salted cookie. I definitely need to make these 😀 Pinning
My family isn’t half as critical about cookies as I am…except my youngest son (he’s like me in that department). haha This was my first ever salted cookie and I loved it! Thanks for the pin, Cindy! 🙂
I think making cookie baking a priority is an excellent decision 🙂 And this sounds amazing – I LOVE that you used espresso powder in them! I cannot get enough of that stuff when baking!
I should’ve taken my cue from you a long time ago on the cookie baking thing? ‘Specially as much as I love them. 🙂
I am totally amazed that you didn’t just eat the dough! Ha! You have more will powder than me! That is why I am never able to bake a whole batch of cookies! These look great! I love that you salted them, a little salt takes sweets to a whole new level!
The first batch I made I went to town on that dough! haha I tried not to eat any this time around because it’s hard to stop. Thank goodness I had somewhere to take them, or it would mean double trouble. 🙂
Yum! Love the addition of the salt. Hardly a week goes by that I don’t get a craving for a cookie. 🙂
Pinning.
Thank you, Melanie! The funny thing is that I don’t crave cookies too terribly much unless they’re in the house, then I can’t stop thinking about them. haha
Cookies are definitely a dangerous thing to have around — if you have one, you might as well have 2, and once you’ve had two what’s reallllly the big deal about having a third, right? These cookies sound like they’d give me self control issues, and I’m pretty okay with that. They just sound THAT delicious.
You know what I’m talking about, Kelly! I gave away a bunch and only kept enough for a couple of days here. WAY too tempting. 🙂
What a creative twist on a classic cookie, Marcie! I’m so glad you tried this out. I’ve added espresso to brownies before, but never cookies, so I’m definitely trying this out! And I love salting my desserts, too…especially with sea salt. Gives it an added touch!
Thank you, Gayle! Espresso powder finds it’s way into everything around here…I’m kind of obsessed with it…and flaky sea salt. They definitely give an added touch without going overboard. Have a great day! 🙂
I really like that these have a good amount of melty chocolate in them, Marcie! I’ve still never made an American cookie. I keep telling myself that I really must, but I think to be honest I feel a bit intimidated by how seriously you guys take your cookies over there in the US! I’m sure my cookies would never make the grade. At least I would have more chance though if I followed a great recipe like this. I bet the espresso and salt really take them up to a whole new level!
People can be pretty particular about their cookies in America, but you’d have no problem with them, Helen! The best part is, as the baker you get to determine how you want their cookies — thin or crispy, thick and chewy? I don’t think anybody else cared as much about thick and chewy as I did. haha I hope you whip up a batch! 🙂
You know I have tackled things from cake rolls to macarons and not basic chocolate chip cookies. You are right! I love the flavors here…the espresso I’m sure is amazing with the chocolate chips. Can’t wait to try!!
Sounds like we’re in the same boat! Everyone’s got their own particular cookie preferences…thin and crispy, thick and chewy, soft…it’s no wonder it seemed daunting to me. They’re so fun and quick to crank out, so at least the experimenting was easy (and tasty). 🙂 They’ll be a breeze for you, Zainab!
Love the flavoring and especially the salting of these, so great!!
Where there’s chocolate or caramel, there’s gotta be flaky sea salt. 🙂 Thanks, Matt!
I can’t believe you did not have a CC cookie Marcie! I’m glad these worked out for you and I love how you added espresso powder – I haven’t done that before. Pinning! Oh and I’ll send you my address if you need to share 🙂
I can’t believe this is my first recipe either, Deb — bad me! The espresso powder made the cookie dough so good I almost never got around to baking them. haha Thanks for the pin, and I’ll take that address for my next batch. 🙂