Chocolate Chip Cookies Sea Salt (Print Page)

Chewy chocolate chip cookies with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for balanced sweet and salty notes.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Chocolate

09 - 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

→ Topping

10 - 1 to 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt (such as Maldon), for sprinkling

# Directions:

01 - Set the oven temperature to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cookie removal and cleanup.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt until evenly mixed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until light and creamy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the pure vanilla extract thoroughly.
05 - Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until fully combined to avoid overmixing.
06 - Gently fold the semisweet chocolate chips or chunks into the dough to ensure even distribution.
07 - Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each mound approximately 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Lightly sprinkle each dough mound with a pinch of flaky sea salt to enhance the sweet-and-salty flavor profile.
09 - Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookie edges turn golden and centers are set but still soft.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sea salt cuts through the sweetness in a way that makes you crave just one more cookie.
  • They're chewy in the center with slightly crispy edges, the texture everyone actually wants.
  • You can have them cooling on a rack while you're still in your kitchen clothes, no fancy techniques required.
02 -
  • Overbaked cookies become crispy; slightly underbaked cookies stay chewy, and that's the point here.
  • The sea salt must go on top of the dough before baking, not after—it won't stick to a finished cookie.
  • Chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking gives you even chewier results and prevents them from spreading too thin.
03 -
  • Use real flaky sea salt like Maldon, not table salt or fine sea salt—the crystals are bigger and create a better texture on top.
  • Brown sugar is your secret weapon for chewiness; don't substitute it with more granulated sugar or you'll lose that tender crumb.

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