These thick, chewy salted chocolate chip cookies are the ONLY chocolate chip cookie recipe you’ll need! Plus a tip to keep them super soft for days!
If you’ve never tried salted chocolate chip cookies before, you’re in for a TREAT!! The sprinkle of sea salt truly accentuates the rich chocolate flavor, and this recipe produces super thick and chewy cookies that will be impossible to resist!
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I debated whether or not to even post this recipe… I mean doesn’t everyone already have a chocolate chip recipe that they love? I decided to post them anyway, but didn’t want to call these “ultimate” or “the best”, because let’s face it, nothing beats Grandma’s cookies right? And in all actuality, these were actually supposed to be Halloween cookies, with little spider legs piped onto the chocolate chips… so let’s just see how those turned out…
Yeahhhhh can we say FAIL?! Lol, but sometimes you have to laugh at yourself and decide to turn a fail into a win… so I give you, these salted chocolate chip cookies!
I cannot even describe to you how much self-restraint it took to actually shoot these photos without just diving in and eating like 3 cookies! Is there a better smell than rich chocolate chip cookies baking? Pure heaven.
Even though these cookies are made entirely from scratch, they really don’t take very long at all! Yes, there is some chilling time… but that’s not hands on, so you can go watch a tv show, wrangle your kids, or sit down and check out your favorite food blog, *wink wink, nudge nudge*.
If the “salted” part of these salted chocolate chip cookies is throwing you off, just promise me you’ll try it before you make a decision. The sea salt doesn’t make these overly salty, it’s just a pinch that truly accentuates the rich chocolate flavor. Kind of like the Guinness does in these cupcakes, or the baking chocolate does to this turkey chili! I do really recommend sea salt for these cookies though, not kosher or table salt.
And of course, you can’t have these salted chocolate chip cookies without a glass of cold milk! I’m not even a huge milk drinker, but the dunking isn’t optional 😉
As we all know, baking, while more of a science, isn’t exactly the same from one kitchen to the next. The way someone measures their flour, temperature of ingredients, ambient temperature, freshness of ingredients, and different ovens are just a few of the variables. To help you guys get the PERFECT cookies every time, here’s a few of my helpful tips.
Tips for Perfect Cookies:
- Use room temperature ingredients (eggs, butter, etc).
- Make sure your ingredients are fresh (like baking soda for example, if it’s not fresh, it won’t act the same during the baking).
- Chill your dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll dough into balls and don’t flatten them.
- Bake cookies on parchment paper, and don’t put them too close together.
- Gently press a few extra chocolate chips into the top of the balls of dough before baking (makes them look really pretty and bakery-like).
- Take cookies out when they look like they’re ALMOST done. The center should still look slightly underdone. They’ll keep baking as you let them cool a few minutes on the baking sheet.
I also have a super awesome tip I just HAVE to share with you guys. You know that freshly baked texture of cookies that you love, but fades after just a couple of hours? I found a way you can have that soft texture for days. Yes, DAYS! Grab an airtight storage container and line the bottom with wax paper. Place a flour tortilla on top of the wax paper, then top the tortilla with another sheet of wax paper. Then add your cookies as usual, with wax paper between the layers. Seal the container. That’s it! The tortilla gives off a bit of moisture, and it keeps the air in the container moist enough to keep the cookies super soft. For some extra ooey-gooey fresh baked feel, pop a cookie in the microwave for 5 seconds or so before serving!
Think of these salted chocolate chip cookies a base recipe.. there will be other versions of these cookies coming to the blog!
Happy Baking!
Some Helpful Tools To Make This Recipe:
- Cooling Rack – this cooling rack has crossbars to reinforce it… no more saggy, flimsy racks!
- Cookie Scoop – Get perfectly sized cookies, every time!
- Sea Salt Flakes – You’ll love the texture and flavor of this sea salt!
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Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup salted butter at room temperature, 1 stick
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup + 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (more or less to your tastes)
Instructions
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Add flour and baking soda to a mixing bowl and whisk for 15 seconds to incorporate and make them fluffy.
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To the bowl of a stand mixer, add softened butter and both sugars. Beat with paddle attachment for about 2 minutes, until mixture is smooth and fluffy.
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Add egg and vanilla, beat on LOW speed until combined.
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Add flour, half the mixture at a time, beating on LOW speed until JUST combined after each addition. Don't overmix, or your cookies won't be soft and tender.
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Add chocolate chips and stir together with a wooden spoon.
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Cover bowl and chill for at least 30 minutes.
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minutes before you want to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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Use a large cookie scoop (or a 1/4 cup filled about 2/3 of the way), scoop round balls of dough onto parchment paper about 2 inches apart. I baked 6 cookies per sheet.
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Press a couple chocolate chips into the tops of the balls of dough, and bake about 10-12 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden brown and tops of cookies look a little underdone. (mine took 11 minutes).
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Sprinkle top of baked cookies with some sea salt flakes.
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Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Recipe Notes
1. Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma2. If you use UNsalted butter, add 1/4 tsp salt to the dry ingredients
3. I measure my flour by whisking flour beforehand, scooping the flour with the measuring cup, leveling off with the back of a butter knife, then making sure to whisk the flour again before adding to the dough.
HOLY CRAP! I shouldn’t have come here. WHYYYYY do I come here hungry?! Ever?! Ever ever?! Honestly I don’t think it makes a difference though. I’ve come here full before and leave hungry so what’s the point. But these seriously look AMAZINGGGG…. they’re popping out of the screen and I need to devour one, now 🙂 You have my address. Thank you.
Stephanie recently posted…Parmesan Crusted Tortellini Bites
One can never have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes! 🙂
Maryanne | the little epicurean recently posted…Pumpkin Bread Rolls
I’m over here pretty much drooling on my keyboard! These cookies are fabulous!!
Sheena recently posted…Cheesy Fiesta Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
These look amazing, I’ll be making them this weekend! I love your tip for keeping the soft and lovely. I use the ghetto version of that by putting all my cookies in a gallon ziploc with an end piece of bread. 🙂
Thank you Natasha! 🙂 I hope you LOVE these as much as we do. Lol @ the ghetto version… whatever works to ensure a soft cookie right? 🙂
What a great looking cookie! My kiddos would be all over these!
Nancy | The Bitter Side of Sweet recently posted…Lunch Lady Pumpkin Brownies
I LOVe the extra bits of salt… Just really sets off the chocolate for me!
Jessica | The Novice Chef recently posted…Fig Caramelized Onion Pizza
I was looking for a quick cookie to make for my fiance while she was getting our newborn fed and this was the best looking option I found. It turned out to be the best tasting cookie I’ve had in several years, and the best ones I’ve ever made. The texture was amazing! I only salted some of the cookies. Both were delicious, but the salt just sent the cookies to another level. Carefully read the instructions about milk! I misjudged the required amount of milk and had to get up twice in order to continue my dunking escapades of happiness. I also froze half the batter in a log so I can have some on demand. This recipe will go in my permanent file for future cookies.
Hi James! Oh wow, your comment seriously just made my night 😀 I’m SO happy you loved these cookies as much as we do!! Thanks so much for your kind words and great feedback 🙂 Oh, and congratulations on your new baby 🙂
I tried these last night, and I have to say I’m rather disappointed. They flattened out like pancakes! I knew something was up right when I put them in the oven, because they literally looked like they were melting!
Is there really only 1 1/4 cups of flour? It seemed a little low to me (the dough was super sticky)… I’ll try next time with an extra cup and see if they actually look like cookies next time….
(they taste great tho, just look awful with a texture to match!)
Hi Alana 🙂 I’m sorry you were disappointed! I know how frustrating it can be to try a recipe and have it not turn out as expected. If the dough was that sticky, and they flattened out like they did, then the dough probably wasn’t chilled long enough. Did you chill it as directed? Sometimes it may need a little longer, depending on your climate. Also, yes, the flour is correct… although since different areas are more humid than others, it can fluctuate about 1/4 cup or so. Baking can vary a bit from kitchen to kitchen, cook to cook, and location to location :/
Can the butter be melted instead of softened
Hi Kathy 🙂 I’ve never tested these cookies with melted butter, but I’ve made other cookies using melted butter instead of softened and they nearly always result in a thin, chewy, almost toffee-like consistency cookie… not the soft and thick cookies here. The reason for this is that when you cream the softened butter and sugar together, it creates air pockets within the dough. When the leavening agent (the baking soda) is working, it expands the air pockets already made by creaming the softened butter and sugar. So if you start with melted butter, there aren’t any air pockets to expand, thus leaving you with a very thin cookie.
These look absolutely delicious!
Thank you Natalie! 🙂
About how many cookies does this recipe make?
Hi Karli 🙂 It makes approximately 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on how big you make them
These salted chocolate chip cookies look absolutely divine, Amanda! I love your adaptation of adding sea salt to the chocolate chip cookies 🙂 Look forward to trying these soon.
As a token of appreciation, I’m sharing this recipe link as the Recipe of the Day on our Facebook group ‘Recipe Repertoire’ (a group uniting food bloggers and food lovers). Congrats and do join and have a look at https://www.facebook.com/groups/703073099864104/
I was just wonder what brand of Chocolate Chips did you use? Cause the chocolate chips I use usually dry out the chocolate after baking so they don’t give off the melted gooey texture. 🙁
Hi Sarah 🙂 I usually use either Ghirardelli or Guittard chocolate chips, they’re both amazing! F
Oh my! My butt and thighs are so excited about your recipe!!!