Chocolate Chip Sea Salt (Printable)

Chewy chocolate chip bites infused with dark chocolate and a sprinkle of crunchy sea salt flakes.

# 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

→ Add-ins

09 - 2 cups dark chocolate chips or chunks
10 - 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
11 - Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt until evenly mixed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract thoroughly.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined to avoid overmixing.
06 - Gently fold in the dark chocolate chips and optional nuts with a spatula until evenly distributed.
07 - Use heaping tablespoons to scoop dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each about 2 inches apart.
08 - Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of flaky sea salt for contrast.
09 - Bake in the preheated oven for 11 to 13 minutes until edges are golden but centers remain soft.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sea salt flakes hit you at just the right moment, making every bite feel intentional and sophisticated instead of just sweet.
  • Dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate means these cookies taste grown-up, like something you'd actually want to eat as an adult, not a nostalgic throwback.
  • They're chewy in the middle where it counts, crispy at the edges, and the whole thing comes together in under an hour from start to finish.
02 -
  • Underbaking is your friend—these cookies keep cooking on the hot pan, so pull them out when they look slightly shy of done and they'll be chewy every time.
  • Room temperature butter is non-negotiable; if it's too cold, your cookies will be dense, and if it's too warm, they'll spread too much and bake flat.
03 -
  • Freeze your cookie dough for up to three days and bake straight from frozen—frozen dough spreads more slowly, giving you even more control over chewiness.
  • If you can find really good fleur de sel instead of standard Maldon salt, use it—the mineral complexity is a game-changer.

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