There’s something very reassuring about a good chocolate chip cookie. Nothing complicated, just a simple bake done well. This recipe is exactly that. These cookies have crisp, golden edges, soft and chewy centres, and plenty of chocolate in every bite. A light sprinkle of sea salt lifts the umami flavours, giving them that slightly more grown-up feel without losing their comfort. Sea salt chocolate chip cookies – they will become your ‘go to’ bake.
What makes these cookies special?
These cookies are all about contrast and balance. I’m looking for that right mix of crispness when I break it in half, but chewiness in every bite. I definitely don’t want to feel cheated on the chocolate, and I absolutely love the flavour combination of chocolate and salt. So what makes these sea salt chocolate chip cookies so special? Well, it’s a combination of all the following:
- Crispy edges from baking just long enough for a golden finish
- Chewy middle that stays soft once cooled
- Generous chocolate pieces rather than small chips for better texture
- A touch of sea salt to bring everything together
Nothing complicated, but when you combine all the small details it makes a big difference – and in my opinion, the perfect chocolate chip cookie.
Other related sweet treat recipes
See below for other sweet treat recipes on the blog:
Yes, simply swap the plain flour for a gluten-free plain flour blend and add in 1/2 tsp xanthan gum along with the other dry ingredients.
It’s really up to you how generous you are with the size of the cookies. If I use an ice cream scoop, then I usually get 14-16 cookies. But you can make them bigger and go for 10, or smaller and stretch it to 20.
You can turn these into Easter cookies very simply. Use 100g of chopped dark chocolate to put into the cookie mix. Then, instead of topping the cookies with more chopped chocolate, take a 75g packet of Cadbury’s Mini Eggs and bash lightly with a rolling pin to break them in half. After the cookies have been in the oven for 8 mins, remove and gently push the mini egg halves into the tops of the cookies (shell side up). Put back in the oven for a final 4 minutes. Et Voila! Easter egg chocolate chip cookies 🙂
Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- 2 large baking trays
Ingredients
- 100 g butter melted and cooled
- 80 g golden caster sugar
- 120 g soft brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk freeze the white for another recipe
- 1/2 tsp vanilla paste
- 250 g plain flour you can also use bread flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 120 g dark chocolate (70-75%) roughly chopped
Instructions
- Melt the butter and put aside to cool.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a wooden spoon, cream together the butter and the sugars. Add in the whole egg, the extra egg yolk, and the vanilla paste, and mix thoroughly until smooth.
- Add in the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and 1/2 tsp of the sea salt (keeping aside the other 1/2 tsp to sprinkle on top of the cookies later) – and mix well to combine.
- Fold in 100g of the chopped dark chocolate until evenly distributed. Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for 90 minutes.
- 10 minutes before baking, line 2 large baking tray with baking paper or silicone, and preheat your oven to 170 °C
- Divide the mixture into 15 cookies. An ice cream scoop is useful for this, or a couple of dessert spoons. Roughly shape into golf balls and spread out on the lined trays. Make sure you leave space, as the cookies need room as they cook.
- Bake in the oven for 8 mins, remove them and dot the remaining 20g of chocolate chunks on top of the cookies along with a tiny sprinkling of sea salt. Put them back in the oven, switching the trays around from top to bottom, for the final 4 mins.
- Remove the trays and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to fully cool. Although, I like to eat them slightly warm with the chocolate still all gooey!
Notes
- You can make these sea salt chocolate chip cookies gluten-free simply by swapping out the plain flour for a gluten-free plain blend, and adding 1/2 tsp xanthan gum along with the dry ingredients.
- I have made 15 cookies with this recipe. But it’s up to you on the size of the cookies. You can be generous, and the mix will make 10 big cookies, or stretch it up to 20.
- If you wish to freeze half a batch, to have fresh cookies another day, you can do so at the end of step 6. Open freeze the cookie dough balls (ie. spread them out on a tray and place in the freezer not touching each other). Once frozen, put them in a bag/container and seal well for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for 30 minutes on a baking tray and follow the rest of the instructions.
- You can turn these into Easter cookies very simply. Use 100g of chopped dark chocolate to put into the cookie mix. Then, instead of topping the cookies with 20g more chopped chocolate, take a 75g packet of Cadbury’s Mini Eggs and bash the eggs lightly with a rolling pin to break them in half. After the cookies have been in the oven for 8 mins, remove and gently push the mini egg halves into the tops of the cookies (shell side up). Put back in the oven for a final 4 minutes. And there you have it! Easter egg chocolate chip cookies 🙂