SALTED CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES
Is there anything better than a warm chocolate chip cookie? Especially when it's salted chocolate chunk cookies. It feels appropriate for me to start with this recipe as my very first blog post because I believe that a person's chocolate chip cookie recipe tells a lot about them.
What used to be such a simple concept has now been elevated in so many ways. Variations on butter, sugars, eggs or sometimes just yolks. And then there's all the different types of chocolate. Nuts or no nuts? While I have a love for pretty much all different types of cookies with all the additions or not, these are my go to cookies. These are the cookies that I would make for you the first time you came to my home. These are my cookies.
A FEW TIPS
Most often when you click on a cookie recipe you're going to see one of the first ingredients being un-salted butter. I am one of those that believes in SALTED butter for everything. It's such a minimal amount, so although there are plenty of people who probably wouldn't even be able to tell a difference either way, I prefer and love salted butter.
Something I have found to be helpful through the years is not allowing the butter and eggs to come to complete room temperature when making cookies. This is ideal for cakes and some bars, but cookies are different. I like to sit my butter and eggs out for about 15-30 minutes before I begin the cookie mixing process. You want your butter to be warm enough to make a small finger imprint, but not so warm that you can push through the butter.
HOW TO MAKE THE SALTED CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIE DOUGH
These cookies can come together so quickly with these steps below.
- Pull out butter and eggs about 15 minutes before you are ready to begin, if your house is extra cold it might take a little longer.
- Sift dry ingredients together; baking powder, baking soda, flour and salt.
- If using chocolate bars, which I hope you are, now would be a good time to chop those up.
- Beat butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. I usually try for between 3-4 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, but try not to beat for more than 30 seconds with each one. Scrape down the bowl between mixing each egg in.
- Add in dry ingredients and mix only until incorporated. This is where so many people go wrong. You do not want to over mix the flour.
- Stir in chocolate bar chunks, and the little bits of flour that might be left on the sides of the bowl.
SCOOPING & CHILLING THE DOUGH
Grab a cookie sheet and piece of parchment paper. Yes parchment, the cookies spread less on parchment than they do on a sil-pat. Not to mention there is no clean up required.
Scoop the dough into large cookie dough balls using a ¼ cup ice cream or cookie scoop. Of course you are welcome to make them smaller, but why? Then you have to keep thinking how you ate 3 cookies instead of 1. Larger cookies also lend themselves to more crispy edge with a larger gooey center.
Cover your cookie sheet with a lid if you have one, or some saran wrap will do just fine. And chill those beauties for 24 hours if you can wait. Even just a few hours will help, but the more chilled the dough, the less the cookies will spread, and the more those flavors are going to come together.
LAST MINUTE "BEFORE YOU BAKE" THOUGHTS
Whether you are taking your cookie dough balls out of the fridge after their time chilling, or you threw some of the balls in the freezer because you weren't committed to making 24 cookies at one time, you do not need to let them sit out before baking. I usually grab the cookie dough out at whatever point I am turning my oven on to preheat.
Line your sheets with parchment and place 8 cookie dough balls per sheet. You want to make sure not to over crowd because then they might run into each other and those perfect circles are a little harder to achieve.
Grab your flaked salt and sprinkle those cookies to your hearts desire. Don't be scared. You aren't rolling them in salt. I promise a nice pinch won't be over doing it. And those little flakes that fell off the top.. you're really going to thank me later for those. They're going to stick to the crispy, buttery bottom of your cookies and when you discover them as you're biting you'll know just what I mean.
Feel free to sprinkle a little more salt on the top after they bake if you're feeling like you can't see enough. I usually do.
STORING AND/OR FREEZING SALTED CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES
The baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container or large ziplock bag for a few days, although I rarely keep them out of we don't eat them the first day.
Freezing is key if you ask me. I always have frozen cookie dough balls and baked cookies in my freezer. Maybe because I grew up like this, but you always want to be prepared with cookies. You can easily pull out a handful of already baked cookies and throw them in a cute cellophane bag, and you've got a gift for a friend. Just let them defrost and they are just like they were baked the same day.
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment below if you make them and love them as much as I do.
Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 15 oz milk chocolate bar chopped trader joes pound plus is my favorite
- flaked sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour. Set aside.
- Place the butter and sugars in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mix until smooth on low speed. Beat in vanilla.
- Slowly mix in dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. I usually stop when I still have some flour remnants around the bowl.
- Chop up the chocolate bar into chunks, trying to keep some large and some small for different variants of melty chocolate puddles. Stir the chocolate into the dough until combined.
- Scoop the dough into large balls, I like to use the ¼ cup cookie or ice cream scoop. At this point you can either have the patience to chill the dough knowing the results which be better, or bake your cookies because you just can't seem to resist. I like to scoop out all the balls and lay them out on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and then refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
- When ready to bake, turn the oven on to 375 F, and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place 8 chilled cookie dough balls on the cookie sheet, sprinkling with the flaked sea salt. Some people salt their cookies after they bake them, but I like to do both. This gives the salt that falls off the tops an opportunity to bake underneath the cookie and give even that much more flavor.
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes. You're looking for a nice golden brown outside, with a slightly glossy texture to the inside. If your cookies don't come out in a perfect circle, I like to take a spatula and circle the rim of the cookie to bring in any spots that have spread a little too far.
- I prefer to only bake the amount of cookies we are going to eat at the time, which is usually one pans worth. Freeze the rest of the dough balls in a ziplock, and pull out whenever you're craving a warm cookie or two.
Emily
These are the bomb!!! Sooo good! Thank you!
Hillary
The turbinado sugar, the chocolate chunks (*not chips), and the flakey salt + baking until barely done... in-cred-i-ble!!! Have enjoyed every single cookie recipe from Brooke!
brooke
Thank you SO much Hillary!! These are definitely my favorite so I'm glad you love them too!!!
Lyndee
I've made these twice this week... The turbinado sugar, milk chocolate and flake salt make them sooooooooooo good!
brooke
Lyndee I'm so glad you loved them as much as I do!
Emily
I’ve tried to master the chocolate chip cookie for years!! Finally with this recipe, I’ve now done it! My husband, my kids, and they’re kids couldn’t agree more! I couldn’t be more grateful.
Kari Tandberg
I consider myself to be a cookie snob and I have a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I love, but this recipe is very different so I couldn't help but try it. We loved it!! I was very tempted to make a warm cookie for breakfast this morning because I can't stop thinking about them. Thank you for sharing!
brooke
Thank you so so much Kari!! Sounds like the perfect breakfast to me.
Meredith
Truly the best cookies I’ve ever made. This has become my only chocolate chip cookie recipe from here on it! Thank you!!
brooke
Thank you so much Meredith!! I am honored to be part of your go to!!
Abi
These are my new all-time-favorite cookie! The 1/4c cookie ball is SPOT ON, and the salted topping is perfection. Proud to say I finally have a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe after all these years.
brooke
Thank you Abi!! I am so happy!!
Doug G
Absolutely legendary recipe. Huge hit at the office. My co-workers felt bad none were left for me, little did they know I’ve got a stash in the freezer for my personal consumption!
brooke
Thank you so much. I am so happy to hear this.
Curtis H
Best cookies I’ve ever had. If only I could make them as good as you. You’re the best !!
brooke
Thank you Curtis!!
Jennifer
I've made some really amazing cookies in my time but these are addictive! The perfect texture and consistency. I seriously have no will power around these lol! Amazing recipe!
brooke
Thank you SO much!! And yes, I totally feel ya on the willpower.
Jenna
Our family now has to keep these cookie dough balls in the freezer AT ALL TIMES.
brooke
Thats the best news ever! So glad you love them too!
may
my mom is forcing me to make these right now
brooke
yay!!!
Ali
Yummy!!
Tara
Excited to try these !! Do you use salted or unsalted butter ??
Tara
Just read your entire post 🙃 team salted!!
Camille
This recipe turned me into a successful cookie baker. I couldn’t ever make a decent chocolate chip cookie UNTIL this recipe. I have to make a new batch every week because we go through them so fast. Best recipe ever!!!
brooke
These are the reviews I love for!!! Everyone wants to feel successful, especially when it comes to a chocolate chip cookie. Thanks for much for trying them!
Lindsay
This should be everybody’s go-to cookie recipe. These cookies are perfection!!
Jerika Skidmore
I’m OBSESSED with this recipe!! The only chocolate chip cookies I will ever make. I also like subbing guittard milk chocolate chips when I don’t feel like cutting up a bar.. absolutely delicious
Cami
Turn out great every time. Everyone in my family has made these and it’s our favorite cookie recipe EVER! Thx Brooke!!
Erin
So good - my new go-to recipe. I’ve made with both margarine and butter, both come out incredible.
brooke
Thanks so much Erin! Love hearing this!
Anne
This is the best recipe, yum! I love the addition of turbinado sugar and Trader Joe's pound plus bar. Makes them extra special
Christine Graviet
I’ve tried many chocolate chip cookie recipes but this one is by far the BEST cookies that I’ve ever made in my life!!!! Words can’t describe how good they are. This was the first recipe of Brooke’s that I tried and I have to say that it’s my favorite.
brooke
Thank you so much! They are definitely my favorite too!!
Bethanie
LOVE THESE COOKIES!!! I won’t use another cookie recipe after making these!!
Diane
Awesome recipe! What can I use instead of Turbinado? I do not feel like making a trip to the store. 😬
brooke
You can easily substitute granulated sugar instead!
Roxanne
Needed to make a batch of cookies for some ‘Thank You’ gifts and I knew right where to look for the perfect recipe! Everything you bake is incredible! Thank you!
Tyler
Love these! Thanks for sharing 🤗
Marisa
Oh my goodness!! I just made these and I can’t stop eating them neither can my husband and son! Sooo good! I used my TJ’s chocolate bar with pretzels & caramel. So good!
brooke
Thank you Marisa! I am SO glad!! I love it with that chocolate bar also!
Bekah
These are SOO good...I love the crunch from the turbinado sugar, such a great addition!! We don't have a Trader Joe's nearby so I used Lindt milk chocolate bars. These are definitely my go-to CCC from now on!
Ashley Poynor
These cookies are amazing! I have made them for friends of mine and they said that they are the best cookies that they have ever eaten!!!!
LOVE THEM!!! Can’t wait to try the Cadbury egg cookies when the mini eggs come out in the spring.
brooke
Yay! Thank you so much! And yes, the cadbury ones are fabulous. I'm pretty sure they have some coming out for Halloween soon!