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Since we moved, I’ve had a harder time getting back into my normal routines than I expected. CrossFit has been hit or miss, work has been…well…also hit or miss, and recipe testing hasn’t exactly been firing on all cylinders either, haha.
So I figured the safest way back into work (for me) was with a cookie. A really good, really easy cookie that looks far fancier than the amount of effort it actually requires. Thankfully, these bakery-style chocolate chip cookies with sea salt understood the assignment.
And just so you know, I’ve made these three times in the last two weeks, not because I had to (for testing), but because I wanted to. They’re truly that good.
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Why You’ll Love These Particular Cookies
These bakery-style chocolate chip cookies with sea salt are thick, chewy, buttery, loaded with chocolate chips, and topped with just enough flaky sea salt to balance all the sweetness. They’re easy to make, don’t require chilling the dough, and come out looking bakery-worthy every single time.
Ingredient Notes
- You’ll want to use room temperature unsalted butter. Make sure the butter is softened properly and isn’t too warm.
- You can use either light or dark brown sugar, but you know me, I feel like dark brown sugar gives the cookies a slightly richer flavor and a deeper color. So I recommend dark brown sugar.
- Make sure to carefully measure the flour for these cookies or they won’t spread properly and to get the wrinkly edges, we need some spread. Spoon and level your flour instead of scooping directly from the bag. It’s one of the easiest ways to avoid dry, overly thick cookies.
- As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use a round cutter to gently shape the cookies into cirlces (which creates those wrinkles around the outside).
- I usually reach for semi-sweet chocolate chips here, but milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or a combination of anything you love will work well.
- The flaky sea salt is the most important part of these cookies, so don’t skip it. That final sprinkle makes the chocolate taste richer and balances the sweetness without making the cookies salty and just really brings it all home.
Tip
Room temperature or softened butter should be between 65°F and 68°F. It should feel cool to the touch and hold its shape while giving slightly when you press it with your finger. If your finger sinks in easily or the butter looks shiny or greasy, it’s too warm. Pop it back into the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes before using it. Starting with butter that’s too soft can cause your cookies to spread way more than you’d like.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together with an electric mixer for 1 to 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue mixing for about another minute until everything is smooth and well combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix just until the dough looks crumbly.
- Fold in the chocolate chips with a spoon or rubber spatula until a soft, evenly mixed dough comes together.
- Use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking so the cookies bake evenly.
- As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, gently nudge the edges into shape with a spatula or a large round cookie cutter while they’re still hot and then sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
My Baking Sheets
They heat evenly, don’t warp, and give you that golden finish every time. Simple, sturdy, and really good at what they do.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Spoon and level your flour instead of scooping directly from the bag. Extra flour is one of the biggest reasons cookies turn out thick, dry, and cakey.
- Underbaking is the nove here. It’s the secret to a soft, chewy center. Pull the cookies from the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll finish baking on the hot pan.
- Rotating the baking sheet halfway through helps the cookies bake more evenly.
- A 3 tablespoon cookie scoop gives these cookies their bakery-style size and thickness. You can use a 4 tablespoon scoop to make even bigger cookies, but make sure to add a minute or two to the baking time.
- If your cookies aren’t perfectly round, don’t panic. These cookies usually require some shaping. A quick swirl with a spatula or large round cutter while they’re warm fixes that in about five seconds.
- Sprinkle the flaky sea salt on while the cookies are still hot so it sticks to the tops.
Storage & Freezing Recommendations
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If they last that long, congratulations on your self-control, haha.
These cookies also freeze beautifully. Freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. You can also freeze portions of cookie dough. Just scoop the dough onto a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer the dough balls to a freezer bag.
Bake the mstraight from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time or thaw fully and bake as directed.
More Cookies You Might Accidentally End Up Baking Too
Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies With Sea Salt
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark, packed)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup flour (all-purpose, spooned and leveled)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips (any kind, but I use semi-sweet)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1–2 minutes, until light and fluffy.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar
- Add egg and vanilla extract and mix for another minute, until fully incorporated.1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix just until crumbly because we’re going to continue mixing it when we fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles.1 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Using a large spoon or rubber spatula fold in chocolate chips and mix until a soft even dough forms.2/3 cup chocolate chips
- Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough onto lined cookie sheets 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through to ensure even baking.
- As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt and gently round into circles using the edges of a spatula or a circle cutter if needed.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes prior to transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for 3-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Spoon and level your flour instead of scooping directly from the bag. Extra flour is one of the biggest reasons cookies turn out thick, dry, and cakey or don’t spread properly.
- Underbaking is the secret to a soft, chewy center. Pull the cookies from the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look underdone.
- Rotating the baking sheet halfway through helps the cookies bake more evenly.
- A 3 tablespoon cookie scoop gives these cookies their bakery-style size and thickness. You can use a 4 tablespoon scoop to make bigger cookies, but make sure to add a minute or two to the baking time.
- These cookies usually require some shaping as soon as the come out of the oven. A quick swirl with a spatula or large round cutter while they’re warm fixes that in about five seconds and creates that wrinkle around the outside
- Sprinkle the flaky sea salt on while the cookies are still hot so it sticks to the tops.