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Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies are the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe: a gooey chocolatey cookie dusted with sea salt to enhance the chocolate flavor. This is my absolute favorite cookie recipe – they’re soft and chewy and perfect.

Salted chocolate chip cookies on a metal cooling rack with chocolate chips and a small dish of salt


Why You’ll Love Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sea salt chocolate chip cookies happen when you make the best chocolate chip cookie and add a hint of salt. It’s such a simple thing, but the sea salt totally elevates the cookies. If soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies with lots of melty chocolate are your thing, then this salted chocolate chip cookie recipe is for you.

Three salted chocolate chip cookies stacked on top of eachother on a metal cooling rack

Ingredients in Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt

  • Butter: You’ll need unsalted butter for these – you don’t want to brown salted butter since browning it concentrates the flavor. Start with sliced butter so it melts faster.
  • Sugar: The best cookies use both brown sugar and granulated sugar
  • Egg: Be sure to buy large eggs
  • Vanilla: I love adding it for flavoring – I always use PURE vanilla extract.
  • Salt: Needed since we’re using unsalted butter
  • All-purpose flour: Be sure to measure it correctly.
  • Chocolate Chips: Use your favorite brand and flavor – mine are Trader Joe’s! I recommend a dark chocolate for this recipe – either semi-sweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate. You can use chips or chocolate chunks.
  • Coarse Sea Salt: For sprinkling on the cookies. You can also use flaked sea salt or kosher salt. I love salted desserts – my salted caramel apple pie is amazing.

Sea Salt vs. Kosher Salt

Sea salt flakes and kosher salt aren’t the same things. Sea salt is softer than kosher salt but still has a slightly crunchy texture making it perfect as a garnish. It’s also purer because it’s not processed as much. 

process shot of brown butter cookies being made.
clear bowl with cookie dough and chocolate chips

How to Make Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies

  1. Brown your butter by placing the sliced butter in a saucepan and cooking, stirring often, until it melts and bubbles and turns an amber color. Place the brown butter in a large bowl.
  2. Add the sugars and stir until the mixture is smooth. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and salt. Add the flour to the wet ingredients then mix the chocolate chips. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.
  3. Scoop two tablespoons of cookie dough to form each ball. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and then chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
  4. Bake the cookies until they just lose their glossy sheen.

Brown Butter Tips

Browning butter takes an extra step, but it’s worth it! It adds the best nutty, caramelized flavor to the cookies. My brown butter chocolate chunk cookies are a testament to how good it is!

Place the sliced butter in a saucepan and warm it over medium-low heat. Once it’s melted, continue cooking it, stirring often, until it starts to foam and reduces. Once it starts to brown (tiny brown flecks will appear), remove it from the heat.

Tip: Don’t walk away while making brown butter because it burns quickly. You need to keep an eye on it and stir it frequently.

Three salted chocolate chip cookies stacked on top of eachother with top one cut in half to show melted chocolate chips on inside

Expert Tips

  • You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or stir by hand with a spatula or wooden spoon.
  • Accurately Measure the Flour: Use a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurement. If you don’t have one, use the spoon and level method for measuring it.
  • Chill the Dough: Your patience will be rewarded when you allow the dough to chill. If you skip this step, your cookies will spread too much when you bake them.
  • Use a Cookie Scoop: For cookies that are all the same size, use a scoop! It takes all of the guesswork when you form the cookie dough balls.
  • Add a Few More Chips: This is optional, but adding a few more chocolate chips on top of the cookies makes them prettier.
Overhead shot of salted chocolate chip cookies

Storing & Freezing

  • ​​​​​Store them in an airtight container, and they will keep for 4-5 days at room temperature.
  • To freeze cookies, layer cooled cookies in a large freezer bag. Place paper towels between each layer and then freeze them for up to three months. Thaw them at room temperature with the paper towels, which will absorb any excess moisture.

FAQ

Can I use salted butter in chocolate chip cookies?

I do not recommend that for this recipe, because we are browning the butter. You shouldn’t brown salted butter. If you skip the browning step then you can use salted (melted) butter and reduce the salt to 1/4 teaspoon in the recipe.

Do you sprinkle sea salt on cookies before or after baking?

Wait until the cookies are done baking, and sprinkle the sea salt over the top while they’re still hot.

What does adding salt to a cookie do?

​​​​It enhances the flavor of the cookies. Adding sea salt on top also adds flavor and a crunchy texture.

Three salted chocolate chip cookies stacked on top of eachother on a metal cooling rack

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

5 from 7 votes
Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies combine sweet and salty for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe – they’re seriously the best!
Prep Time 25 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield 22 cookies
Serving Size 1 serving
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Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, sliced into tablespoons
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups (186g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups (255g) chocolate chips
  • Coarse Sea Salt for topping
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Instructions

  • Add sliced butter to a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until melted. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the butter foams and reduces, then turns brown (little flecks of brown will appear). Don’t walk away, this can happen quickly and it can burn fast. Remove from heat.
  • Transfer melted butter to a bowl and stir in both sugars until smooth. Mix in egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Stir in flour, then stir in chocolate chips.
  • Scoop 2 tablespoon size balls of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. No need to space them at this time. Chill at least 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Space the cookies 2-inches apart on 2 cookie sheets lined with parchment or silicone mats, then bake 10-15 minutes or until they just lose their glossy sheen.
  • When done baking, press additional chocolate chips on top and sprinkle with sea salt.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days or freeze for a few months.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern

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Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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5 from 7 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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