Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Sea Salt
Chocolate chunk cookies with a little something extra — flaky sea salt. Crispy edges and a chocolatey, chewy center make these Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Sea Salt absolutely heavenly. There’s sea salt in the dough and a sprinkle on top for that perfect balance of sweet and salty in every bite.
Table of contents
Ingredients
- Butter
- Light brown sugar
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Egg
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Flaky sea salt
- Chocolate chunks
The easiest chocolate chip cookies
These simple, delicious, everyday chocolate chip cookies are practically foolproof. The focus is all on the rich chocolate chunks and that irresistible touch of sea salt.
Chocolate chunks or chocolate chips
Why use chocolate chunks instead of chips? Because chunks mean more chocolate in every bite! When you hit one of those gooey, melty pieces, you’ll instantly understand why they’re worth it.
When shopping for chocolate chunks, you’ll find plenty of options, but go for the best quality you can. Good chunks melt beautifully and create that rich, silky texture—unlike some cheaper kinds that stay grainy. I love using semi-sweet, but if you can’t find chunks, chocolate chips will still do the trick!
Produced through the evaporation of ocean water using minimal processing (my favorite is from the southern coastal waters in Maldon, Essex England). It is pyramid shaped and is delicious to use as a finishing salt in savory and sweet dishes.
Why chocolate chunks and not chocolate chips? Simply because you get more chocolate than using small chocolate chips and when you bite into one of the melty chunks, you’ll see why.
When it comes to buying chocolate chunks, I found quite a few options to buy. I like to buy the best quality ones that I can find because they tend to melt a little, as apposed to some that don’t and that can be grainy. I like to use semi-sweet.
Flaky sea salt
Flaky sea salt might seem like a fancy finishing touch, but it’s actually a secret weapon for amazing cookies. That tiny sprinkle of salt brings balance and contrast to every bite. Here’s why it works so well:
- It enhances the sweetness: Salt naturally amplifies flavor, making the chocolate taste richer and the cookie taste sweeter—without adding more sugar.
- It adds texture: Those light, crispy flakes create a delicate crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft, chewy cookie.
- It deepens flavor: A little salt draws out the complex notes in chocolate and butter, giving your cookies a more grown-up, bakery-style taste.
- It looks gorgeous: Let’s be honest—those glistening flakes on top make your cookies look irresistible!
- Salt is added to food to enhance the flavor of the ingredients, not to make food taste salty. The same goes with baked goods and especially these cookies.
- I add it to my Salted Caramel Sauce which is used in my Salted Caramel Pecan Brownies. There is just something so good about a salty/sweet bite.
Salt is added to food to enhance the flavor of the ingredients, not to make food taste salty. The same goes with baked goods and especially these cookies.
More salted recipes
I love adding a touch of salt to sweet treats—like my Salted Caramel Sauce, which takes my Salted Caramel Pecan Brownies to the next level. There’s just something irresistible about that perfect balance of sweet and salty in every bite!
Tips for successful cookies
1. Use room temperature ingredients:
Butter and eggs blend more evenly when they’re not cold, giving your cookies the perfect texture.
2. Choose unsalted butter:
Always use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in your recipe, particularly this one that has the sea salt. Most salted butters vary in how much salt they contain.
3. Pick the right mixer:
A stand mixer with a paddle attachment is ideal for cookie dough. It creams butter and sugar perfectly without overworking the flour later. A hand electric mixer with a large mixing bowl works well too—just stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together.
4. Don’t overmix the dough:
Once you add the dry ingredients, mix or stir just until combined. Overmixing can make cookies tough instead of chewy.
5. Chill the dough:
Letting the dough rest in the fridge (at least 30 minutes, or overnight) helps deepen the flavor and prevent spreading.
6. Use quality chocolate:
Good chocolate makes all the difference. Chunks or chips with a higher cocoa content melt better and taste richer.
7. Measure flour correctly:
Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off—don’t scoop. Too much flour can lead to dry, cakey cookies.
8. Use a cookie scoop:
A cookie scoop ensures all your cookies are the same size cookie dough balls, so they bake evenly and look bakery-perfect.
9. Don’t overbake:
Remove cookies when the edges are golden but the centers still look slightly soft—they’ll finish cooking on the baking sheet.
10. Bake on parchment paper:
Cover. your cookie sheet/baking sheet. It prevents sticking and helps cookies bake evenly with perfectly crisp edges.
11. Cool on a wire rack:
Transfer cookies to a cooling rack after a few minutes. This keeps the bottoms from getting soggy and helps them set with the perfect texture.
Freezing cookies
For the best results, freeze the cookie dough before baking. Scoop individual portions onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Once solid, transfer the dough balls to a freezer bag or airtight container, label them, and store until you’re ready to bake. When a cookie craving strikes, just pop them straight into the oven—no thawing needed!
If you’ve made my Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Sea Salt, please leave a star rating in the recipe card. You can also leave a comment or ask a question below.
Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Sea Salt
Video
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (102 grams) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1¼ cups (170 grams) all-purpose/plain flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for topping
- 1 cup (150 grams) chocolate chunks (plus more if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/178°C. Line a large baking sheet, or cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- To a mixing bowl (if using a hand whisk) or stand mixer, add the butter and both sugars. Mix until the sugars are dissolved into the butter, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg, mix until well combined, scraping the sides of the bowl until well mixed.
- Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Mix just until the flour is incorporated. Add the chocolate chunks and use a spatula to mix them in. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or freezer for 15 minutes. This allows the butter to firm up and prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough and place onto the cookie sheet, 3-inches/8 cm apart. If you want to really make sure they are all the same size, weigh them to 1.2 ounce/34 grams each. Use the palm of your hand to flatten the top slightly and add more chunks if needed.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes, the time may be shorter if your baking pan is darker in color. The edges should be golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle a light coverage of flaky sea salt.
- Cool the cookies on the pan for a few minutes. Transfer to a baking rack and cool completely. They will keep for up to 4 days in a sealed container at room temperature.
- Read more under the heading 'tips for successful cookies', above.
Can they be frozen if I make them now 11/8/25, for xmas
Yes, you can freeze them now. It is best to freeze the raw cookie dough, then bake when needed. Scoop individual portions onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container. Enjoy.
So do you not add any salt to the mixture only sprinkled on top?
There is 1/4 teaspoon of salt mixed into the batter as well as sprinkled on top.
My kids are stuffing thei faces as I write this. I managed to wrangle a bite and they are soooo good. Crispy edges soft center perfection 👌🏻
Haha, glad they are such a hit 🙂
I’ve been looking for a reason to use my sea salt. They look amazing.
Thank you and enjoy 🙂