Thick and Chewy Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Thick, bakery-style cookies with chewy centers and beautifully golden, crisp edges.
• Big pockets of melted semi-sweet chocolate in every bite, thanks to a mix of chips and chunks.
• Simple pantry ingredients and one bowl for wet, one bowl for dry—easy enough for weeknights.
• A final sprinkle of flaky sea salt balances the sweetness and makes them taste truly special.

Grocery List

• Produce: None
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, 1 large egg, 1 extra egg yolk
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, fine sea salt, flaky sea salt, light or dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, pure vanilla extract, semi-sweet chocolate chips or bar chocolate

Full Ingredients

For the Thick, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm (not hot)
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (270 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, chunks, or a mix
  • For gooey pockets of melted chocolate, use about 1 cup (180 g) chips + 1/2 cup (90 g) chopped semi-sweet bar chocolate.

To Finish

• Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon), for sprinkling on warm cookies

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare your pans and preheat the oven

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. This keeps the cookies from spreading too much and makes cleanup easy. Set the pans aside.

When your dough is nearly done chilling (or about 15 minutes before you plan to bake), preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center position. Starting with a fully preheated oven helps the cookies rise tall and bake evenly.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and fine sea salt until well combined and no lumps of cornstarch remain. Cornstarch helps create extra-soft, thick centers while keeping the edges pleasantly crisp, so make sure it is evenly distributed. Set this bowl aside.

Step 3: Combine the butter and sugars

In a large mixing bowl, add the melted, slightly cooled butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk or stir vigorously for about 1–2 minutes until the mixture looks smooth, slightly thickened, and glossy. You are not creaming the butter as you would for cake, but you do want the sugars to start dissolving into the butter for a chewy texture.

If the butter is still very hot, let the mixture sit for a few minutes so it does not scramble the egg in the next step.

Step 4: Add the eggs and vanilla

Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Whisk again until the mixture looks thick, smooth, and slightly lighter in color, about 30–60 seconds. The extra yolk adds richness and chew, helping the cookies stay soft in the center even after they cool.

Step 5: Stir in the dry ingredients and chocolate

Switch to a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold just until no dry streaks of flour remain. Take care not to overmix; stop stirring as soon as everything is combined. Overmixing develops gluten and can lead to tougher cookies.

Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and/or chunks until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. The dough will be thick and slightly glossy from the melted butter.

Step 6: Chill the dough for thick, chewy cookies

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a reusable lid and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes, or up to 24 hours.

Chilling allows the flour to hydrate and the butter to firm up, so the cookies spread less and bake up thicker with chewier centers. If chilling longer than 1 hour, let the dough sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before scooping so it is easier to portion.

Step 7: Scoop, shape, and bake

Once the dough is chilled and firm but scoopable, use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon to portion the dough into balls, about 45–50 g each. Roll each portion gently between your palms to make a neat ball, then place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2–3 inches apart.

For extra-thick cookies, you can shape each ball slightly taller than it is wide, like a little cylinder, so they bake up with more height.

Bake one sheet at a time at 350°F (175°C) for 11–13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly soft and pale. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool, so avoid overbaking if you want soft, chewy centers.

Step 8: Finish with sea salt and cool

As soon as the cookies come out of the oven and are still very hot, gently press a few extra chocolate chips or chunks into the tops if you like a bakery-style look. While the chocolate is still glossy and melty, sprinkle each cookie lightly with flaky sea salt. A little goes a long way; you want just a few crystals per bite.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. This short cooling time on the pan helps set the thick, chewy centers without overcooking them.

Pro Tips

• Measure flour accurately: For best results, weigh your flour or use the spoon-and-level method. Too much flour makes cookies dry and cakey instead of chewy.
• Do not skip the chill: Even a 30-minute chill greatly improves thickness and texture. For even deeper flavor, chill the dough overnight.
• Underbake slightly: Pull the cookies when the edges are set and golden but the centers still look soft. They will set up as they cool, giving you that perfect chewy middle.
• Use mixed chocolate: A combination of chips and chopped bar chocolate creates both structure and gooey, irregular pockets of melted chocolate.
• Salt timing matters: Sprinkle flaky sea salt immediately after baking so it adheres to the warm chocolate and cookie tops.

Variations

• Brown butter version: Brown the butter in a saucepan until golden and nutty, then cool to room temperature before mixing. This adds a toasted, caramel flavor. You may need to chill the dough on the longer side as browned butter is fully liquid.
• Nutty twist: Fold in 1/2–3/4 cup (60–90 g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts along with the chocolate for extra crunch and flavor.
• Smaller cookies: Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie and bake 8–10 minutes. You will get about 30–32 smaller cookies; watch closely so they do not overbake.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For the chewiest texture, layer them with parchment paper and add a slice of bread or a piece of apple peel to the container; this helps maintain moisture (replace the bread or peel if it dries out).

To freeze unbaked dough, scoop and shape balls, place on a baking sheet to firm up in the freezer, then transfer to a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F (175°C), adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time. You can also freeze fully baked cookies for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature and warm briefly in a low oven if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values per large cookie (1 of 18), will vary by exact size and ingredients: about 240 calories, 13 g fat (8 g saturated), 32 g carbohydrates, 1.5 g fiber, 21 g sugar, 3 g protein, and 160 mg sodium.